Sales manager - a portrait from the future
Good day,
Below is an open translation of an article written on the basis of interviews with several CEOs of large companies.
I think it will be interesting to everyone who sells IT software outsourcing services to customers around the world.
I cite the text without comment in full and invite all IT sales to speak on what sales methods and behaviors were most successful in their current practice.
')
__________________________________________________________________
(Written by Jeffrey James)
Recently, I asked several CEOs and professional sales managers to name the characteristics that the sales managers of the future would need in order to succeed in the business in which they are engaged.
Their answers give me the opportunity to assume that the previous stereotype of the “Sales Manager” is hopelessly outdated.
Here is a list of the best answers I received:
Sales manager of the future - must have the following qualities:
* ... He should be an introvert rather than an extrovert,
Traditionally, it is considered that the majority of people who are engaged in sales belong to the type of “interesting extrovert”, but today, “interesting introverts” are often better able to cope with their tasks,
because they are usually interested in what interests their consumer (client) and more often allow the consumer to dominate during the conversation, as opposed to extrovert, who constantly try to prove to everyone during the conversation - how interesting they are.
* ... He should be ready to cooperate rather than communicate
With the development of the Internet, the consumer (and sales representative) can usually find out a huge amount of information about some other company or firm. As a result, the sales process becomes a process of accumulating details (consumer information) and moving to a deeper understanding of its needs. Thus, instead of providing information, the seller, who sells services, participates in the constant process of obtaining new knowledge about the consumer and the customer, product or service.
* ... He should be a negotiator rather than a persuader.
Traditionally, sales have always been viewed as a way of changing consumer preferences regarding what and how he (or she) would like to buy. Over the past 20 years, however, this conviction has undergone tremendous changes, so sales are now viewed more as a professional negotiating ability that helps people reach an agreement.
* ... Sales should be more of an expert, not a general person.
Because sales are becoming more and more specialized and professional, it is easier for someone to teach sales to the process than knowledge relating to a deep understanding of this business.
For example, companies that market process control systems for refineries (process control systems to refineries) are now looking for professionals who used to be managers at refineries, and companies that sell ER - management software are looking for ER nurses (who could describe the processes).
* ... Sales should be more professional, not new.
Business schools have become more serious about teaching sales.
Even universities add sales classes to their curriculum, even though sales have always been considered insufficiently serious, not worthy of methodical study. The sales profession has acquired status, both in business and in academic circles, when it became clear that sales work has become more difficult than ever before.
Question to readers: what do you think about this?
Below is an open translation of an article written on the basis of interviews with several CEOs of large companies.
I think it will be interesting to everyone who sells IT software outsourcing services to customers around the world.
I cite the text without comment in full and invite all IT sales to speak on what sales methods and behaviors were most successful in their current practice.
')
__________________________________________________________________
(Written by Jeffrey James)
Recently, I asked several CEOs and professional sales managers to name the characteristics that the sales managers of the future would need in order to succeed in the business in which they are engaged.
Their answers give me the opportunity to assume that the previous stereotype of the “Sales Manager” is hopelessly outdated.
Here is a list of the best answers I received:
Sales manager of the future - must have the following qualities:
* ... He should be an introvert rather than an extrovert,
Traditionally, it is considered that the majority of people who are engaged in sales belong to the type of “interesting extrovert”, but today, “interesting introverts” are often better able to cope with their tasks,
because they are usually interested in what interests their consumer (client) and more often allow the consumer to dominate during the conversation, as opposed to extrovert, who constantly try to prove to everyone during the conversation - how interesting they are.
* ... He should be ready to cooperate rather than communicate
With the development of the Internet, the consumer (and sales representative) can usually find out a huge amount of information about some other company or firm. As a result, the sales process becomes a process of accumulating details (consumer information) and moving to a deeper understanding of its needs. Thus, instead of providing information, the seller, who sells services, participates in the constant process of obtaining new knowledge about the consumer and the customer, product or service.
* ... He should be a negotiator rather than a persuader.
Traditionally, sales have always been viewed as a way of changing consumer preferences regarding what and how he (or she) would like to buy. Over the past 20 years, however, this conviction has undergone tremendous changes, so sales are now viewed more as a professional negotiating ability that helps people reach an agreement.
* ... Sales should be more of an expert, not a general person.
Because sales are becoming more and more specialized and professional, it is easier for someone to teach sales to the process than knowledge relating to a deep understanding of this business.
For example, companies that market process control systems for refineries (process control systems to refineries) are now looking for professionals who used to be managers at refineries, and companies that sell ER - management software are looking for ER nurses (who could describe the processes).
* ... Sales should be more professional, not new.
Business schools have become more serious about teaching sales.
Even universities add sales classes to their curriculum, even though sales have always been considered insufficiently serious, not worthy of methodical study. The sales profession has acquired status, both in business and in academic circles, when it became clear that sales work has become more difficult than ever before.
Question to readers: what do you think about this?
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/91767/
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