Would you agree that every sales job is unique in terms of
products and services sold, target markets, target geographies,
company cultures, lead sources, sales cycle lengths, and more?
Given these many differences, how can you accurately define the
parameters that will produce success in YOUR company’s sales job?
The questions asked in this article do not identify every
possible factor you should consider as you analyze your company's
sales position(s). However, reviewing these questions should
spark useful thoughts concerning desirable salesperson
characteristics. At minimum, if you carefully consider each
question, you will become more consciously aware of key
requirements than you were previously.
If you are a salesperson, you can also benefit from considering
these questions, as they can help you identify target prospects
and further refine your sales approach.
1. NATURE OF THE CUSTOMER: What are your target markets? Are they
horizontal or vertical? Do you sell to consumers, corporations,
schools, state and local governments, etc.? What level(s) in the
organization do you sell to? (Purchasing, Engineering, Business
Unit Manager, C-Level Executive, etc.)
Target markets drive numerous sales parameters including the
typical sales cycle length, prime selling seasons, and specific
knowledge or experience that may be required to earn credibility
with prospects and customers. Wouldn't you agree that selling
effectively to C-level executives (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) and other
high-ranking officials requires different attributes and skills
than selling to purchasing agents?
2. NATURE OF THE OFFERING: Are your offerings complex or
relatively simple? Are they tangible or intangible? Do they
consist of stand-alone products or services, or bundles of
products and services? Does your company have a small portfolio
of offerings or a large portfolio of offerings?
The nature of the offering(s) will determine the most effective
Sales Style (see item #5), the importance of Learning Rate to
sales success, and desired prospecting and opportunity
qualification approaches.
3. SALES ENVIRONMENT: What kind of environment do your
salespeople work in? Are they office-based or home based? Is most
of their selling done over the telephone or in person?
Salespeople that work from a home office usually perform best if
they are independent self-starters, whereas office- based
salespeople may have the option of receiving more frequent
direction and support from their sales manager.
4. GEOGRAPHY: How many sales locations does your company have?
Where are they located?
Different sales approaches are usually required to sell
successfully in different locales such as downtown Manhattan
(NY), Baton Rouge (LA), and Los Angeles (CA).
5. SALES STYLE: Which sales styles (Consultative, Relationship,
Display, Hard Closer) are most effective in your target markets?
The nature of the customer and the complexity of the offering(s)
should be considered when answering this question.
6. RELATIONSHIP PREFERENCE: Is your company more concerned about
finding new customers, increasing account penetration and/or
managing long-term relationships, or both? If both, please
estimate a percentage for each.
Salespeople usually prefer one type of sales role to the other.
If you truly want to accomplish both new business and account
penetration sales goals, you may want to consider staffing two
different sales positions.
7. SALES CYCLE LENGTH: How often do your salespeople have
opportunities to close sales? Several per day? Several per month?
Several per year?
If a salesperson receives gratification from closing sales, he or
she won't be happy in a role that offers just a handful of
opportunities per year to exercise this skill. This kind of
salesperson is often better suited to selling products or
services that have shorter sales cycles and higher volumes of
opportunities.
8. PROSPECTING: Do prospects come to your salespeople, or must
your salespeople seek them out? If the answer is "both", estimate
a percentage for each.
If your sales position requires a lot of outbound prospecting,
your salespeople will need more energy, mental toughness, and a
positive attitude.
Seven additional parameters will be covered in Part 2 of this
article.
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