Nine Competencies of the Complete Sales Professional

Have you ever tried to explain to someone what you actually do as part of the sales profession? I'm talking about what you do, not what your company does or what your value proposition is, but what YOU do day in and day out as a sales professional?

To be a complete sales professional, your daily activities should be in support of creating customer satisfaction and loyalty. What are these daily activities?

My Ph.D. research analyzed the activities and tasks performed by hundreds of sales professionals. I found that these tasks can be grouped into nine areas. The key to being a complete (i.e. superstar) sales professional is to understand and master the following 9 "Selling Knowledge Areas":

1. Personal Management ? keep your personal life in check. Stay healthy. Set goals, make plans for your future. Keep your finances in order. Find stress-reducers.

2. Business Knowledge Management ? If you're selling to the CFO or the CEO you better understand the business of economics, business transactions, negotiations, and the return they will get on their investment.

3. Product Knowledge Management ? We all get trained on this and the key is to understand the product(s) being sold, how to position the product(s), and how to imbed the product(s) into the buying organization. Unfortunately, many companies only train their sales professionals on this one knowledge area when they should be training on all nine.

4. Selling Skills Management -- The best Sales Professionals seek out continuous comprehensive training and education to support their sales process. You should also be able to initiate, plan, and execute a sales process in order for your product or service to be assimilated into the buying organization. There are many systems out there to choose from.

5. Opportunity Management ? Complete sales professionals understand how to identify, manage, develop, and close the right sales opportunities. To do this, they're experts at opportunity planning, territory management, opportunity development, and closing.

6. Relationship Management ? Becoming a trusted advisor to the buyer only happens when the sales professional is successful at building relationships, communicating, distributing information, and influencing others ethically through collaborative dialogue. Building relationships within your own organization is just as critical. Make sure that you take the time to forge relationships with your support teams, delivery teams, management or any other party that is involved in your sales process.

7. Customer Management ? Complete Sales Professionals continue their relationship after the sale. Providing top-notch service to buyers ensures repeat business and a solid sales reputation.

8. Time Management ? Understanding the crucial elements of managing personal time to achieve ones goals and objectives. Great sales professionals understand that they must define the right tasks for the day or month, prioritize them, schedule them and execute.

9. Technology Management ? Complete sales professionals utilize technology in order to maximize personal and organizational effectiveness.

There are many people that wonder why sales professionals are "harried," have short attention spans, are always too busy, or seem a "little flustered". Perhaps by identifying and understanding the 9 Selling Knowledge Areas, there is a newfound understanding why!

So the question is, what can you do today to become better in each of the 9 areas? Which are you the strongest in? Or in which area are you the weakest? Make plans to improve in each area every single day.

Brian is the Chairman and Founder of the the United Professional Sales Association (UPSA). UPSA is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington DC that has addressed the concerns and challenges of individual sales professionals. Brian has authored the world's first universal selling standards and open-source selling framework for free distribution. This 'Compendium of Professional Selling' containing the commonly accepted and universally functional knowledge that all sales professionals possess. The open-source selling standards have been downloaded in 16 countries by over 300 people. Over 30 people have made contributions.

Because UPSA is not owned by one person or any company, it is a member organization and guardian of the global standard of entry into the sales profession.

Find out about the membership organization and understand the processes and framework of professional selling at the UPSA Website at http://www.upsa-intl.org. Find out more about Brian at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Brian _Lambert

---

Three Fast, Short, Simple Ways to Escalate Your Sales

1. Sell an inexpensive product to sell an expensive product.... Read More

Close More Sales With This Very Simple 3 Step Sales Process.

As Financial Services Sales Professional you need to build trust... Read More

Visual Science of Selling

Statistics state that 55% of people judgments are made based... Read More

Essential Training Skills for Managers

Today's manager lives in a world where change has attained... Read More

Selling More Effectively as a Trusted Sales Professional - Thirteen Tips

Do you want to sell more successfully using an honorable... Read More

The Ultimate Think Differently Sales Tip

Sales drive revenues, and revenues drive companies. Companies, then, are... Read More

How To Write A Killer Sales Letter

I sit down and look at my notebook. Then, I... Read More

Curiosity and How It Effects Your Business Proposition

The first 15 seconds of your approach are the most... Read More

The #1 Lead Generation System of Top Sales People

Developing an abundant supply of targeted referrals is the number... Read More

9 TIPS: Dont Sell Me - Persuade Me

We all have something in our past we believe someone... Read More

The 7 Deaths of a Salesman

In sales, you can work one of two ways. You... Read More

Qualifying vs closing

The art of effective question asking (qualifying) determines the effectiveness... Read More

Be Yourself

Here's the thing... you still have to make every marketing... Read More

3 Ways To Overcome Pricing Challenges

How many times have you had a customer say to... Read More

How To Stop Chasing Prospects Forever!

Perhaps the biggest challenge faced by salespeople is the problem... Read More

Three Ways To Get A Prospect To Say Yes To Your Offer

Here are three proven ways that will increase your sales:1.... Read More

The Clock is Ticking on Your Leads

Every day is critical when you are in the business... Read More

Are You a Sales Professional?

Many sellers like to describe themselves as professionals, but what... Read More

Grow Sales Using Image Tactics

In my dreams, I envision being the marketing consultant equivalent... Read More

Why More Sales Training Comes Before More Marketing Expenditure

In most businesses, when sales are slow or low, the... Read More

Seven Keys To Closing More Sales During The Second Half Of 2006

It's not too early to start planning for the sales... Read More

Increase Your Sales With an Incredible Offer

What are you selling?Coaching? Consulting? Professional services? A product? Information?To... Read More

Your Sales Process Isnt

A lot of energy is expended within selling organizations as... Read More

The Art And Science of Closing - How To Close More Sales Right Now

One of the questions I often get asked as a... Read More

Increase Your Sales in 5 Minutes

Increase your sales-in five minutes. This article is the third... Read More

Getting Them to Buy: The Two Most Important Pieces to the Sales Pitch

Why are some sales pitches more persuasive than others? Are... Read More

8 Sales Lead Generation Methods

I've been getting lots of email from my readers lately.... Read More

Is It Time To Rethink Your Sales Training Program or Is Your Sales Training Delivering Results?

Sales is still a must for any company who wishes... Read More

Dramatically Increase Sales With The KISS Test

We've all heard the term KISS at one time or... Read More

Growing Sales Through Creating Connections

Your mission as a business owner is to develop a... Read More

Let Your Weaknesses Increase Your Sales

Imagine...you inquire about a product. The salesperson does everything right.... Read More

Mortgage Leads Are Like a Box of Chocolates

Mortgage leads are like a box of chocolates, you never... Read More

You Dont Need Health Insurance!

Seems almost every situation in our lives is centered on... Read More