THE DECALOGUE OF A GOOD SALESPERSON

Venturing into the art of selling is not easy. It is very common to hear sales managers say, "Sales come naturally to certain people, like magic," and from the sidelines, it may seem true. But the truth is, many variables contribute to sales success, and there is a list of steps that every salesperson should take daily to achieve success. Although factors like price, availability, country situation, and product quality condition the success of a sale, we must remember that some factors are beyond our control, while others can be changed by us.

A good salesperson should focus on factors they can change, working hard on those that depend on their attitude, actions, and self-management of time, a critical factor that ultimately determines your success as a salesperson. Based on my experience as a salesperson, the best practices contributing to your sales success are as follows:

1. PLAN YOUR WEEK ON SUNDAY: Reflect on which clients you frequently visit and which ones you consider you don't visit often. Give the same importance to a small-volume client as to a high-volume one. Plan to cover areas not visited in your region. Prioritize clients who contribute the most to your sales in your planning. Mondays and Tuesdays should focus on achieving your sales quotas, while Wednesdays and Thursdays should be dedicated to promoting, boosting, and increasing sales for potential clients who, according to your experience, could have a more significant impact on your sales quotas. Dedicate Fridays to administrative activities, reports, accounts receivable, etc.
2. ORGANIZE YOUR SALES FOLDER; IT'S YOUR TOOL: The sales folder is a salesperson's best tool. Your sales folder should contain, among other things, a visual product catalog, product specifications, updated price lists, and product availability. Additionally, you should have at hand the list of accounts receivable and all the information you might need when approaching a client. If all this is available in your folder and organized to be accessible when needed, you are ready to go on your visit route. Think of yourself as a soldier, and your folder is your rifle; if it’s not accessible when needed, you’re a dead man.
3. DEDICATE TIME TO HAVING AN IMPECCABLE PRESENCE: There's nothing more pleasant than receiving a visit from someone with a neat presence. Your haircut, facial shaving, your scent, your clothing presentation, the cleanliness of your shoes are your gateway to any visit. You are the face of the company to clients; it's your duty to give the best possible image at each visit. You don't need to spend a lot of money on this; just maintain proper hygiene to comply with this essential recommendation.
4. YOUR CLIENTS ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS: It's a salesperson's duty to maintain a healthy relationship with clients, being fair and balanced to both the company you represent and your clients. Favoritism is never beneficial in work relationships. Keeping a prudent distance from clients doesn’t mean being cold towards them. In the following item, we will see how empathy with client needs benefits, but it can be developed without touching personal grounds, which in the long run, won't benefit you.
5. UNDERSTAND YOUR CLIENTS' NEEDS: Usually, your client's needs differ from your sales goals. Focusing your visits solely on achieving your sales goals will lead to failure. Each client has different clientele; the geographical areas of each client make their customers have different consumption patterns. Therefore, the sales experience with each client is and should be understood as different. When you approach a client, knowing in advance what merchandise they need, and their price ranges, you will have the highest receptivity from them. Of course, this opens the doors for a reciprocal deal with the client. Let's explain this more simply; if I offer you, as a salesperson, a buying experience tailored to your need, I meet all the agreements, then help me as a client to achieve my goals, because it should be a win-win relationship. I’ve often expressed this to my clients and achieved very good results.
6. MAINTAIN A FAIR POSITION WITH BOTH THE CLIENT AND YOUR EMPLOYER: The best way to earn the trust of both is to maintain a clear and fair situation with both. This makes both parties understand that you are a person of integrity and values, with good practices as fundamental pillars of your personality. Make both parties understand that you do not betray your ideals and training, and if that stance costs you the job, leave with your head held high; that place isn’t right. Your actions speak for you, and surely that firm stance towards good practices will open the doors to another better company that values good practices. Similarly, clients observing that you don't engage in bad practices will trust you and establish long-lasting relationships with you, independent of the company you represent.
7. STUDY YOUR COMPETITION: Dedicate time to knowing your competitors' prices. Perform what is known as price shopping, which is knowing the price of each of your competitors to determine the gap separating you from them. This also includes knowing the competition's product quality. A lower-quality product cannot have the same price as a higher-quality one. Get well-informed about the product you represent; you must become the expert on that product. Don't get carried away by your bosses' discourse about the product; if possible, test it yourself so that you can speak with authority to clients.
8. FAITHFULLY FOLLOW YOUR VISIT ROUTE: It’s very common to be tempted to receive orders through a phone call or a message, whether text or WhatsApp since it saves you a visit. But let me inform you that it’s a huge mistake. From the moment you make that practice common, you become a mere order taker, which isn’t the same as a salesperson. The good salesperson uses the visit to learn a lot about their client. In a visit, you can detect if there’s a possibility of a cross-sale if your client is opening another branch, if your client's business is in decline and prone to bankruptcy, or if it is expanding, allowing you to increase the sales volume. In summary, avoid substituting the visit with order-taking by other means.
9. FULFILL COMMITMENTS WITH CLIENTS: There’s little to say here; nothing is more uncomfortable for a client than an order that doesn’t arrive on time and comes with prices different from those negotiated. You cannot demand a commitment to pay an invoice from a client if you do not meet the delivery times or price offers.
10. ALWAYS GIVE YOUR BEST EFFORT: In my experience as a salesperson, I met colleagues who only aimed to do their job without going the extra mile. Researching, improving, training, studying new areas, proposing improvements, even if they require extra effort, will always yield future benefits that will lead to success.