What are necessary sales traits?
Recently SG Partners assisted a client to recruit a great BDM.
Rather than just set off and start creating the candidate pool, SG Partners started working with the client in understanding what would make a great BDM.
Like most things sales growth related, it has to start with the sales strategy.
In this case the company needed to grow their client base they needed to hire a person most adept at hunting, who are not afraid to fight to get new business and who are not bashful about getting paid for the value they and your company deliver.
What sales traits were necessary?
Hunting skills – The needed salespeople who will hunt, who are more interested in generating new business and new clients than being comfortable managing existing business. The BDM must have the mindset that they will go get a larger share of the market rather than just trying to maintain it.
Value Selling Skills – In tight economic times, your potential customers are making decisions about how to spend their money. This BDM must be able to discuss in a way the prospect cares about, ROI and value. Budgets are being heavily scrutinized. Companies are clamping down on spending. The BDM must have discussions that focuses on the value to the client, not just the price.
Comfortable Discussing Money – This key trait is closely related to Value Selling Skills but has additional implications. The BDM needed to be adept at selling value, they needed to be comfortable discussing money.
Reaching Decision Makers – The BDM must be able to get to the real decision-makers, rather than being stuck at lower levels. The BDM must resonate with those leaders who are also making tough decisions about how they allocate resources. This is part selling competency and part mindset.
Supportive Buy Cycle™ – The business landscape has been changing rapidly and therefore companies are reacting in unexpected ways. Decision-makers may be supportive of purchasing today but may reverse their decision tomorrow. Therefore, if possible, the BDM needed to instil a sense of urgency to get it done. If a BDM has the tendency to think things over, comparison shop, and demand the best deal when they are shopping for large items in their personal life, they may allow or even expect that same behaviour from prospects and customers.
The problem is that in a contracting economy where budgets are being scrutinized regularly, sellers cannot afford to let buyers linger over decisions. Now more than ever the BDM needed to be efficient in creating a sense of urgency or they will find themselves missing out due to indecision or budget cuts.
More traits may be needed
These are just a select few of the traits that we can measure to enable business leaders to make better decisions, and I see these items as integral to success in the current environment. Your company and marketplace may require additional customised traits.