Is there such a thing as a ‘Genuine Salesperson’?

Having sold advertising for more years than I care to remember, I have to say this was a part of my career that I’ve always enjoyed.

 

I put this down to believing in the product or service that I sell, and the challenge of convincing others to believe in the product too. And, of course, recognising that you can’t convince all of the people, all of the time.

 

Are there born salespeople? I don’t think so. But there are people who are born to sell – there is a difference. The latter, following training and mentoring (and as long as they are good listeners), will become excellent sales professionals.

 

What is selling? This question can be answered in many different ways but the electronic mind of information that is Wikipedia offers the following definition: ‘Selling is offering to exchange something of value for something else’. Belief is an important part of a sales scenario.

 

Firstly, does the seller believe the product or service they are selling to have genuine value for their prospect or are they an individual (or a born salesperson) who would sell to a prospect even if it wasn’t appropriate for them?

 

Secondly, does the buyer have the belief that the product or service they are being sold has value and do they like the person who is presenting to them? It is an old adage but people do buy from people they like.

 

It has to be said that selling today is a far more pressurised environment to work in, with organisations generally expecting far more from smaller teams. Those who go through a good sales training programme adopt their own style and genuine salespeople evolve too from this process. Is this important? It is for the buyer.

 

Bringing these thoughts to my current role, it is critical that prospective clients believe in what I am saying. NHS Creative offers a fantastic service and, without question, everyone in the organisation believes in their ability to give the best possible service. This confidence ensures my belief in our service, helps me to be a genuine sales person which, in turn, makes my job easier when building a rapport with new clients.