A salesperson packing only knowledge is weak, however. Armed
with empathy, salespeople become potent forces because they have
the "ability to understand the attitudes, needs and wants of
others, putting themselves in their client's shoes," says
Magennis.
They no longer sell products; they solve problems. And their
customers evolve from being commissions to partners in a
relationship, says Gail Harris of Incite Marketing, a South
Norwalk, Connecticut, marketing company that specializes in
technology and management consulting.
Supersalespeople can establish rapport with a variety of
prospects, because people gravitate toward those who are empathetic
to their needs and wants. As customers draw near, relationships
develop and trust grows. There's no science. It's human
nature.
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"Customers won't buy from you if they don't trust
you, and they won't trust you if they don't like you,"
says Paul Hickey, founder and CEO of Q Comm International Inc., an
Orem, Utah, prepaid wireless technology and information services
company that's growing at more than double-digit rates-due in
part to sales strategies.
Unfortunately, some salespeople fake "heart"; they
turn on the empathy in the customer's office and turn it off
when they leave. They often act the same way with co-workers, who
also need empathy. "If salespeople care only for themselves,
they don't receive the team's support," notes Sapio,
"and they'll eventually die on the vine."
Supersalespeople recognize their roles, the roles of others in
the organization and, most important, their co-workers'
dependency on them. Out of that recognition comes a drive to build
long-term relationships with all the departments, from accounting
to marketing. Thanks to the relationships they build, those
salespeople become leaders-driving forces recognized and
appreciated by others. That's when they truly begin to
shine-not with hubris but with pride. "The supersalesperson is
excited about being a salesperson," says Hickey.
Like any professional who excels at his or her art,
supersalespeople lean not only on natural talent, but also on the
one trait that remains consistent: discipline. "Regardless of
how skilled and talented one is," Hickey continues, "if
he or she doesn't do their work day in and day out, they will
fail."
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