Black Sales Journal

This post helps you confirm your position in the sales hierarchy.  You will continue to develop and grow, but at some point your skills, process, and attributes are in place.  Read all three in order and construct the sale persona that fits you best.  Always be the professional.

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I hope you had an opportunity to read the Ultimate Sales Professional Part Part I and II as they covered much ground. Ultimate Sales Professional Part I (6/6) systematically covered the traits that the ultimate sales professional utilizes to his or her advantage. Ultimate Sales Professional, Part II (6/10) covered the activities that this consummate sales professional employs every day.

In Part III we will draw it together as we talk about those finishing touches that make this individual coveted by customers and sales organizations alike. These items by themselves don’t close the deal, but when coupled with the traits and activities we’ve covered previously, they change the game.

The Difference Makers….

This professional is a difference maker.  These items below are a sampling of some of the most important activities and strengths that are undertaken:

Closing Two Sales at Once – The individuals strengths and character allows the concepts of closing two sales at one time.  One sale is based on the company you represent and its arsenal of products and services.  The next all important sale is that although you are different because of your pigmentation, you are the best sales professional to handle the needs of the customer’s organization now and in the future. Master this skill and you begin the process.  (Black Sales Journal 5/26/2011, The Black Sales Professional – Closing Two Sales at Once.)

Knowledge of the Sales Environment - This individual knows about the 3Ps Perceptions, Preference, and Prejudice, and knows how to handle them.  This is a stable business environment for Black sales professional. It is very slow to change.   For this seasoned professional, there are no excuses, and no time wasted trying to convince those who are stalwart against progress that they should listen.  Energy is spent in the right place, with the right customers, and money is made. With quotas and goals, time is of the essence.  (Black Sales Journal 5/19/2011, A Deep Dive on the Issue of Customer Perceptions, Preference, and Prejudice)

Mastery of Selling Styles – I am saying “styles” for a reason, as mastery of numerous styles is necessary serves to make this professional ‘ready for primetime’.  Knowing when to be a technical seller, relationship seller, consultative seller and other well know styles will make this individual versatile, and eventually successful.  Remember that all buying styles are not the same, and all selling styles follow that same simple fact.  (Black Sales Journal 5/12/2011, Selling Styles – Which One is Right for You?)

Believes He/She is the Difference – This professional recognizes that even if you are selling a commodity, the difference is “YOU!” A recognition of the ways that the professional can “Package” the product is important, and the sales professional who stands behind it can be the real difference.  Know your product, and ‘design’ your packaging.  The difference really is “YOU.”  (Black Sales Journal 2/24/2011 – Selling a Commodity? – the Difference is You!)

Knows Management Expectations – This individual knows his/her manager, and recognizes the true importance of that relationship. This professional knows that ‘managing’ the sales manager is a necessary reality and doing it is intelligent and necessary.  This is nothing devious or wrong by any means, and it is underpinned by strong and solid communications.  This is the most important relationship you will have at your job, and mastering this relationship changes your plight.  On top of all else, you always must perform. (Black Sales Journal 8/18, 6 Tips on ‘Managing’ Your Sales Manager)

Manages Relationships at Work – This individual does not get so close to anyone that it could hamper the possibility of promotion or additional responsibilities.  Relationships are managed, and reasonable, and the social activities are above  question by anyone.  This professional is about business and has knows the need to “mind his/her own business.”  It does ‘worlds’ for the professional persona.  (Black Sales Journal 5/23, Friends at Work)

Changes Racial Perceptions – This professional helps to change racial perceptions by being the consummate professional, showing superior performance in all aspects of manners, skills, and personal interactions.  Coupled with being more responsive than other professionals, you have an individual whose exemplary performance “opens doors” for other Black sales professionals, and Black professionals from all walks of life.  (Black Sales Journal 6/9, Changing Racial Perceptions)

No matter how hard any of us work, we can always be improving these skills and attributes.  Always remember that the strength of a true professional is that they engage in continuous improvement.

In Summary

I could have constructed more posts on this subject, yet I think that you get the hint.  The most accomplished sales professional of any color is working on these items.  Only a slight few would ever have all of them conquered.  What is more important is that if you realize the power in these items and the last few posts, you will know that moving toward it is a great step in itself.

I certainly did not have all of these as sales professional.  I had enough of them to be good at my profession, yet I was not the Ultimate Sales Professional. I qualified for sales conferences and received bonuses, as well as got recognition and a set of  promotions.  Frankly it felt good.  I could not see the whole picture.  Some of that lack of vision was my business immaturity, and the other was seeing the whole picture from so many other positions and angles.

It was not until having the vantage point of being a field sales manager, regional sales manager and other roles all the way up to an executive vice president that I could see the most successful sales professionals and their undeniable strengths.  Couple that with the knowledge and scars which come the difficulties of selling as a Black sales professional leads me to the assertions in the last three posts in this journal.

You don’t need to wait to formulate that vision.  It is being shared with you.  Add to this your own special traits and it truly can be done, and “You” are the one that can do it.  I hope you will use these points to help get you there.

I appreciate your comments.

I guess you could say that I have “Drank the Kool-Aid”  On this one!  There are just certain skills, attributes, and attitudes that you can have or develop that will put you in the leagues with the best.  Today, Monday (June 10th) and next Thursday (June 13th) I will lay them out.  Read them and be the best!

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Since late November of 2010, we have described many of the traits that a true successful professional would have.  We have outlined the activities and processes that would, over time, make a verifiable difference in this individual’s ability to reach goals, and provide customer satisfaction.

We have discussed personality attributes and skills that make a difference over the last several posts.  Once again it is time to talk about how a sales professional puts these all together and finds success.

Over the next three posts we will revisit these important posts and put these together in an effort to portray that individual who is sought by sales managers and customers alike.

This professional has learned the benefits of mastering relationships, both internal and external, to get the maximum leverage from each personal encounter.  This professional knows the different methods of getting exposure, and how to capitalize on it.  This individual is always prepared.

There will be some references to previous issues of Black Sales Journal, as I want to keep this as concise as possible, yet capitalize on the wealth of information that has been published to date.

Deep Enduring Relationships

There is no area more important in the long run than knowing how to ‘master the relationship’.  It does not matter what your level of intelligence is if you cannot decipher how to ‘work’ your personal relationships to your advantage, and your customers benefit, you will not have maximum effectiveness.

There is an ‘art to the relationship’ that is undeniable.  It cannot be substituted by process, intelligence, or hard work.  You see, the ‘art of the relationship’ is not an inherited trait.  It is something that you hone with every interface.  It can be aided by having a gregarious and engaging personality.

The successful Black sales professional has the ability to form deep and enduring customer relationships (Black Sales Journal 1/13, Deep and Enduring Customer Relationships and Black Sales Journal 1/20, Deep and Enduring Customer Relationships II).  This individual works with the assurance that existing relationships are strong enough to receive ‘preference’ as compared to ‘wanna-be’ sales professionals look to unseat him or her.  In other words, the customer prefers to do business with someone like this professional, and that preference ‘spoils’ the customer.  This is a powerful preference that is enduring, and anchors the relationship.  We all want to work with someone that provides value, and is concerned about our business, and produces results for us.

This ‘preference’ exists not only because of the solid personal and business connection that exists, but also because the professional is effective in providing the customer something of value.  Always strive to always be effective and always show value.

Undying Professionalism

Being effective is a good start, yet by itself it is not enough.  The consummate professional is more than just effective; he or she does those things that exude success.  We talked about this in Black Sales Journal 3/7, Be the Consummate Professional. This individual is:

• Punctual
• Empathetic
• Attentive
• Knowledgeable
• Organized
• Responsive
• Visionary

Most of these are self explanatory, yet I want to spend a minute on a couple of them:

Responsiveness is ever important.  As stated in Black Sales Journal, Responsiveness – the Objective of the Sales Professional 6/16/2011, responsiveness is in the eyes of the customer.  It is defined by the customers expectations, and includes such important items as:

• Answers the phone and returns calls promptly
• Keeps commitments
• Provides answers to inquiries and questions as soon as possible
• Stays in touch – communicates
• Provides requested information promptly

Knowledge will always set you apart.  This knowledge could get you labeled an expert.  This ‘designation’ comes from those people and businesses that have benefited from your knowledge, and make the claim in your behalf.  See a most interesting set of articles in Black Sales Journal 12/20, Your Customer Needs an Expert and Black Sales Journal 6/27, More on Being an Expert – An Edge for the Black Sales Professional.  Expert power is attractive to a customer.

Empathy provides a connection and a serum that convinces the customer you are real.  If you have no empathy for the customer, then why are you calling on them?  How are you going to solve their problem if you don’t have that connection?  Put yourself in you customer’s shoes.  Live their problems and your solutions will come about easier.  Always keep in mind that a customer can tell when you have no empathy as easily as you can tell when a love interest of yours is not interested.

Now for the point that pulls this together:  If you condition yourself to be accomplished at all of these different items, you will havecredibility. Enormous credibility is the product of having deep enduring relationships and being a consummate sales professional.

More to Come….

Armed with what is above you would think that success would be much more probable.  You probably are correct, although what are missing are the activities, habits, and processes that make the person formidable even if some of the personality issues are missing.

We will cover them in the next two information-filled posts.  These are powerful for the Black sales professional.  These items are hard to put together, and even more difficult to master, yet when you do, you have an enormous amount of power and potential.

Next up:  Black Sales Journal 6/10– The Ultimate Sales Professional Pt. II –The Black Sales Professional in Action

We hope you will read it.

Your comments are always welcome.