INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL SALESMANSHIP

1
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the learning experience, students must be able to:

1.1 Understand the nature of selling
1.2 Appreciate the concept of professional salesmanship
1.3 List the methodology of selling
1.4 Describe the characteristics of sales process
1.5 Discuss the several methods of evaluating performance of Salesperson.
1.6 Recognize the contribution of sales personality in winning a sale.

A. IMPORTANCE OF SELLING

You may probably ask “Why should I study salesmanship? I’m never going into sales.” Perhaps
not, but who knows? A lot of people cringe when they hear the term selling. The truth is, even
though a person may not engage directly in selling, one cannot find a job or profession that
does not demand selling skills.

Many talented professionals have not advanced in their career because they have failed to
recognize and accept the selling aspect as part of their work. They have never been able to sell
themselves and their ideas to other people.

“All business is selling.” This is the modern marketing philosophy of most leading companies in
the Philippines. In a corporate or business setting, the success of a business lies on the
cooperative work of each people in each department. This explains why this adage, “Every
Employee is a Salesperson” is a slogan, used and taken into heart by a large number of
businesses, and it really works in any situation.

B. THE CONCEPT OF PROFESSIONL SALESMANSHIP

Over powering personality, blatant line of sales talk, and use of hard-sell tactics to get the
order - these are where salespeople are known before. When prospect tend to be called by a
salesperson, they are somewhat indifferent and impatient in having conversations with them.
This is because of their previous experiences in some salesperson wherein they usually a victim
of hard sale. Prospects regarded them as being “makulit” (importunate) and “mapilit”
(insistent).

With the elevation in the standards of selling, salespersons’ positions are being improved in the
society. They are now regarded as respectable and important part of our social and economic
structure.

The term “salesman/saleswoman” is being redefined. The medical representatives are now
pharmaceutical expert, life insurance agent has been replaced by estate planner and advisor,
and financial agents are called financial advisors or consultants, car agents to sales executives.

Hence, salespeople are regarded as an expert a person professionally trained, competent to

render a highly valuable service.

The ethical attitude of salespeople is also redefined. No more hard-sell. Salesperson may
advise prospect not to buy a particular product if the prospect doesn’t need it even though they
can easily have made the sale. There is no better way to win the trust and confidence of a
customer than by proving them that their interests are the salesperson’s main concern.

For the true professional the goal is always to make someone’s life better. When one has
passion for selling, that person has passion for getting it into the hands of as many as he or she
can.

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 Salesmanship is one of the skills used in personal selling, as defined by Stroh, “it is a direct,
face-to-face, seller-to-buyer influence which can communicate the facts necessary for
marketing a buying decision; or it can utilize the psychology of persuasion to encourage the
formation of a buying decision”.

Salesmanship is seller-initiated effort that provides prospective buyers with information and
motivates or persuades them to make favourable buying decisions concerning the seller’s
products or service. The salesman of today has to react and interact in any different ways to
many different people.

Apart from the knowledge of the product, a salesperson has to be a psychologist with one
prospect, a human computer with another, an adviser with another, and at the same time a
friend with some buyers. Salespersons must adjust their personalities on every call.
Salesmanship may be implemented not only through personal selling but through advertising.
Thus, advertising has been described as “salesmanship in print.”

Some definitions emphasize that salesmanship is the art of influencing or persuading people to
do what sales representative wants them to do. For instance, contractors, teachers, ministers,
authors, politicians, industrial engineers etc., practice the art of influencing others to do what
they want them to do. Every man is a salesman in his own walks of life.

“He who works with his hands is a labourer.

“He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.

“He who works with his hands, HEAD and heart is an artist.

“He who works with hands, his head, his heart and his feet is a salesman.”

Salesmanship is the ability to persuade people to want the things which they already need.
Salesmanship is the ability to convert human needs into wants. The work of salesman is a
service i.e., helping the consumer. The salesman gives a solution to the customer’s problems.
Salesmanship is the ability to handle the people and to handle the products.

Professional Salesmanship is an art of selling goods and services from the company (seller) to
prospective buyers by providing them information and motivates them to make favorable
buying decisions.

C. MYTHODOLOGY OF SELLING

People’s perceptions of selling come from their dealings with salespeople, stories heard about
them, or personal experiences. These are sometimes myths that have been propagated,
justifying why people get into selling as a job or career.

1. Salespeople are born, not made. If one is a born seller, then success will quickly follow and
if one is not, it will quickly be found out. Selling is a complicated art; it takes several years to
master. Principles of

Salesmanship can be taught and learned just like any other profession. They learn the hard way
by studying and practicing their art just as other professionals gain their proficiency.

Students are not skilled practitioners until an amount of practical experience has been enjoyed.
They are molded more by their environment than by their heredity. Thus, the saying that
“Salesmen are born, not made” is no longer true. Instead, “Salesmen are made, rarely are they
born” is more believable.

2. Good salespeople are good talkers. On the contrary, good salespeople are good listeners.
Selling is the art of asking the right questions to know the problem confronting the customer,
hence arriving also at the correct sales proposition and solution. So learn how to get the
customer to talk. Consider this:

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 When the customer talks, learn the following points from them:
… what they need and want.
…what they are thinking.
…their type as a customer.
…what they consider as important.

When the salesperson talks:

…only he or she feels great
…the customer gets uninterested.
…he/she does not learn much about the customer’s need.

3. Good salesperson can sell anything. Just because an individual is great in selling real estate
does not mean that he/she would be able to sell life insurance. One should develop enthusiasm
in the product or services being sold.

4. Good salesperson can sell to anyone. A good salesperson does not even try to sell to
everyone. Professional salespeople spend time with intended market and qualified prospect or
companies that need their products and can afford to pay for them. A salesperson trying to
insist the products to individuals who don’t need the products is not a salesperson.

5. Selling is fun (Traveling, Wining and Dining). While some salespeople must travel, some
don’t. Some entertainment is demanded in some sales industry. However, certain control is to
be observe like in the case of the amount incurred in dining out with prospects and traveling to
attend to a prospect’s concern.

6. Good salesperson never takes “No” for an answer. No salesperson makes a sale every time.
No matter how good is the product or service for them, there will always be a time that they
will turn your proposition down. Don’t be disheartened when someone rejects the product or
service being offered.

7. The Locker Room Syndrome. Many people think that salesman do most of the selling in the
golf course, ball games, and parties. While saleswoman simply calls on their prospective
customers over the phone moreover, salesman does also the same thing.

8. Selling is a bag of tricks. There are numbers of sales technique, but success is not merely a
matter of mastering them. Technique does not determine success. Salespeople do. They will
learn what works for them and what doesn’t. It’s called experience.

9. People don’t want to buy. Managers instilled in the heads of their salespeople that people
don’t want to buy, thus salesperson must do everything to make them buy. Products and
services must be bought, not sold. Salespeople must not sell their products because of their
selling talents, but rather because the market needed and wanted what they are selling.

10. The “Get Rich Quick” Illusion. Some salespeople make a lot of money in selling. But don’t
expect an immediate success in sales. It takes a lot of hard work, determination and passion. It
also takes time to gain experience and develop one’s selling skills.

D. CHARACTERISTICS OF A SALES CAREER

Every profession has its different characteristics though some have relatively the same
especially in an office bound profession. A career in sales has distinct characteristics which
differentiate it from other professions.

1. High Earnings. The basic salary of a salesperson is higher than a typical office employee.
Compensation plans for salesperson are bundled by additional benefits and incentives on top
of their basic salary.

A salesperson’s salary will range from P15,000-P25,000 net of income. Aside from this, there
are additional commissions and incentives given for every sale closed.

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 For example, in one insurance company, for every $10,000 deal closed sale, the financial
advisor gets a P4,000 incentives. They call it MPVI or monthly premium volume incentive.
Hence, if the advisor gets a $20,000 deal, P8,000 goes to the financial advisor.

On top of it, if the advisor is consistently closing the sale for three (3) consecutive months,
he/she will be given QPVI or quarterly premium volume incentive, which is the total incentive
he/she receives from those three months of sale. For example, if in three consecutive months a
salesperson receives P8,000 incentives each, then as his/her quarterly incentive, he will be
receiving P24,000. Plus, a chance to be a top sales executive of the year which also has an
incentive awaiting and possible promotion is at stake.

An additional incentive and benefits can go a long way to improve an individual’s life status. It
can benefit him through building his own business and other investment. From which an
ordinary employee doesn’t even know how to start if the earnings are relatively low, that is, if
it’s not enough, it is fairly short for the family’s needs.

There are more incentives offered in some sales industry and if you want this top paying
profession, you have to hustle this yourself because it will not come asking for your services.

It only goes to show that sales career is one of the best paid professions. But of course it comes
along with proper training, hard work and passion in every selling activity that you will do.

2. Flexible Time with Less Supervision. Sales people do not follow the office time required to
an office employee. In most situations they are bound outside office to meet their client and
opt for a possible sale. They probably go to office late, or not at all, that is if they have
appointments with several clients outside. Sometimes sales executives go to their office just to
prepare their sales kits, make some sales reports, or attend to meetings called by the
supervisor to discuss their accomplishments, sales updates and problems.

However, newly trained sales executives undergo a short period of manning and mentoring.
They are accompanied by their team leader during sales presentations before they are allowed
to present with their client all by themselves.

3. Challenging Job. Limited only to do the job in the four corners of an office, most of the time,
employees tend to get bored with routine job. As they say, task that they can accomplish even
with their eyes closed. Hence, some of them felt that they aren’t productive anymore to what
they’re doing. Employees do not feel the growth in their career. Certain deadlines are to be
met with those paper works, client follow-ups, and many others. Maybe these employees get
paid higher than the minimum wage but the condition of being in a routine task Is a weak
experience for them that make them feel insignificant to the company.

Sales career broadens the horizon of the salesperson. It allows the salesperson to meet
different types of people, of different personalities, in different walks of life, and with different
problems that needs advice and solution from the salesperson.

It broadens the horizon of the salesperson. Every client meet-up and sales presentation is an
exciting experience that allows the salesperson to express his self and exchange ideas with the
client. It is also a learning process that the end result is productivity on the side of the
salesperson, not only by closing the sale, but by helping out the client in giving solution to their
problem.

There is a big difference when you are being challenged by your job: it lets you accomplish
tasks way beyond expectation, and excitement is always present because every task seems like
new to you. Unlike routine jobs where employees are get used to on what is expected from
them, and what they are going to do to get the job done.

4. Ability to Get Recognized. In some profession, it requires considerable time and effort to
get recognized and promoted. Others look at the seniority level of employees. This is because
the promotion in an office job has a lot of elements to qualify. Thus, when an employee lacks
one of these characteristics, the promotion is sometimes pre-empted and will take again
several years to be considered.

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 In a sales career, ability to get recognized and promoted is quick. The qualification gives
emphasis on the performance of the salesperson. If the salesman is consistent in producing
sales for the company, promotion easily follows. However, do not conclude that success in
selling automatically comes quickly. Success comes only to those who work hard, and work
with passion.

5. Working Condition. A salesman has a very challenging working condition. Traveling is part
of their job. They were able to travel from one city to another, or fly to provincial areas, and
even abroad. Salespersons are required to travel to meet their clients or assist them with the
service associated with the company’s product. This serves also as an opportunity for the
salesperson to go on vacation while working, and sometimes meet with new prospected client.

Along with traveling is an expense account or representation allowance that is given by the
company to the salesperson that enables him to pay for his transportation, food and lodging as
well as other client-related expenses. However, this allowance has to be liquidated clearly by
the salesperson for company auditing.

E. METHODS OF EVALUATING PERFORMANCE OF SALESPERSON

Several methods were used to evaluate the capacity, talent and overall performance of
salespersons in a company. The most common methods used to evaluate the performance are
the following:

1. Evaluation by Sales Target. The organization sets sales target for each salesman. Such
targets may be set either on the basis of units to be sold or based on the values of sales.

However, it is important to consider the following points in setting the sale target:

a. The target must not be rigid and not impossible to attain.

b. It must be reasonable.
c. Take into account the past records, market potentials, etc.
d. The incentives to be given to the salesmen shall be linked to the targets.

Advantages of Fixing Sales Targets

a. Fixing sales target enable the salesman to work according to a plan.

b. It provides a basis for the evaluation of the salesman’s performance.
c. It is possible to coordinate production and sales.
d. It does not allow any salesman to be insincere or careless.
e. It enables efficient salesperson to earn more by way of incentives by attaining the target
each time.

Disadvantages in Setting Sales Targets

a. It is difficult to evolve a basis upon which that target may be set.

b. Certain unpredictable changes in the market conditions may render the targets
unrealistic.
c. The same target cannot be set for all salesmen as the potentials of each person and each
market differ.
d. Some salesmen are capable of doing much more than the target set for them. Thus, sales
targets limit the initiative.
e. The target cannot be rigid. What was possible last year may not be possible this year.
Therefore, the target needs to be revised periodically.

2. Evaluating by Sales Territory. A sales territory is a small segment of the entire market for a
product or service. Each salesman is usually made in charge of a particular area or territory. For
the trend in sales in each such area, the salesman concerned becomes accountable. Thus, sales
territory enables the business to not only evaluate the performance of the salesman but also to
know the sales trend.

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 Advantages of establishing sales territory:

a. It enables the business to cover the entire market more effectively.

b. It makes it possible for the salesman concerned to maintain good rapport with the salesman
but also to know the sales trend.
c. It is possible to compare the progress in sales in each territory.
d. It also gives scope to compare the performance of salesmen working for different territories.
e. It avoids duplication of work by salesmen in the same area.
f. It ensures proper allocation of funds for different territories.
g. It also helps to have knowledge of the extent of competition in each area. A particular area,
having intense competition, may require more funds for sales promotion.

Factors to be considered in establishing sales territories

a. The sales territory should be so determined that it should be possible for an average
salesman to cover it within the stipulated time.
b. Having a particular sales territory should be profitable for the business.
c. It should also give scope for the salesman to undertake any promotional campaign.
d. Each salesman shall, as far as possible, be allotted not more than one territory.
e. Each territory should be subject to periodical review; additional manpower or finance may
be provided depending upon the requirements.

3. Evaluating by Sales Report. Salesmen are duty bound to prepare reports on the progress of
their work and forward the same to their organization for necessary action. As the salesmen
are the persons who know the dealers, buyers and competitors in each area, they are expected
to send periodical reports to their office at regular intervals.

Contents of Sales Report

Such reports usually contain information on the names and addresses of the customers, the
orders received or to be received from them, the terms of the deal, the preferences of the
buyers, the action required on the order from the organization, etc.

Advantages of Sales Reports

a. Sales reports enable the concerned personnel to take suitable action at the appropriate time.
b. The report is an evidence of the actual work done by the salesperson.
c. It helps to evaluate the performance of the salesman.
d. The sales report is also an indicator of the effectiveness of the sales promotional activities.
e. It also indicates the trend in sales in each area and the steps to be taken to increase sales.

F. SALES PERSONALITY

Sales personality is the totality of all the salesman’s physical, emotional psychological, social,
and intellectual traits that is deemed to be necessary in building a trusting relationship with
clients.

These qualities are essential to manage a successful sale and build loyalty for the product or
service pitched by the salesperson. A promising sales personality can enlighten the sales
atmosphere by breaking down the prospect’s reservation against an initial sales pitch.

Sales personality comprises the following traits:

1. Physical Traits. A salesperson must be presentable in front of his prospect. These will
radiate trust and confidence not only from his prospect but also to the salesperson. A winning
personality gives out a motivation to win a sale.

a. Appearance. There is no perfect figure to an effective sales personality. Each of us has

imperfections. However, appropriate grooming is of prime importance. Being neat and
presentable in front of the prospect is required to a salesman.

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 This includes wearing decent clothes to make a favorable impression to prospects. For men,
formal long sleeves or polo shirts, slacks, black shoes are some of the common attire.
Depending on the industry they represent, some even don a coat and tie while others in
traditional attire such as baron Tagalog. For women, tailored slacks/skirt and blouse (with or
without blazer), nice dresses, and heeled shoes are the common get-up. In some cases, a
salesperson’s attire is patterned on the type of prospect he or she is expected to meet. How
comfortable a salesperson is in his or her get up adds confidence during client calls.

Proper poise and posture should always be maintained; some prospects are very particular the
way sales people carry themselves. Salesperson couldn’t be careless the way they behave in
front of the prospect because it will determine the impression created for the prospect.

b. Voice, Speaking Habits, and Language Used. The salesperson voice is very important in
dealing with prospects. Various pitches and tone emphasize different emotions. It is with the
salesperson’s voice that the prospect can recognize sincerity and true concern of the product
solution that he or she is offering.

During product presentation, the salesman uses various pitches and tones to show the
different phases and transition of his presentation. When the salesmen are presenting the
features and attributes of the product, they use a firm voice that shows their confidence of the
product. It also important to remember that voice should be accompanied by enthusiasm and
warmth to gain believability.

Monotone voice will do nothing. It will only appear to the prospect that the presentation is
quite scripted, and though it is, but the sincerity to help the prospect must be honest. Emotion
should not be scripted.

Conversational habits like “You know,”,”uhm..”, and phrases that start and end with ”..ano...,”
should be kept at a minimum or completely avoided when talking with prospects. These will
only make the sales presentation sound tentative, the salesperson unsure of the product or
service being presented.

Sales people must be careful in the language they use. They should always speak within the
language of their prospect to gain trust. Too much, use of not familiar vocabulary words is not
helpful. It will not impress your prospect. Portion of declined sales is because the prospect does
not understand what the salesperson is talking. Use only simple word that is within the lenses
of your prospects understanding.

D. Manners and Mannerisms. There are some mannerisms that the sales people should tone
down or not show at all during client" calls. Some of these are: rubbing hair, forehead, face,
pulling the tie, drumming with fingertips, playing ballpen with the hand tapping the floor with
toes, and many others. These mannerisms may distract the clients and play a big factor in their
impression of. the sales presentation.

2. Emotional Traits. Many talented individuals have ruined their careers because they let
impatience overrule good judgement.

Self-control and temperament is needed so as not to be easily provoked by the prospect. More
than anyone, the salesperson should understand where the prospect is coming from. He should
not feel irritated or angered by the prospects provocation. The salesperson must consider the
prospect annoyance as part of the sales situation that he must overcome.

Taking things too personal will bring nowhere. Salesperson should know how to get hold of his
emotions. No sale was being made by arguing with the prospect.

Being emotionally stable is required for a salesman. Having a good disposition in life
contributes to working with confidence and enthusiasm.

3. Psychological Traits. Determination, dependability, and humility are additional traits that
the salesperson must develop.

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 Determination in selling or in any profession means that you cannot allow negative responses
affect you in anyway rather than positively. The determined salesperson will not allow the “no”
response of a prospect affects the determination to get the sale. Instead, the determined
salesman will study the different reasons why the prospect said “no”. This will help the
salesperson in preparing new strategies or make necessary adjustments that will persuade the
prospect to change the “No” to a “Yes" and thus seal a sale.

Dependability means delivering what is promised. This brings profitability through repeat
client and referrals by satisfied clients. When clients know that they can depend on you, it is
hard for them to switch to other advisor or consultant because you have already gained their
trust.

Humility is essential when trying to connect with the prospect. During sales presentation,
speak mainly and specifically about the product or service being pitched. Focus the
presentation on the fine points of the sale without boastful claims about the company being
represented and even about oneself.

4. Social Traits. This trait enables the salesperson to say or do the right thing that facilitates
social interaction with the prospect.

Tact is called for When dealing with sensitive prospects. It is shown categorically by what a
person refrains from saying as by what the person does say. It is important that the salesperson
knows how to be sensitive to the feelings of his prospect.

Laughing at the right time is essential in building relationship with prospect. It is said that
laughing at the mistakes of others makes no friends. But laughing with your prospect when
they want you to laugh cultivates their ego; they will like the salesperson for it. Never devalue a
person’s ego, instead, build it up.

Self-confidence is needed enable to mingle well with his prospect. It is usually developed as
you gain through experience that you were able to surpass difficult sales situation.

Cheerfulness in conversing with prospect lightens the atmosphere and breaks the gap in social
situation.

5. Intellectual Traits. A salesperson need to be knowledgeable of all the details about and
related to the product or service being pushed. All types of questions may be raised by the
clients to whom the salesperson must be prepared to answer honestly and correctly. Add to
this, the salesperson, will meet people from all walks of life, with different economic and social
background. He or she must be able to talk to them convincingly, adjust to their level of
understanding and acceptance of the sales pitch.

Developing Your Personality

Sales Personality cannot be developed alone by a second or third party individual. If you are to
develop yourself into the person you want to be, you have to help yourself.

1. Coachability. Avoid being a know-it-all individual. You may know a lot, but not everything.
Learn to listen, accept suggestions, and seek assistance from individuals with extensive
experience in the field.

2. Winning Attitude and Behaviour. What the mind of man will conceive, man will achieve.
Pressure and past failures are hindrances to seIf-improvement. If you continuously allow
yourself to be haunted by your failures, you cannot do, anything better. Do not belittle yourself,
believe that you can do and perform better than what your failures brought you before.

3. Plan. It is always wiser to make plans. Though personality improvement is a continuous

process, having a plan lets you monitor your improvements from where you have started and
what is your future intended self-development.

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 Attitude Required for Salespeople

To be a successful sales person, one needs to have adequate knowledge of the domain, be
proficient in the skills required and have the right attitude. All the three are equally important
though we tend to undermine the importance of having the right attitude to be successful. In
fact, the attitude of a sales person determines the altitude to which he can rise in his career and
in an organization.

Let's review some of the attitudes that are very important for you as a sales person:

1. Confident: The first and perhaps the most important attitude that a sales person needs to
possess is confidence. Sales people must be confident about their abilities and about the
product or services that they sell. Lack of confidence only manages to instill doubts in the mind
of the prospects. Also, sales people are bound to face rejections during the course of their work
and it is their confidence that helps them to take rejections in their stride and bounce back with
enthusiasm.

2. Determined: Persistence and determination need to be the second nature of a sales person.
There are innumerable obstacles that come along and it is the determined person who refuses
to accept defeat and goes on to attain what he wants. He should be a go-getter, never losing
sight of the targets for the month and the goal that he has planned for himself.

3. Visionary: Successful sales people value the relationship with customers and maintain a
long-term relationship with them through regular follow-ups. They understand the bigger
picture and view each sale as a stepping stone towards earning the goodwill of their customers
who could provide valuable referrals to future prospects. They don’t think of today and just one
sale, but plan on a long-term basis.

4. Friendly: Sales people need to have a personality that is amicable so that people are
comfortable talking to them. They ask the right questions to understand the business situation
of their customers and their buying needs. They put their prospects at ease and listen to their
requirements and suitably amend their sales speech to make it more relevant for their
prospects.

5. Accountable: Another important trait of a successful sales person is that they are
accountable for themselves, their customers and their organization. They are more
forthcoming in accepting their mistakes and correcting them in future without resorting to a
blame-game. They behave responsibly, being answerable to both the customers and to the
organization they represent for their decisions.

6.Optimistic: Only an optimistic person can be a successful sales person. Having a positive
attitude does not just mean that a person looks at the bright side of things. It also means that
an individual consciously chooses to see new opportunities even in the worst situations. Facing
a setback is quite normal for a sales person and an optimist learns from these experiences and
effectively uses them in future.

REFERENCES:

Austria, C. & Castańeda, L. 2018. Professional Salesmanship: MaxCor Publishing House, Inc.

Nagar, Anurag. Personal Selling and Salesmanship.Behind Press Complex. E-book adapted
from. http://www.rccmindore.com

https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/salesmanship/salesmanship-definition-importance-duties-
and-types/50988

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