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There are four elements that make up the core of a salesperson. Zig Ziglar and Dale Carnegie were blessed with all four, especially the fourth. All four of these elements are interdependent although one of them is so important that it renders the others almost insignificant by comparison.Intelligence. This is a given and is fixed. When you were hired as a salesperson they assumed you had an adequate IQ to perform the job well. Sales requires that you not only be smart, but you must also be able to think fast and multitask like there is no tomorrow.

Job Skills. If your employer didn’t think you had, or could attain, the necessary sales and product skills to do the job he or she would have never hired you in the first place. You have your sales position because of the skill and potential you bring to the table in this area.

People Skills. Generally speaking, but not always, salespeople are good with people. People skills are essential for the job; you need them to work with customers and you need them to get support from the back office.

Communication Skills. This skill trumps the others and is where sales managers focus when making hiring decisions (or they should if they don’t). The other three skills are almost taken for granted when stacked up against this one. This can separate the men from the boys and the women from the girls in a sales career. The ability to articulate ideas and convincingly communicate them with both your customers and other employees will greatly influence your sales success. Have you ever seen a top salesperson that had poor conversation or presentation abilities? Probably not.

Not surprisingly these four ingredients are also required of top executives and politicians, with communication skills once again being the biggest determinant of success. No one’s communication skills are ever at 100%. There is always room to improve. A safe place to practice these skills and get really honest feedback is at Toastmasters. This non-profit organization has helped salespeople, and others, around the world improve their communication skills. For more information about Toastmasters International go to their website to find a local club.

Tags: skills

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