Introduction of the Host

N. Rajesh Kumar, a graduate in Commerce, has over 20 years of field experience including 5 years of handling a Profit Centre and a couple of years of International Selling experience. He started his career as a Sales Executive and in a short span of time, was given the responsibility of handling the entire Country. Having started his sales career at a very early age he has had opportunities of working for different companies in various industries like - Telecom, Office Automation and Computer Networking.

He has been conducting Training Programmes on Professional Selling Skills (PSS) for over 8 years now, based on his vast practical experience.

About the Class - Weekly

Lesson 4 - DEVELOPING A SELLING PERSONALITY
It is essential in selling to appraise your strengths and weakness constantly. The successful sales personality will have a combination of the qualities summed up in the phrase PERSONAL SUCCESS SKILLS. When considering these qualities, bear in mind that every single one of them can be acquired.

P - PERSEVERANCE.  The ability to continue on your course of action despite difficulties or oppositions. In selling, the efforts expended today are rarely reflected in today's results. We may have to call many times before we finally reap the rewards. We must keep uppermost in our mind that in our profession the only alternative to perseverance is failure to sell.

E - EMPATHY.  Probably the most important attribute in selling; the ability to put yourself mentally in the other person's shoes. It is the skill of experiencing the other person's feelings and emotions imaginatively. Many people confuse empathy with sympathy, yet there is a distinct difference. Sympathy literally means to 'be in favour of or agreement with one's mood or opinions', whereas empathy means to really understand, but not necessarily to agree.

Empathy only becomes possible if you can mentally see the selling process from the buyer's point of view. There is an Old Spanish expression; 'In order to be bullfighter you must first learn to be a bull'. In order to be a successful salesperson you must first learn to be a customer.

R - RESILIENCE.  The ability to bounce back from disappointment and recover strength quickly. In the role of a salesperson there will be many times when you get that 'May be I'm not cut out to be a salesperson' feeling. Just about every professional has uttered those words at some time or another.

We need resilience to remind us that we are members of one of the most exciting and most frustrating professions in the world, and that every day will bring new opportunities and many disappointments. How much time we spend recovering from disappointments will dictate the opportunities we take advantage of.

S - SINCERITY.  Being genuine and honest without pretence - one of those qualities that is rarely faked with any success. Your customer must know that you mean what you say, and that you pass on only correct information.

O - OPEN MIND.  An absence of prejudiced or narrow-minded views. It keeps allowing mental access to the opinions and views of others in an effort to learn from their experiences.

N - NEAT APPEARANCE.  If you claim to work for a successful company with superior products, then you must dress in a manner that is consistent with your company's image. You would be reluctant to buy goods that are badly wrapped out of concern for the contents. Similarly, the customer will be reluctant to buy from you if you are untidy in appearance.

A - AMBITION TO SUCCEED.  The burning desires to achieve your predetermined objectives. The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary, and so ambition must be coupled with an active determination to achieve your personal and business goals.

L - LOYALTY.  Being totally faithful to people you are under an obligation to defend or support. Customers find it refreshing to hear a salesperson speak well of his company and colleagues.

Queries on this lesson?
Mail us at onlinesellingskills@sitagita.com

or write to us Onlinesellingskills, Sitagita Com Ltd.,
47, Chamiers Road, Chennai - 600 028.

Courtesy: Institute of PSS, No.14-A, Natesan Nagar,
Alapakkam Main Road, Chennai - 600 116. Tel: 044-476 7299 Mobile: 98400-40444