Jamie Shanks Reveals 5 Must-Have Skills of Modern Sales Pros
John Ternieden
Forrester Research describes the age of the customer as a 20-year business cycle in which the most successful enterprises will reinvent themselves to systematically understand and serve increasingly more powerful customers.
Jamie Shanks built on this idea during his session at XANT’s Sales Acceleration Summit.
Jamie and Forrester both predict that in the next five years, many salespeople will be displaced because they are no longer adding value in the marketplace.
If sales organizations want to survive this displacement, they need to start evaluating their current sales teams and determining which employees have the right skills to sell in the modern era.
In order to determine what those skills should be, HubSpot evaluated their own employees and found five primary traits that were representative of sales success.
5 Must-Have Skills
1. Preparation
A good sales rep is prepared for every call, armed with all the information they need to add value.
2. Adaptability
In a changing market, you need to adapt. If sales reps can’t modify their behavior and approach to remain fluid, they won’t survive.
3. Domain experience
A buyer can quickly tell if you have the experience and know-how to understand their needs and present a solution. You need to prove you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.
4. Intelligence
A successful sales rep needs to be smart, but it’s more than simply being quick on your feet. Intelligence requires IQ and EQ.
5. Passion
A salesperson is responsible for shaping the journey of the buyer. If you’re not excited about what you’re doing, you won’t make it.
Jamie emphasized that while these traits worked for HubSpot, each organization must evaluate what works best for them. At Sales for Life, Jamie noticed a few other important traits, like a thirst for knowledge and teamwork.
You can watch Jamie’s full presentation, or any of our other sales summit speakers, on demand by registering today.
