Underestimating the Value of Being a Great Salesperson

You have a great offering. Your competitor also has a great offering.

You have a tried and true sales process. Your competitor has a tried and true sales process, too.

You are using the latest and greatest sales methodology. Your competitor is also using the shiny new “new” thing.

Your sales force automation is a modern marvel. Everything you use is integrated into a beautiful, sleek interface with custom dashboards. Your competitor’s SFA is a dead ringer for yours. Only the company logo is different.

You are equipped with the best technology that money can buy. Well, how about that. Ditto your competitor; they’re equally well equipped.

The Difference: You.

We tend to overestimate the impact of some things on sales results and greatly underestimate what’s most important. In any sales organization where the above statements are true, they’re true for every salesperson on the sales team. That means the difference in results is something else, even in your sales organization.

The difference that makes a difference is you, the salesperson. It’s helpful to have a great offering, an effective sales process, good methodologies, and great technology. But it isn’t a substitute for the value created by a great salesperson sitting face-to-face with their dream client.

If you want to improve something that will immediately and irrevocably improve your sales results, you start with the greatest asset you will ever have for producing results: You. You becoming the best ever version of yourself will do more to improve your sales results than anything else.

Questions

What do you substitute for developing your sales skills?

What accounts for the difference in sales results between salespeople in the same organization? Different organizations?

If you could change one thing that would massively improve your results, what would you change?

How much does the salesperson account for in the decision to buy?