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Merriam-Webster
defines "professionalism" as " the
skill, good judgment, and polite behavior
that is expected from a person who is
trained to do a job well."
Not so long ago there were only a few professions that people referred to as 'professionals,' i.e. doctors, attorneys, CPAs, musicians, and certain ball players. Now almost every profession boasts of being a 'professional.' So what comes to your mind when you hear the word professional especially as it relates to an individual in the sales field?
Here
are 15 traits that I believe demonstrates a persons' professionalism:
1.
Their
positive attitude. Rarely do you see a
real professional with a negative attitude. They see the glass as half
full instead of half empty.
2.
Their
timeliness. A Professional is early ALL
THE TIME. They demonstrate by their
actions how much they value YOUR TIME by being early.
3.
Their commitment.
A Professional is committed to doing the best job possible in their
given industry.
4.
Their appearance. Professionals look the part
of their industry. Would you want your
financial advisor running around in a jogging suit? Would you expect your
fitness trainer to be wearing a suit? First impressions are very
important. Sometimes you don’t get a
second chance.
5.
They are prepared. Professionals don’t ‘wing-it.’ They are prepared at all times with their
sales presentation and materials.
6.
They focus. They are focused on the task at hand. They silence their cell phone and give their
undivided attention to the person or the meeting.
7.
Demonstrates a willingness to learn. A professional is superbly knowledgeable
about their product or service, yet is always wanting to learn more. If they don’t know the answer, they are
honest and will say so, but are willing and eager to research in order provide
the correct information.
8.
Their
reliability. Professionals do what they
say they will do and usually more.
9.
They follow-up and follow through. Professionals follow up to ensure their
clients and prospects have all they need to feel comfortable with their
decisions. They also keep in touch with
prospects for when the time is right to make a decision to move forward.
10. They
are accountable. They understand their
commitments and typically hold themselves to a higher standard than what is
expected.
11. They add value.
A professional usually delivers more than they said they would. They are ‘Solution Driven’, i.e. they want to
help the client find the best solution even if that means not making a sale.
12. They are trustworthy. Professionals
can be trusted to provide their prospects and clients with industry information, not just
information about their particular product/service.
13. They are Caring.
Professionals always demonstrate their caring people skills by treating
others as "people" rather than "resources." They
listen, they’re empathic, and want to learn more about the person and their
needs.
14. They
are not ‘Pushy.’ Professionals
understand that it’s more about building the relationship rather than just
making the sale. They do not shame or bully
a prospect into buying their product/service.
15. Gracious. Professionals are gracious. They present their products or services, but
realize that not every person will become a client. Also, they do not bash another
product/service/company and/or sales individual.
What else would you add to this list? What other character traits do you look for in a sales person?
Happy Selling,
Annette
"Helping My Clients and Their Business Look Good"
