Were You Born to Sell?
When I think about what these “natural abilities” could be, here are the first few that pop into my mind:
1) A natural comfort in talking to all kinds of people.
Obviously, being successful in sales requires that you do a lot of talking. But a true comfort in being with strangers just means that you will be able to network, strike up that conversation with that potential customer in an elevator, and put people at ease. The key word here is natural.
2) The ability to read verbal and non verbal cues.
I have always believed that one reason I’m able to forge so many long-lasting relationships is that I had an uncanny ability to read people. This means that you just somehow “know” when a person is receptive, is ready to expand and open up, or conversely having a bad day and you should move on. When I come across someone who does NOT possess this skill, I find them kind of annoying and clearly leading with self interest.
3) A competitive nature.
Simply put, this person wants to win. Winning an account, winning a sales contest, “winning” big commissions. Born salespeople like to play the game, and they play to win.
So what about you? Are you a born salesperson or are you self-made? I’d love to get your story in a Comment.
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Blogger, author, consultant, coach and all around evangelist for the graphic arts industry, Kelly sold digital printing for 15 years so she understands the challenges, frustrations and pitfalls of building a successful sales practice. Her mission is to help printers of all sizes sell more stuff. Kelly's areas of focus include sales and marketing coaching, enabling clients to find engagement strategies that work for them and mentoring the next generation of sales superstars.
Kelly graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science and, among other notable accomplishments, co-founded the Windy City Rollers, a professional women's roller derby league. She is also the mother of two sets of twins under the age of ten, so she fears nothing.
