The Sales Skills Tree

In January 2015, Elon Musk answered a user’s question on the online forum Reddit about how he was able to acquire so much knowledge:

(Source: https://www.reddit.com)

I applied this approach to sales and asked myself: What are the most essential skills for someone new to the job? What do they need to learn first to get off to a good start?

The result is the Sales Skills Tree below. In my opinion, the dark blue topics at the top are the basic requirements for success. Everything else can be added later, depending on individual needs. 

Let’s take a quick look at each of the skills below. Details can be found in the linked articles. Let’s start with the tribe:

Your attitude

Your attitude will largely determine your success in sales. More than any other skill! Before starting your career, ensure you have the right mindset for the long haul.

In this article, I will give you an overview of what I consider to be the most critical requirements. The basic rule is that hard work beats talent! Only those who can motivate themselves to take the necessary steps over the years will be successful in the long run. This is not easy because, in sales, you have to deal with rejection and defeat. It works best if you enjoy and develop a passion for your work!

Sell with confidence

Your entire demeanor changes with the inner conviction of the service you provide. You will be more confident when you know what your product can do. Therefore, always present yourself with a broad chest without appearing presumptuous. If you, as a sales engineer, are not confident in your product, why should the person you are talking to be?
The reason is apparent: enthusiasm is contagious – unfortunately, so is uncertainty.

Questioning Techniques

The needs analysis takes up a large portion of the entire sales call. Unfortunately, salespeople with solid communication skills often cannot resist the temptation to take up most of the conversation. This phase involves identifying your customer’s problems, learning (or awakening) their needs, and exploring their requirements. This isn’t easy because the person you talk to is often not 100% sure of themselves. They often describe the symptoms but not the cause. Your job is to guide the conversation with a minimum of talking, asking questions, listening, and getting details.

Your ability to ask the right questions at the right time is essential.

Needs Analysis

To sell, you need one thing above all else: information about the buyer. It would be best if you had his motives and reasons for buying. The leading actor in the conversation is the customer, not the salesperson! You need to steer the conversation with targeted questions and listen actively. Only then can you formulate the product benefits and create a tailor-made offer. Do not start presenting your products without knowing exactly what your customer needs. Keyword: Specialist idiot beats customer to death!

Benefit argumentation

There are various ways to do this, all of which serve a purpose. The important thing is that you always start with the needs expressed by the customer.

In a final presentation, it is desirable to list the benefits developed in the needs analysis in a sensible order. And in an ascending order, with the weakest benefit first and the strongest last. 

Product knowledge

Still needs to be written ;-)…

Presentation skills

Still needs to be written 😉

Closing Technique

In any sales call, this is the most critical phase, the reason we are having the call. Every sales call should end with a commitment – either a “yes, I will buy,” a follow-up appointment, or the provision of information – or a “no, I won’t buy. 

Proposal Preparation

Once you have mastered these topics, you can work successfully as a salesperson. Other skills can be acquired as you progress. This is the path to becoming a sales professional.