Being Professionally Assertive

What does "Being Professionally Assertive" mean ? It means that until you close the sale or the deal that you do everything you possibly can to make it happen ! What does that mean ? What if I offend the buyer(s) ? Do you have the sale now ?

This can be a very sensitive subject to a lot of sales professionals. Because it involves individual style. Because it involves your perception of yourself. Because it fits your "stereotype" of the traditional used car salesperson. Because it hovers around the fears of many a salesperson.

This is the true professional's challenge. How can you be professionally assertive and not appear unprofessional ? It's a learned art. It's what you say ( the actual words ). It's when you say them. It's how you say them ( tone of voice, etc. ). It's your mental determination to find out where you stand. To find out the next step in the decision making process. To ask questions about their criteria for the decision making process. Is there a matrix utilized to make the decision ? Are certain criteria weighed heavier than others ? And many other questions for you to have ready to utilize. Want some thought provoking ideas ? Read "The Seven Powers of Questions" by Dorothy Leeds - ( especially chapters 7,8, & 9 ).

I'm always amazed by the number of salespeople who work very hard ( or somebody does ) to get in front of customers. Face time is so valuable and yet they are so unprepared with discovery questions. They spend most of their time presenting while they should be listening. "Telling is not selling".

Bottom-line, being professionally assertive also entails being well trained to be a good listener. Asking the right questions at the right time will enable the closing process. Buyers respect and admire professional salespeople and want to give their business to people who earn that opportunity.

Becoming more professional is not rocket science; it's recognizing what you don't know or understand about what to say or when to say it. It's about having a "library" of questions and utilizing them to postion yourself for more success ! Questions - call me !!

Always remember - "people still buy people" and that's why we have sales professionals !

***** "The Biggest Obstacle to Sales Success is the Resistance to Change How You Sold Yesterday in Order to Be More Successful Today " ******