Defining sales aptitude and how to develop it.
In the realm of sales, the notion of 'sales aptitude' is often shrouded in misconceptions. Many perceive it as an ability to persuade people to buy what they don't need.
Sales aptitude is about understanding and influencing people's decisions however, this ability can be used for good. Sales aptitude encompasses a range of qualities that make someone naturally effective in a sales role.
The following lists aspects of sales aptitude that can be used to determine the degree of talent a person has for selling.
Empathy and Understanding
The capacity to understand and relate to others' needs and desires is a basis for sales aptitude. This trait allows a person to win trust and help others feel confident about exploring their motivations.
Empathy and the ability to understand others require a shift in focus from, "What does this mean for me?" to "What does this mean for the other person?" It's about listening and paying attention while suspending one's own agenda.
Resilience and Tenacity
Rejections are inevitable in selling. The ability to bounce back from rejections and setbacks is a crucial aspect of sales aptitude. This resilience is sometimes referred to as mental toughness. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going," said Joseph P. Kennedy.
Rather than work on the hard-to-define concept of mental toughness, I have found the best antidote for rejection is to develop an overflowing pipeline of credible opportunities.
Adaptability
The ability to adjust one's approach based on the situation and the customer's personality is a fundamental part of sales aptitude. This flexibility is a key indicator of sales aptitude. It demonstrates a willingness to listen and observe first, before attempting to influence a decision.
Without a framework for recognising personality differences, we tend to interpret the reactions and feelings of others to be motivated by the same things that would motivate us. This will be the case for personalities like ours. Adaptability comes from recognising how some people are different from ourselves. When you can identify the differences, you can adapt for them.
Persuasiveness
People do things for their own reasons, often without conscious awareness of what they are. An inherent ability to convince others is rooted in people-reading skills and having an intuition for recognising and surfacing unexamined motives.
It is a hard thing to learn. It takes repetitive deliberate practice. The more you look and listen with an open mind, the more you will see and perceive.
Patience
Those with sales aptitude don't push, they sow seeds and wait. They don't pull, they just add water. They don't tell people what to think but share information that leads people to think what they want them to think.
"Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can." From a poem by William Langland. Nurture patience in conversations to persuade.
Effective Communication Skills
Those who recognise what must be communicated, who can express it in the right way and at the right moment, in all situations and at all times, can be said to have mastered communication skills. Very few can achieve this standard.
So first it is necessary to correctly interpret the situation, perspectives, and moods of the audience. Then the message must be crafted to have a majority appeal and delivered in a manner that maximises acceptance and belief. Finally, the actionable part of the message must seem sensible to the listeners.
Confidence and Charisma
Those who have developed confidence and charisma, draw people in. It's a confidence born of certainty in one's ability to manage complex and sometimes sensitive conversations. It's about an outward focus that communicates interest in the other person and makes others feel comfortable discussing their thinking. It's a combination of empathy, understanding, resilience, tenacity, adaptability, persuasiveness, patience, and communication skills.
At the heart of sales aptitude is empathy. It's about connecting with people on a deeper level and understanding their desires, fears, and motivations. This connection is what allows a salesperson to guide customers towards making decisions that align with their own goals and values.
No one is born this way yet circumstances and life sometimes conspire to imbue a lucky few with sales aptitude.
Article by Clive Miller
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