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