The 7-Roles of Highly Competent Salespeople: Role #3 - The Persuasive Communicator

A "role" is defined as the characteristic and expectedpositive dialogue and positive "self-talk".You will project
social behavior of an individual. We all play many rolesfirst impressions that last and use energy and impact
in life, such as parent or salesperson, and it is notto create lasting impressions. You will conduct
difficult to see how this sense of the word role isaudience analysis and present to them based on
related to its meaning in theater, where a "role" wasappropriate learning style, cultural, economic, and
played by a character.All of these factors have agender differences. You will understand the ways in
significant negative impact on self esteem, professionalwhich these differences influence communication
self image and consequently resilience in the face ofexpectations and behavior, including the length of time
adversity. In short, without a clear definition of the rolesit takes to establish business and personal relationships,
you are to play, the amount of work you are todifferences in the conception of time itself, differences
perform and how these roles intertwine, you may endin nonverbal communication, and differences in
up like the other thousands of salespeople a year whoperceptions as they are influenced by language and
do not make it in the profession. I will now defineculture. You will also be asked to effectively deal with
professional selling roles and what is generallydifferent personality types in constantly changing
expected in each.THE SEVEN ROLES OF HIGHLYcustomer 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 phasesaffects customer relationships. You must be aware of
of building customer satisfaction and loyalty (as outlinedthe non-verbal behavior displayed by buyers. You will
by the United Professional Sales Association). Theirsynchronize your communication style to theirs,
model focuses on the entire transaction experience ofenabling you to ensure no incomprehension or
a buyer, from initial needs identification, throughmisunderstanding. You will effectively use visual aids,
decision-making, selection, and purchasing. Morepresentations, documentation, brochures, or other
importantly, this transaction experience continues pastmarketing collateral where appropriate.You will use a
the purchase into implementation -- and beyond intovariety of means to achieve your communication
measuring the quality and return-on-investment of theobjectives (letters, emails, public presentations,
solution.In this article, I will explain the third role in greaterone-on-one presentations, telephone, conference calls,
detail (please see my other articles for in depthweb-seminars, etc). You must have the ability to write
explanations of the other roles.) Primary Focus of Thiswritten reports, informational memos, or even analytical
Role:In this role, you are somebody who has areports as necessary. You must have a fundamental
particular ability to express thoughts, ideas, and plansknowledge of primary and secondary research,
effectively and when needed -- persuasively. Becausetechniques for data analysis, and how to give analytical
the volume of communication constantly increases, thepresentations when necessary.You must have the
chance of information overload with buyers alsotechnical ability to effectively use communications tools,
increases; therefore you will maintain the impact andwhether word processing, page layout and graphic
effectiveness of individual messages by leveragingdesign, Email, video-conferencing, Internet-based
new and emerging strategies for communication asservices, teleconferencing, or multimedia. You will also
well as seeking the most efficient communicationleverage items like cell phones, pagers, and email
message and channel for delivery (email, phone, voicedevices (like "Blackberries") to help ensure that you
mail, face-to-face meeting, presentation, etc).Generalcan communicate from virtually anywhere to virtually
Expectations:You will begin to articulate youranywhere 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 setto communicate with prospects and customers as well
appropriate expectations in an ethical way with theas internal management and team members. In some
buyer so as to not over-promise your company'sinstances, you may need to troubleshoot or repair
capability to deliver. You will define and refine an actualtechnological devices so as to maintain
buying need within a client or prospect company andeffectiveness.Post-Sale Expectations:In this role, you
open dialogue with the company to understand if yourwill communicate customer concerns regarding quality,
firm's solution(s) can provide a remedy - making sureperceptions, and problems back to appropriate
your company can indeed deliver.Pre-Salemembers of your firm. You will also collect competitive
Expectations:You will draw on your understanding of aintelligence 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. Youorganization to help facilitate necessary changes or
will learn to manage communication to achieve specificdecisions.Required Traits of This Role:You will be
short-term objectives, influence communicationasked to be sociable, well-versed in many different
networks and the communication flow withinsubjects, patient, tactful, adaptable, quick, articulate,
organizations, while developing good interpersonalpoised, gracious, and posess humility when appropriate
communication between and among those who workin this role.-----------------------------------ABOUT BRIAN
with you. You will build rapport and trust with those youLAMBERT-----------------------------------Brian is the
come into contact with through open and honestChairman and Founder of the the United Professional
dialogue. You must have an ability to understandSales Association (UPSA). UPSA is a non-profit
others and to actively engage in a way they feelorganization headquartered in Washington DC that has
comfortable.To accomplish this you must be able toaddressed the concerns and challenges of individual
listen effectively and ask questions to determine thesales professionals. Brian has authored the world's first
root cause of an issue as well as to develop a deeperuniversal selling standards and open-source selling
understanding of the impact of the issues. You mustframework for free distribution. This 'Compendium of
have a keen grasp of non-verbal body language whileProfessional Selling' containing the commonly accepted
being gracious and disciplined. You will be asked toand universally functional knowledge that all sales
focus on customer needs, rather than on your productprofessionals possess. The open-source selling
or service and develop your personal andstandards 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 andcontributions.Because UPSA is not owned by one
reduce burnout through effectively managingperson or any company, it is a member organization
appropriate messages and communication channelsand guardian of the global standard of entry into the
internally as well as managing your own internalsales profession.