In this Short Talk episode Judith Germain speaks to Bruce King about the salesperson’s struggle. They discuss how customers now do research and want trusted advisors who provide market perspectives on opportunities. They seek differentiation, value over competitors, and innovative, fast solutions to avoid risks.
Key Takeaways
- 74% of salespeople are ineffective according to research by Objective Management Group
- Salespeople need to act as leaders and advisors, not just transactional sellers
- Many sales managers can’t sell well themselves, so they struggle to lead teams
- Sales requires continuous learning and development
Topics:
Bruce’s Background
- Bruce has had a long sales career spanning industries like clothing, appliances, financial services
- He finds success when he focuses on helping people solve problems vs just helping himself
Salespeople Struggle to Understand Customers
- Most salespeople don’t understand what buyers want nowadays
- Buyers do research online before engaging salespeople, so they want expertise and perspective
- Salespeople need to clearly explain their unique value
Sales is Leadership
- Bruce always explored clients’ problems and opportunities to lead them
- Salespeople should see themselves as leaders guiding buyers, not just chasing commissions
- Sales managers must be able to sell well themselves to lead teams effectively
In this conversation Bruce argues that few are natural-born salespeople and must learn skills like prospecting and handling objections. However, many do not take it seriously as a profession or commit to continuous learning, ensuring they cannot meet modern customer needs.
Bruce King, formerly a Maverick salesperson and now coaches business owners and their teams on all aspects of generating more sales and more profit
Maverick leadership is all about thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. It’s about having the courage to take risks and the confidence to lead in a way that is authentic and genuine.
But amplifying your influence as a leader isn’t just about having a strong vision or a big personality. It’s also about having the right leadership capability and being able to execute on your ideas and plans.
The consequences of not having the right level of influence as a leader can be significant. Without the ability to inspire and motivate others, you may struggle to achieve your goals and make a real impact.
How Influential Are you? Take the scorecard at amplifyyourinfluence.scoreapp.com and see.
Bruce King can be found on LinkedIn here. His website can be found here.
You can listen to Episode 386 on any of the popular podcast platforms or apps (including Spotify, and Audible). If you prefer to listen to your browser you can do that below. Enjoy!