The 5 x Key Areas Of Sales Professionalism
Sales can be won or lost based on how you present and carry yourself – which is why sales professionalism is key to your success.
But what exactly is sales professionalism?
And what ingredients are needed to carry and present yourself as a true sales professional?
In this article, we’ll explore what sales professionalism is, as well as the five key factors you need to position yourself as the easy choice for your potential clients.
What Is Sales Professionalism?
Put simply; sales professionalism is to understand, and then act in a way that demonstrates etiquette, principles, and the mannerisms of a true professional towards your prospects and clients.
In sales; there are generally three types of salespeople.
First – there are order takers; they simply meet the client’s needs and make a quick sale.
The client usually knows what they already want, and the salesperson purely meets their order.
Secondly; are general salespeople.
Either they’re mediocre and operate without structure, or they have a mindset of making a quick, short term sale – sometimes without the client’s best interests in mind.
Finally, you have those who practice sales professionalism. They close sales a lot easier, and often win repeatable business.
They follow five key principles and areas, and practice this at all times.
Read on to explore what these are, so you too can implement this.
Learn more: How To Stop Winging It, And Learn Exactly How To Close Consistent Sales With Ease
The 5 x Key Areas Of Sales Professionalism
Sales professionalism can be defined by understanding and consistently following through on the following key areas.
These are:
- Setting expectations
- Integrity
- Consistency
- Asking questions and curiosity
- A trusted advisor mindset
Setting Expectations
The first area to explore regarding sales professionalism, is that true professionals always set expectations with their potential clients.
They don’t go into every sales conversation with the intention of selling something.
Instead – they let their potential clients know that they’ll ask a lot of questions to make sure they’re the right fit, they clarify that they’re meeting with decision makers, and that it’s OK to say no.
Also known as an intent statement – sales professionalism is about letting your potential clients know that you’ll only prescribe them a solution if you know you can help them get to where they need to be.
Mediocre salespeople do something called ‘premature presentation’; meaning they treat everyone like a potential client, and present much too early without truly learning their wants and needs.
To learn more about how to set expectations, overcome objections before they come up, and practice an intent statement correctly, read the linked article directly below.
Further reading: How To Use The Intent Statement For Sales Success
Sales Professionalism Means Selling With Integrity
True sales professionalism means to only offer your potential clients a product or service, that you know will help them achieve the outcomes they desire.
Mediocre salespeople think short term – they think about making a quick sale now, without the long term ramifications of that sale.
Sales Professionals and Business Owners who live and operate by an ethos of sales professionalism, prescribe their offer instead.
A Medical Specialist for example, wouldn’t try and prescribe you drugs, treatments or other similar items unless they know it’s going to get you to a better place.
Why? Because they’re professionals.
The same is true for Sales Professionals.
By position yourself as a person who prescribes, rather than having the mindset of just selling because you need to make a sale; you change the dynamic and relationship with your clients.
By thinking long term – it not only benefits your sales and business now – but also in the future.
Related article: Selling With Integrity – Why It Is So Important
Consistency
Consistency would have to be the most important ingredient in sales professionalism; because true professionals know how to get positive results again and again.
To achieve consistent results in sales, you need to follow something called a sales framework – or better known as a sales process.
A sales process is a step by step guide and road map that you lean on, to help you navigate sales conversations, and repeatedly close sales.
To practice sales professionalism, you need to make your potential clients feel certain.
And the only way to create certainty, is by following a system because it’ll mean you’ll have a consistent approach.
Although there are various methods of sales process types out there, we teach a proven consultative method called The 5% Sales Blueprint.
The steps include:
- Prospecting
- Building rapport
- Qualifying
- Setting expectations
- Asking excellent questions
- Discussing budget and implications of inaction
- Prescribing
- Handling areas of concern, and asking for the sale
To learn more about this sales process, read the linked article directly below.
Further reading: The 8 x Step Sales Process – A Detailed Guide
Sales Professionalism Is Asking “The Right” Questions
True Sales Professionals and people who practice sales professionalism, know that the art of selling is all about asking the right questions.
Questions are powerful for three key reasons.
First; they uncover the real reason why a potential client is meeting with you.
You can learn their pain points, their deepest desires, and what needs to happen next in order for them to make a buying decision.
Secondly; questions are great for building empathy and rapport.
By focusing the conversation on them and their needs, they’ll feel respected and know that you truly care about their wants and desires.
Furthermore, questions can help people sell themselves.
When salespeople make statements about features and benefits, the potential client may or may not be interested.
You just look like any other salesperson trying to sell a product or service.
When you ask great questions though – your potential client will respond and then feel the need to make a buying decision or take some kind of action.
It’s always easier to sell a product or service by having your potential client spell out that they need to make a change, rather than you trying to convince them that they have to.
Related article: Sales Probing Questions – 20 x To Ask
Be A Trusted Advisor
A trusted advisor mindset, and sales professionalism go hand in hand because they share a lot of the same guiding principles.
Trusted advisors position themselves differently in the marketplace, close sales a lot easier, and make a lot of repeatable sales.
They think long term and have a mindset of fostering relationships rather than making a quick sale.
Trusted advisors are reliable, dependent, and trustworthy.
They are competent and will only promise an outcome if they know they can deliver on what they say.
Their word is their bond.
Pro-activity is important to them, and they understand the importance of ‘chemistry’ – meaning they build rapport with their clients and show genuine interest in serving them.
To learn how to position yourself as a trusted advisor, we’ve written a detailed guide to help you learn more.
Further reading: How To Position Yourself As A Trusted Advisor
Sales Professionalism – Our Final Thoughts
These five key areas will make a big difference to your sales, closing rate, and emphasise the importance of sales professionalism.
Sales professionalism isn’t something to do here and there – rather; it’s a guiding philosophy to practice and uphold at all times.
By doing so, you’ll close sales a lot easier, and win repeatable business.
Want To Close Easier?
If you’re interested in learning exactly how to close more sales, more consistently – then you may be interested in our online sales training program – The 5% Sales Blueprint.
Our self-paced and affordable sales training course will take away the guesswork and show you exactly what steps you need to close more sales in a consultative way.
To learn more about our online sales course, read the linked link below for more details.
