The basic elements of salesmanship

By Joe Illing

Great salesmanship rests upon two foundation stones. They may appear to conflict with conventional wisdom, but if you look closer I think you’ll agree they make sense.

The first of these foundations is empathy, or the ability to put yourself in the other fellow’s shoes.  A healthy dose of this vital elixir enables you to understand the motivations and needs of your prospective customer.

Without empathy a sales pitch (brief exposition of the benefits of a service or product, generally followed by an order for (known as a close) has about as of much of a chance succeeding as does a dart thrown in the dark.

The second of these foundations is listening. The everybody’s buddy types like Arthur Miller’s Willy Loman, who rely on connections and faux friendships; or the slick, fast talking used car salesmen of Cadillac Man may make great fiction, but not great salesmen.

The slick used car salesman. 

What makes a great salesman? The insight and complete knowledge that selling is simply the language of questions.

(Editor’s note:  For more from Joe Illing, simply click on his logo to the right.)