How Being a Professional In Sales Will Directly Increase Sales
How Being a Professional In Sales Will Directly Increase Sales
Lack of sales professionalism is first noticed in the attire. One small business owner who has established herself as a marketer came to this event in faded blue jeans. Even though she had her trademarked orange briefcase and a matching orange scarf, her appearance did not project an image of confidence or business acumen. As I looked at her, I wondered did she realize the image that she projected and more importantly how would any potential client could feel confident in speaking with her?
Dress is not the only physical behavior associated with professionalism. At this same business networking event, one of the organizers who also has a marketing company, grabbed the microphone from one of the speakers to announce a winner of a raffle ticket. The speaker did a quick recovery, yet the business owner was totally clueless about this poor behavior.
Then later on, he stopped by my booth and decided to play with the PowerPoint program that was on a continuous loop. I had to reboot the program. Again, he was not even aware of how those around him viewed his boorish behavior.
The executive director of this business networking event did not even bother to speak with many of the vendors who had invested their marketing funds into this tradeshow. Her focus was on just a few of her friends. Sales Coaching Tip: You may wish to read more about why many formal http://EzineArticles.com/?id=1848084”>business networking groups fail.
Another demonstration of poor professionalism is the inability to return phone calls. I check voice mails several times a day to make sure that phone calls are returned in a timely fashion. When talking with one executive, even though his voice mail states that he will call back quickly, he told me to leave messages through his administrative assistant because he never gets around to returning phone calls. Of course, my thought was why do you not change your pre-recorded voice mail and direct calls to your administrative assistant? Would that not be the more professional way to handle incoming calls?
Organizations both for profit and not for profit need sales (revenue) to keep them going. This revenue usually comes from a feeling of trust between someone in organization usually the sales professional and the external customer or client.
When the external customers senses or believe the sales professionals or executives demonstrate any behaviors suggesting a lack of professionalism, this weakens if not breaks the first link in the sales process. Sales Coaching Tip: Assess your professionalism. Are you creating a gap between you and your customers and potential customers (a.k.a. prospects)? If you want to increase sales, then you must and always be a professional no matter where you are, who you talk to and your own internal beliefs.
How Being a Professional In Sales Will Directly Increase Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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Is it just me or are a lot of sales professionals missing opportunities to increase sales because of their lack of professionalism? This thought occurred to me during a recent presentation at a business networking event and small business trade show exposition.
Lack of sales professionalism is first noticed in the attire. One small business owner who has established herself as a marketer came to this event in faded blue jeans. Even though she had her trademarked orange briefcase and a matching orange scarf, her appearance did not project an image of confidence or business acumen. As I looked at her, I wondered did she realize the image that she projected and more importantly how would any potential client could feel confident in speaking with her?
Dress is not the only physical behavior associated with professionalism. At this same business networking event, one of the organizers who also has a marketing company, grabbed the microphone from one of the speakers to announce a winner of a raffle ticket. The speaker did a quick recovery, yet the business owner was totally clueless about this poor behavior.
Then later on, he stopped by my booth and decided to play with the PowerPoint program that was on a continuous loop. I had to reboot the program. Again, he was not even aware of how those around him viewed his boorish behavior.
The executive director of this business networking event did not even bother to speak with many of the vendors who had invested their marketing funds into this tradeshow. Her focus was on just a few of her friends. Sales Coaching Tip: You may wish to read more about why many formal http://EzineArticles.com/?id=1848084”>business networking groups fail.
Another demonstration of poor professionalism is the inability to return phone calls. I check voice mails several times a day to make sure that phone calls are returned in a timely fashion. When talking with one executive, even though his voice mail states that he will call back quickly, he told me to leave messages through his administrative assistant because he never gets around to returning phone calls. Of course, my thought was why do you not change your pre-recorded voice mail and direct calls to your administrative assistant? Would that not be the more professional way to handle incoming calls?
Organizations both for profit and not for profit need sales (revenue) to keep them going. This revenue usually comes from a feeling of trust between someone in organization usually the sales professional and the external customer or client.
When the external customers senses or believe the sales professionals or executives demonstrate any behaviors suggesting a lack of professionalism, this weakens if not breaks the first link in the sales process. Sales Coaching Tip: Assess your professionalism. Are you creating a gap between you and your customers and potential customers (a.k.a. prospects)? If you want to increase sales, then you must and always be a professional no matter where you are, who you talk to and your own internal beliefs.
How Being a Professional In Sales Will Directly Increase Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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