BY Tim Londergan
Technical expertise and product knowledge are essential, but soft skills in sales are critical for building relationships and establishing trust. Whether working with colleagues or customers, showing empathy and active listening help us build rapport faster.
Further, the ability to communicate, adapt and problem-solve is what transforms average salespeople into top performers.
The Importance of Soft Skills in Sales
Investing in soft skills development isn’t just beneficial, it’s essential. The Highspot team assembled a step-by-step guide that explores 10 essential soft skills that every sales professional needs.
Introducing their rationale, the authors cite research showing 85% of job success hinges on soft skills. They express with certainty that empathy, communication and critical thinking directly impact enhanced sales performance.
As a training company, they are quick to point to a perceived skills gap in a survey of managerial types. Specifically, 64% of HR managers don’t think their employees are able to keep up with future skill needs. Surprisingly, 70% of employees say they haven’t mastered the skills they need for their jobs today.
To analyze soft skills in sales, Gartner developed a skills gap analysis. This complimentary download will help companies create a tailored strategy to address their skills gap challenges.
Teaching the importance of listening closely, being flexible and asking open-ended questions will help sellers improve their emotional intelligence.
Soft Skills in Sales Influence Your Customer Interactions
Soft Skills are not about personality. Personality is HOW we think and feel and WHY we tend to behave in a certain way. Whereas behavior is WHAT we do.
Further, personality traits are innate qualities that have evolved through genetics and environment and are relatively stable. However, behavior is situational and can change according to current circumstances.
Fortunately, you can train and enhance your level of emotional intelligence and therefore, your behavior. Kendra Cherry, MSEd, writing for verywellmind.com, explains the key skills that contribute to emotional intelligence.
Self-awareness
The ability to recognize and understand your own emotions.
Self-regulation
This soft skill in sales is all about expressing your emotions appropriately.
Social skills
Listening closely and maintaining eye contact are great ways to practice your social skills.
Empathy
Understanding people’s feelings and seeing their point of view are fundamental to being empathetic.
Motivation
External rewards like money, fame or recognition pale in comparison to having a passion to fulfill inner needs and goals.
Embrace Soft Skills for Better Sales Performance
A list of specific people skills that encompass the best soft skills in sales would include:
Communication
Clear, concise speaking and active listening skills are a cornerstone to professional sales.
Time management
Prioritizing tasks, preparing for sales calls and meeting deadlines reliably are examples of effective time management.
Critical thinking
Problem solving, innovation and creativity are examples of strategic thinking and the key to unique solutions.
Collaboration
Working across departments both internally and with your customers shows an ability to resolve conflicts, solve problems and build a motivated team.
Negotiation skills
Finding mutually beneficial terms through a trusted relationship is a solid foundation for long-term relationships.
Resilience
The demands of B2B sales with its setbacks and rejections require the ability to bounce back. Building resilience involves self-reflection or seeking a mentor for continuous support.
The more you practice these soft skills in sales the more confidently and naturally your pitches and proposals will flow. Through the most complex sales cycles and difficult negotiations, these talents will shine through to assure better outcomes.
Top-performing salespeople who build lasting relationships understand client needs and consistently close deals have mastered soft skills in sales.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
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