Sales Skills That Your Sales Employees And External Partners Should Cultivate
A dash of active listening and a sprinkle of problem-solving skills go a long way to improve customer satisfaction scores. This guide outlines all of the essential sales skills your employees and external partners need to seal the deal and achieve their full potential. You'll also uncover why each skill is crucial to not only provide an amazing customer experience but to build self-assurance, awareness, and confidence.
8 Sales Skills That Top Sales Staffers And Channel Reps Must Possess
Communication
Communication gaps lead to low customer service scores and lackluster sales stats. Simply put, employees are unable to actively listening to consumers' needs or expectations, which leads to product mismatches and a tarnished brand image. External partners and staff members must also be able to articulate themselves to highlight the product benefits, uses, and policies that you have in place. Last, but not least, non-verbal communication is just as important during the product pitch and sales transaction. Employees must be able to read non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and body language.
Problem-Solving
Not every customer is ready to make a purchase when they walk into the store or set up a consultant with your sales rep. This is when problem-solving comes into play. It gives employees and external partners the ability to overcome apprehensions and find the best sales technique based on the customers' buying habits and personal pain points. For instance, a consumer may not have room in their budget to purchase a top-of-the-line product or service. However, your rep can offer them a comparable product to save the sale, instead of letting them leave empty-handed. Dealing with negative perceptions is yet another benefit that problem-solving skills bring to your organization. Let's say that a customer has heard disparaging things about the product or has had poor experiences with industry vendors in the past. Problem-solving equips them with lateral thinking and critical reasoning skills so that staffers can devise innovative approaches and instill buyer confidence again.
Negotiation
Of course, one of the essential sales skills your internal team and external partners need to develop is negotiation and persuasion. Are they able to settle on a fair price with customers without digging into your bottom line? Do they know how to give clients an offer they can't refuse to keep? Are they loyal and bring in repeat business? How much can they compromise without violating company protocols in order to raise customer satisfaction?
Time Management
There are only so many hours in a day and employees need to know how to use them wisely. For example, they can't spend too much time on a customer who isn't ready to buy. On the other hand, they still need to show them respect and give them their undivided attention to build a better rapport. It's often a balancing act. Time management skills also shine during product demos and sales transactions. A 10-minute showcase of the product might be off-putting for busy customers, and those waiting their turn might walk away in the meantime.
Social Selling
In the "old days," social selling was all about in-person networking. Now, it's more about using social media tools to reach out to prospects and expand your customer base. For instance, employees and partners must know the basics of social media etiquette, as well as how to connect with qualified leads via online networks. How should they develop their online persona? How often should they contact potential leads? The last thing you want is external partners pestering people under your brand name.
Lead Nurturing
Getting customers in the door (virtual or otherwise) is no easy task. It requires follow-up and relationship building. Can your sales reps engage with consumers on a personal level while still maintaining their professionalism? Are they able to answer questions and address concerns without losing their patience or feeling it's a "waste of time"? Successful sales employees strive for long-lasting partnerships with clients/customers and understand that it all starts with lead nurturing.
Empathy
Seeing things from a fresh perspective is one of the top sales skills because your reps must form an instant connection with customers. Compassion and empathy are what set stellar sales reps apart from the crowd. As an example, a member of your external sales team goes above and beyond to meet the client's needs under budget because they know that client will spend more in the long run. This also enhances your brand image since customers know that it's not only about the profits but giving them unforgettable service.
Goal-Setting
It's not only sales goals your team needs to worry about. They should also track goals for skills development and performance to achieve their true potential. Do they need to work on team building or conflict resolution to be more effective leaders? Are there specific tasks they should master in order to boost CX stats and retain loyal customers? More importantly, they must be able to set these goals and measure them on their own instead of waiting for trainers or managers to take the initiative.
Conclusion
What does it take to supercharge your team's sales skills? A sales and partner training LMS equips your frontline reps with the core competencies they need to increase per-ticket sales and CX scores. Stay ahead of the competition and retain your top performers with Adobe Captivate Prime, where training meets targets.
Download the eBook Ensure Organizational Growth With Impactful Sales & Partner Training to learn the ins and out of sales online training and discover industry secrets. It's a must-read for organizations of all sizes, especially those looking for cost-effective ways to improve on-the-job performance.
