With today’s technology, why do we need salespeople?

I recently heard the question in this headline posed by a seminar leader. We sell commodities, right? Number 2 SPF is #2 SPF. Many times two competing salespeople could even be selling wood from the same mill. So if there are no differences of the quality of the products we sell, and if our customer service is so similar to our competitor’s that a contractor cannot discern any differences between the offerings of the various salespeople who solicit his business, what is left to differentiate one salesperson from another?

Oh, I almost forgot, maybe it could be price. One salesperson might be selling at a lower or higher price than the other. That could be a difference.

And then there’s the level of personal relationship between the salesperson and the buyer. That could be another difference. The contractor is human after all, so he or she may just simply prefer to do business with someone who has nothing to offer but perhaps a lower price.

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While some salespeople may come across to buyers as little more than professional visitors, the main reason I believe we need salespeople is the simple fact that we need salespeople who can sell. Our industry is desperate for sales pros.

Companies field a sales force to move products at prices high enough to allow the company to earn a satisfactory profit. And this is where the majority of our industry’s salespeople fall short: They believe they are not taking care of their customers unless they meet every lowball price in town.

Professionalism trumps price. When salespeople finally accept this fact and begin working on their professionalism as hard as they work on their jobs, it’s amazing how their careers and their income begin to accelerate.

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The most professional of salespeople have few price battles with their customers. Their customers trust them implicitly. Below are nine clues to help identify sales pros:

  1. Sales pros in the construction supply industry are dressed and ready to answer their mobile phones no later than 6 a.m. Yet, they are not workaholics; they budget family time as well.
  2. They work by appointment. They plan 80% of their day and reserve 20% for emergencies. They set alerts to make sure they live up to their commitments.
  3. Their customers regard them as more than just salespeople; they are also valued business advisors.
  4. Sales pros in our industry value education. They budget time and money to read sales books, listen to sales podcasts, subscribe to sales blogs, and attend sales seminars to stay on the leading edge of their profession.
  5. Sales pros are great note takers. They don’t depend on their memory.
  6. Sales pros always set aside time to prospect for new
    business. They know that there is high turnover among contractors, so they develop a strategy for selling each prospect. They are ever mindful of the next step.
  7. They embrace technology and use it as a sales, time management, and research tool.
  8. Sales pros know they cannot be successful without support from their coworkers. They go out of their way to pat drivers, loaders, inside salespeople, credit managers, etc. on the back.
  9. The most professional of salespeople have far fewer price battles with their customers. Their customers trust them implicitly and consider them to be an integral part of their business team.

I believe there will always be a place for sales professionals in our industry. Technology, however, especially the internet, is becoming more powerful every day, so the people who depend solely on quotes and sheer hope should take notice … they may soon be obsolete.

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