SALES
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Fetch More Dollars: Like Peas in a Pod Good dog trainers have the potential to be extremely effective salespeople due to shared skill sets, says John D. Visconti
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like the majority of potential customers. Finally, extron the previous issue of BARKS from the Guild (July verts are inclined to be self-focused and do not ask 2014, page 59), I discussed the negative association enough questions when interacting with clients. As a many trainers have with the words ‘selling’ and salesperson, always remember that what you say is never ‘salesperson.’ Additionally, I pointed out that a profesas important as what you ask. Extroverts spend too sional salesperson is in the business of helping people, much time saying and not enough time asking. not exploiting them. Hopefully, because you embraced So exactly what traits do make for a successful salesthese concepts and now possess a differperson? ent perspective on what it means to be Steve W. Martin, sales strategy teacher at the USC a salesperson, you will never experiMarshall School of Business and ence beads of sweat forming on author of the book Heavy Hityour brow should someone ask, “Are you ter Sales Linguistics: 101 Adnow or have you ever been a salesperson?” vanced Sales Call Strategies for Another reason to embrace that being a Senior Salespeople (TILIS Pubprofessional salesperson, as opposed to lishers 2011), conducted an inbeing a con artist, is a noble endeavor is depth study to identify the traits that you already share many of top performing salespeople. traits of successful salesHis findings were published by the people. That’s right, Harvard Business Review in June of 2011. good trainers are very What follows is a listing of key personalsimilar to good salesity attributes of top salespeople. people. One could say • Modesty: 91 percent of top salespeople you are like two peas in had medium to high levels of modesty. a pod. • Conscientiousness: 85 percent of top A common stereotype held by salespeople scored high in levels of conscientiousmany people labels successful salespeople as ness. being extroverted, high spirited, outgoing in• Achievement orientation: 84 percent dividuals who fill the room by force of perof the top performers tested scored very sonality and irresistible charm. How accurate is this view? Not very. Studies have shown high in achievement orientation. • Lack of discouragement: less than 10 A 2013 study Rethinking the Extraverted Sales that modesty and conscientiousness percent of top salespeople were classified as havIdeal: The Ambivert Advantage conducted by Adam Grant of the Wharton School of the are desirable traits ing high levels of discouragement. in a salesperson • Lack of gregariousness: overall, the University of Pennsylvania disproves the vatop performers averaged 30 percent lower gregariouslidity of commonly held beliefs about successful salesness than below average performers. Gregariousness people. In a nutshell, the study indicated that extroverts was defined as the “preference for being with people.” are likely to turn clients off with the excesses of their Notice the list has none of the aforementioned traits personalities. Additionally, extroverts tend to be poor listypically associated with successful salespeople: extroverteners; consequently, they do not learn about the needs sion, charm, slickness etc. In fact, it is a list of some of their clients. Given that most people are not extrofairly mundane traits. More interestingly, a very clear parverts and like to purchase items/services from those allel exists between the skill set of top performing sales who are similar to them, extroverts are at a decided disadvantage when it comes to selling because they are un- reps and dog trainers. If you are actively training, you 60
BARKS from the Guild/October 2014