Why Salespeople are Leaders, too

Selling is very much like Leadership.  The provider of a product or service (= salesman or woman = leader) guides another person (= customer = follower) through the process of a purchase. A good saleswoman takes an active role of leading the conversation to gain an understanding of the customer’s wishes and needs to see if she can provide a good match to her products. In the world of Positive Sales the salesman takes his role as leader of this process serious, also on a moral account. By genuinely striving towards a win-win situation at the end of the sales transaction he knows how to utilize wording and timing efficiently. He has respect for the client and his needs and doesn’t see him as a means to his own end. Great sales people are aware of their capability to get results through accepting the full responsibility for the outcome. That’s why they are the leaders for that moment - with all the strings attached.

The ethical side of Positive Sales doesn’t mean that you should give in during negotiations, to sell your services off cheaply or to make a foul compromise. Positive Sales stands for high sales performance through the right attitude paired with professional skill and ethical awareness.

One useful tool to becoming a Positive Salesman or woman is the use of an agenda, a specific plan that guides your own questions and actions throughout the sales process. To know what to do and say, when to do and say it and how to listen and talk in the most efficient way helps provide you with confidence and conveys your attitude of leadership. Leaning on to an agenda helps especially in more complex sales situations. It involves preparation for the sales meeting, anticipating outcomes and seeking inspiration for a successful business relationship.

You can start by answering questions such as:

• What do I know about my customer?


• Why do I want to work with him/her?


• What questions will I need to ask (open and closed) and when?


• How long should the conversation take?


• Do I know my products (Quality and Value)?


• What would be an ideal/acceptable/inacceptable result?


• (and many more)

The actual sales meeting – be it live or via other means – will be the demonstration of your sales leadership. First, consider your attitude towards the sales process and your client. Only wish for the best possible outcome, serving yours and your client’s needs. Second, be sure of taking the lead throughout the conversation in order to provide a service to your client not just a nice atmosphere: have a plan, an agenda, some map guiding you through effectively. Design it, change it, but follow it. Third, take accountability for the result of the process. Learn, change, lead.

If you are interested in learning more about the Positive Sales process, or if you wish to design a sales agenda with me, please contact me at andrea@derlercoaching.com.