How do you understand sales? And how can we overcome the fear of selling to perform better at work? This article will explore some fresh perspectives through the five-factor personality model (Big Five) used in the Trait-Map assessment.
1. What is it about sales that makes you afraid?
Most of us still think that selling means pressuring people and using sweet talk to make them buy something. Or we believe we need to focus on our product, advertise it, and offer it to buyers.
However, as you can see, with this way of thinking, can we really place our product in the customer’s hands? Or will we instead provoke caution and avoidance? They may even undervalue our product, no matter how wonderful it is!
In reality, sales is an exchange of giving and receiving in which both sides feel that the outcome is worthwhile and satisfying.
A loving word exchanged for a sincere look is also selling. A statement presenting an idea in exchange for feedback is also selling. Even what we share in return for interaction is selling. Here, we can clearly see that every action or transaction must create value for someone; only then can the exchange be half successful. We must also nurture that success over time as an ongoing process.
When it comes to a product, customers usually do not care about the product first, but rather product value that it delivers. What they buy is not the product, but the solution delivered by the product.
Therefore, we need to shift our mindset slightly. Instead of selling products, let us share the value and solutions we have to solve problems.
2. What fears are common in sales?
- Perhaps one of the greatest fears is the fear of rejection. You see rejection as confirmation of failure. You may even need several days to regain your energy after each rejection.
- You lack the confidence to say key phrases such as “let’s make a deal” or “are you ready to buy?”..
- Not knowing what to say when selling, constantly anticipating the customer’s rejection.
- Fear that doing a poor job will affect the company.
- Fear of not responding promptly to customers’ questions…
So many fears surround us. They make us constantly feel suffocated and leave us with no energy for our work.
3. How do outstanding personality traits benefit you according to the five-factor model?
However, there is a very powerful and readily available tool that we often overlook. It is personality and skills.
Compared with professional expertise, skills are truly very important. And when you clearly understand your own skills, it is as if you gain a powerful assistant that helps you build confidence in yourself.
3.1. So, what skills do you need to become a professional salesperson?
According to the five-factor personality model in the Trait-map personality test, the skills related to sales work are:
- Handling pressure
- Pursuit and perseverance
- Develop relationships
- Reading other people
- Impact
- Goal orientation
- Preparation
- Creative problem-solving
- Customer service orientation
The importance of these competencies and the level of skill required vary according to the industry, product, sales process, and may even differ from one customer to another. How important are these skills in your work? What could be the next step in improving your sales skills?
3.2. How does your personality help you develop these skills?
With the 5-factor personality model, 25 personality traits are described in detail in the Trait-map report. We can easily recognize the traits associated with the skills above. And it is precisely through this understanding that we will learn more about how to train ourselves, improving what is not yet perfect to become a more outstanding salesperson. For example:
- Emotional control good, without easily losing your temper or being controlled by emotions
- Always calm before situations and questions
- Optimism even when rejected
- Confidence before first appointments or in unfamiliar places
- Decisiveness before key decisions
- Develop relationships, always building new relationships and nurturing them
- Individualism low, so that you can set aside your ego before customers
- Know how to lead issues and stories so that they move in the right direction
- Creativity in handling situations or incidents that arise
- Observe and reading other people to understand what they care about
Recognizing yourself is the best way to rise above your fears, don’t you think?
- How would you rate the importance of these personality traits in sales?
- What level are your personality traits and skills above, on a scale from 1 to 10?
- And what do you need to do to develop your sales skills?
We all have every means necessary to bring ourselves closer to success. The only difference is that some people take them out and use them, while others leave them forgotten in their jacket pockets!
To become a good salesperson, first become a good and confident sharer. Before customers approach the product, they encounter you first. Let customers see the excellence your product delivers through what you give them. That is value and a solution, rather than just an ordinary product!
Learn more about the five-factor personality model in the Trait-map report here.
4. How Long Are These Personality Tests Used For?
Depending on the level of detail in each test, the resulting report may be used for a shorter or longer period. However, most personality tests have a validity period of 1 to 3 years, depending on the work environment. The more the environment changes, the more personality and abilities fluctuate, and vice versa.
Therefore, conducting tests and assessments periodically is very important, because it allows us to clearly see changes in employees.
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