The Impact of a Dedicated Sales Position to Your Occupational Health Business
A dedicated salesperson(s) is one of the most important and crucial positions in an occupational health program. No matter how good your business is, if you are not continuously selling/promoting your program, then there will be no in-flow of cash, and this could lead to a loss of revenue with potential downsizing or closing of your business. And – what really drives the business and brings in cash-flow is the level of expertise of the salespersons or sales team. A lot of businesses take hiring of salespersons more casually than hiring other employees like managers, clinical professionals, technicians, etc.
There is absolutely no doubt about the fact that a good salesperson(s) forms an integral part of any business, no matter how big or small it may be in scale. They are the ones that have the power to convert sales and convince customers of the viability of the product.
Even in this era where online social media and marketing have taken over traditional marketing methods, the importance of a dedicated salesperson cannot be underestimated. As practices and programs are trying to recover from the severe decline of business, organizations need good commercial salespersons to make the most of the uplift.
Points
- A good salesperson is the main driver of sales for any program or practice. This means that irrespective of the effectiveness or quality of the product, a salesperson has the capability and power to convince the customer that this is the product he/she needs. An informed and dedicated salesperson can drive sales and hence shoot up the overall profitability.
- It is the salesperson who is the point of contact of customers with the brand, program, or clinic. It is up to them to build a rapport with customers to engage and retain them.
- Not every person working as a salesperson may be highly equipped with the knowledge and skills to perform well in this position. Not every salesperson may have the art to sell, convince customers of the product or have the right communication skills to build a rapport with customers. There is an obvious distinction between excellent salespersons and average ones.
So, what are those characteristics that create a distinction between the good and the average salespersons?
One of the first and the most important characteristics of an excellent salesperson is outstanding communication skills and verbal acuity. Having strong control over written and oral communication is a prerequisite for entering the field of sales. The following are some aspects of this major skill:
- Outstanding communication skills – A good salesperson is one who has exceedingly superb communication skills. He/she is usually an excellent speaker with verbal clarity. Besides being good at communication, he/she must have a strong control over speech and should know how to direct it to different kinds of customers.
- Ask great questions – If a salesperson knows what the customer is looking for, he/she is much more equipped to help and sell.
- Good listener – Besides being good at communication and asking questions, a good salesperson must also be a good and patient listener to understand the needs and requirements of the customer. Only by listening can a salesperson understand the customer and respond accordingly.
- Curiosity – An excellent salesperson is curious to gather more information and knowledge. This inquisitiveness helps them to learn more and get an insight into the minds of the customers.
- Goal-oriented personality – Most of the successful salespeople are fixated towards their goals, and this acts as a driving force for sales as well. Here are a few other aspects of the same characteristic:
- Achievers – A salesperson who considers selling and making sales as his/her own achievement is the one who ultimately reaches success. Achieving maximum sales day after day must be the aim of a salesperson not just for accumulating more money for the program, but also for the sake of reaching personal goals.
- Self-motivated and highly focused – Self-motivation is the key to success in a job like that of a salesperson.
- Situational dominance is a quality of a relaxed yet dominant interaction with a customer in a way that makes him/her feel at comfort but being under the influence of what the salesperson recommends and advises.
- Persistent and optimistic – A salesperson must not be annoyingly persistent but should be optimistic in the sense that he/she mustn’t feel disappointed by a rejection. This means that a salesperson who is not able to make a sale but still feels positive about overall results and achievements is one who can truly go on to become successful. Persistence also plays an important role since it avoids a salesperson from giving up even on hearing a no or seeing a negative reaction from a customer.
- Highly responsible – Not blaming others for certain failures and circumstances and accepting full responsibility for a mistake is a quality of an excellent salesperson. He/she does not transfer the blame onto others and makes sure he rectifies any mistakes in the future.
- Self-organized – Even without the pressure of the employer or team leader, a salesperson who organizes his/her work on their own is one who is truly an excellent one. A successful salesperson is one who considers it their responsibility to be accountable for himself. He is self-motivated and makes efforts to perform better each time even without the pressure of a manager.
Recruiting
- First step: The first step or stage to recruit great salespeople in your program or workforce is to define what kind of skills you are really looking for. The above-given characteristics are the major skills or qualities needed, but it is up to you to narrow down on the main ones that are suitable for your specific service or business.
- Next step: The next step is to look for people to hire both internally and externally. This means that you must consider both external and internal recruitment since, at times, you can find several potential good salespeople inside your current work environment.
In Closing
Successful occupational health programs depend and rely greatly upon a good “designated” salesperson(s) which is key to success and profitability. Replacing an average salesperson with an excellent salesperson can result in a huge difference in the sales over a given period. Not only do they bring a good name to your organization but have the power to control the customers softly.
Look for a salesperson who is persistent, honest, and perceptive of customer’s requirements and possess an incredible personality with excellent communication skills. Remember that a great salesperson is one who is well-adapted to the environment in which he/she is making the sales.
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