| A "role" is defined as the characteristic and expected | | | | positive dialogue and positive "self-talk".You will project |
| social behavior of an individual. We all play many roles | | | | first impressions that last and use energy and impact |
| in life, such as parent or salesperson, and it is not | | | | to create lasting impressions. You will conduct |
| difficult to see how this sense of the word role is | | | | audience analysis and present to them based on |
| related to its meaning in theater, where a "role" was | | | | appropriate learning style, cultural, economic, and |
| played by a character.All of these factors have a | | | | gender differences. You will understand the ways in |
| significant negative impact on self esteem, professional | | | | which these differences influence communication |
| self image and consequently resilience in the face of | | | | expectations and behavior, including the length of time |
| adversity. In short, without a clear definition of the roles | | | | it takes to establish business and personal relationships, |
| you are to play, the amount of work you are to | | | | differences in the conception of time itself, differences |
| perform and how these roles intertwine, you may end | | | | in nonverbal communication, and differences in |
| up like the other thousands of salespeople a year who | | | | perceptions as they are influenced by language and |
| do not make it in the profession. I will now define | | | | culture. You will also be asked to effectively deal with |
| professional selling roles and what is generally | | | | different personality types in constantly changing |
| expected in each.THE SEVEN ROLES OF HIGHLY | | | | customer environments.You will select the appropriate |
| COMPETENT SALESPEOPLE ARE: | | | | words and terminology for the correct audience so |
| | | | you do not speak "over their head" or in a manner that |
| | | | does not translate to their specific organizational status |
| "The Strategic Planner" | | | | or decision making impact. You will speak clearly, |
| "The Client-Focused Positioner" | | | | succinctly and professionally in person and on the |
| "The Persuasive Communicator" | | | | phone. You will facilitate communication between large |
| "The Focused Catalyst" | | | | accounts where your message may (or may not) be |
| "The Concerted Facilitator" | | | | given without you as well as with individuals where you |
| "The Effective Manager" | | | | will have the ability to uniquely tailor your approach and |
| "The Value-Driven Guardian" | | | | style. You must have an understanding of individual |
| | | | customer behavior and how your own behavior |
| These roles are created by understanding the phases | | | | affects customer relationships. You must be aware of |
| of building customer satisfaction and loyalty (as outlined | | | | the non-verbal behavior displayed by buyers. You will |
| by the United Professional Sales Association). Their | | | | synchronize your communication style to theirs, |
| model focuses on the entire transaction experience of | | | | enabling you to ensure no incomprehension or |
| a buyer, from initial needs identification, through | | | | misunderstanding. You will effectively use visual aids, |
| decision-making, selection, and purchasing. More | | | | presentations, documentation, brochures, or other |
| importantly, this transaction experience continues past | | | | marketing collateral where appropriate.You will use a |
| the purchase into implementation -- and beyond into | | | | variety of means to achieve your communication |
| measuring the quality and return-on-investment of the | | | | objectives (letters, emails, public presentations, |
| solution.In this article, I will explain the third role in greater | | | | one-on-one presentations, telephone, conference calls, |
| detail (please see my other articles for in depth | | | | web-seminars, etc). You must have the ability to write |
| explanations of the other roles.) Primary Focus of This | | | | written reports, informational memos, or even analytical |
| Role:In this role, you are somebody who has a | | | | reports as necessary. You must have a fundamental |
| particular ability to express thoughts, ideas, and plans | | | | knowledge of primary and secondary research, |
| effectively and when needed -- persuasively. Because | | | | techniques for data analysis, and how to give analytical |
| the volume of communication constantly increases, the | | | | presentations when necessary.You must have the |
| chance of information overload with buyers also | | | | technical ability to effectively use communications tools, |
| increases; therefore you will maintain the impact and | | | | whether word processing, page layout and graphic |
| effectiveness of individual messages by leveraging | | | | design, Email, video-conferencing, Internet-based |
| new and emerging strategies for communication as | | | | services, teleconferencing, or multimedia. You will also |
| well as seeking the most efficient communication | | | | leverage items like cell phones, pagers, and email |
| message and channel for delivery (email, phone, voice | | | | devices (like "Blackberries") to help ensure that you |
| mail, face-to-face meeting, presentation, etc).General | | | | can communicate from virtually anywhere to virtually |
| Expectations:You will begin to articulate your | | | | anywhere else at any time. You will understand how |
| company's recommendation, approach, response, plan, | | | | to effectively communicate via email and the Internet |
| or strategy in clear terms. You will need to set | | | | to communicate with prospects and customers as well |
| appropriate expectations in an ethical way with the | | | | as internal management and team members. In some |
| buyer so as to not over-promise your company's | | | | instances, you may need to troubleshoot or repair |
| capability to deliver. You will define and refine an actual | | | | technological devices so as to maintain |
| buying need within a client or prospect company and | | | | effectiveness.Post-Sale Expectations:In this role, you |
| open dialogue with the company to understand if your | | | | will communicate customer concerns regarding quality, |
| firm's solution(s) can provide a remedy - making sure | | | | perceptions, and problems back to appropriate |
| your company can indeed deliver.Pre-Sale | | | | members of your firm. You will also collect competitive |
| Expectations:You will draw on your understanding of a | | | | intelligence and communicate that back to marketing |
| variety of fields such as linguistics, semantics, rhetoric, | | | | and product development team members. You will |
| psychology, sociology, graphic design, management, | | | | also leverage political networks inside and outside your |
| marketing, economics, and information technology. You | | | | organization to help facilitate necessary changes or |
| will learn to manage communication to achieve specific | | | | decisions.Required Traits of This Role:You will be |
| short-term objectives, influence communication | | | | asked to be sociable, well-versed in many different |
| networks and the communication flow within | | | | subjects, patient, tactful, adaptable, quick, articulate, |
| organizations, while developing good interpersonal | | | | poised, gracious, and posess humility when appropriate |
| communication between and among those who work | | | | in this role.-----------------------------------ABOUT BRIAN |
| with you. You will build rapport and trust with those you | | | | LAMBERT-----------------------------------Brian is the |
| come into contact with through open and honest | | | | Chairman and Founder of the the United Professional |
| dialogue. You must have an ability to understand | | | | Sales Association (UPSA). UPSA is a non-profit |
| others and to actively engage in a way they feel | | | | organization headquartered in Washington DC that has |
| comfortable.To accomplish this you must be able to | | | | addressed the concerns and challenges of individual |
| listen effectively and ask questions to determine the | | | | sales professionals. Brian has authored the world's first |
| root cause of an issue as well as to develop a deeper | | | | universal selling standards and open-source selling |
| understanding of the impact of the issues. You must | | | | framework for free distribution. This 'Compendium of |
| have a keen grasp of non-verbal body language while | | | | Professional Selling' containing the commonly accepted |
| being gracious and disciplined. You will be asked to | | | | and universally functional knowledge that all sales |
| focus on customer needs, rather than on your product | | | | professionals possess. The open-source selling |
| or service and develop your personal and | | | | standards have been downloaded in 16 countries by |
| organizational credibility while minimizing buyer anxiety. | | | | over 300 people. Over 30 people have made |
| You will use this role to increase self-confidence and | | | | contributions.Because UPSA is not owned by one |
| reduce burnout through effectively managing | | | | person or any company, it is a member organization |
| appropriate messages and communication channels | | | | and guardian of the global standard of entry into the |
| internally as well as managing your own internal | | | | sales profession. |