May 25 2007
What Makes A Top 5% Achiever?
Recent exhaustive surveys suggest that only 5% of professional salespeople reach and remain at the highest level, which we call Level 3. A further 15% attain Level 2 status, but the majority, i.e. a massive 80% remain at Level 1 in terms of potential achievement.
Level One salespeople sell products and depend on having the right technical solution for the customer’s specification.
Level Two salespeople sell solutions, which changes their image from sales rep to business consultant and positions them as a potential strategic resource.
Most salesmen and women manage to advance from Level 1 to Level 2 fairly easily but unfortunately; many find breaking through that final glass ceiling extremely difficult i.e. moving from competitive sales professionals to collaborative sales consultants.
Level Three salespeople are able to first identify and then capitalise upon the political component within the buying process. They develop and sustain strong commercial relationships at all levels within their accounts and these relationships endure because they are based on mutual respect and trust. Their clients feel secure, so secure, that they would be fearful of changing supplier.
Level Three salespeople rarely, if ever, lose an order that they really want because they are always in control of the sales cycle. They have identified that in marketplaces where product uniqueness and technical expertise are no longer enough, it is they themselves, that make the difference i.e. their superior skills.
Next week, I will explore this subject a little further and give you a greater insight into the world of the “Top 5% Achievers”
Hot news this week is that the “Top Sales Experts” team are issuing a free quarterly E-book, containing some of our best work and we have imaginatively called it: “The Top 10 Sales Experts Share Their Top Articles” At least it will remind everyone that we can write as well as judge!! Volume One will be available from June 11th and you can download it here or on the Top 10 Sales Articles site.
The featured sales expert this week is Terri Roulette McCartney, an immensely talented and experienced sales coach - you can learn more about her here
That’s it for another week and am I happy to see the back of it? You betcha - so many delays and hold-ups everywhere I have turned - but next week is going to be a real humdinger (never spelt that word before)
As ever, have a great weekend and do come back on Monday. - JF
