THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SALES PERSONNEL

The performance of your company depends largely on the good structuring of your sales force. To be most effective, you need to build a team of different types of salespeople with complementary profiles: while some will ensure growth, others will guarantee the company’s stability.

Whether you are a methodical sleuth, a fearless sprinter or a good friend, this article examines the main types of salespeople and their characteristics.

Content

Types of sellers: categorization according to the approach
Types of vendors: soft skills for companies

1. Types of vendors: categorization by approach methods

Regardless of the industry and the products or services sold, the main task of a salesperson is to attract new customers and close as many sales as possible.

To achieve this goal, there are different methods of approach. Some salespeople take the time to fine-tune their plan of action to the millimeter before approaching the customer, while others do not hesitate to go for it and care about the result by all means.

What is a sales analyst?

The conscientious and methodical analyst owes his commercial efficiency to a keen sense of detail. They have an in-depth knowledge of their field of activity and are fully aware of the product they are about to sell and its key figures. This good negotiator knows how to add real value to his sales pitch by extending his expertise. Using market research, dashboards and reports, the sales analyst is able to compare information and let the data speak for itself.

In addition to strong analytical skills, they are familiar with digital tools. CRM and business intelligence solutions hold no secrets for them. He uses them specifically to target his customers or identify business signals. He can also work well with the marketing team, for example to implement an inbound marketing strategy.

He proceeds with caution and takes the time necessary to gather as much information as possible, emphasizing quality over quantity. While the preparation phase may take longer than another type of salesperson, he or she is extremely effective once he or she begins to qualify.

What is the “hunter” among vendors?

All salespeople are fundamentally hungry for new business, but not all are hunters. As the name suggests, this profile is particularly active in seeking out sales opportunities and is especially well suited to customer acquisition.

This type of salesperson is persistent and proactive, and is not afraid to conquer new markets or approach prospects that seem invaluable at first glance. To expand their customer base, salespeople will not back down from a challenge as long as a reward or contract is at stake.

This charismatic personality profile does not rest on its laurels: it is a great speaker, it masters the various sales techniques and the art of negotiation, and it knows where and how to approach each client to bring it to the end of the sales cycle.

The hunter follows a short-term sales strategy and tends to favour quantity over quality: although he devotes a lot of energy to the acquisition of new contracts, customer loyalty is not a priority for him.

2. types of salespeople: soft skills for business.

Technical skills alone are not enough to be a great B2B salesperson. Without soft skills, even the best salesperson risks being perceived as a talker.

Ultimately, it is interpersonal skills, including active listening, interpersonal skills and empathy, that enable salespeople to build successful relationships with their prospects.

Qu’est-ce qu’un vendeur empathique ?

The strengths of the empathetic salesperson lie in their ability to listen and their natural tendency to empathize with their customers and prospects. From the very first conversation, they are able to establish an emotional connection with the other person through a word or facial expression.

The sympathetic and attentive salesperson knows how to ask the right questions to determine motivations and answer any objections with precision. In order to make an offer that exactly meets the customer’s expectations, they take the time to understand their needs and problems.

Like a wise doctor, he makes a correct diagnosis before proposing the ideal remedy and his sound advice. This position of savior allows him to establish a relationship of trust with his clients. However, he may tend to be passive and miss business opportunities.

What is the outgoing vendor?

In a sales team, a B2B salesperson who is friendly is a real asset to the company. With his friendly personality, he is eager to please, and he makes it a point to establish a warm and friendly relationship with the customer from the start. He instinctively knows how to find the hook that breaks the ice and brings him closer to the decision-maker.

His typical phrase: “You can trust me! For good reason, the outbound salesperson redoubles his or her efforts and is particularly available to satisfy his or her prospects or customers: a customer-oriented approach that guarantees a high rate of loyalty and referrals, but can also get in the way when it comes to being tough or under pressure, for example during negotiations!

To optimize the management of your business, it is important to know the different profiles of your salespeople. To get the most out of each, you need to propose sales objectives and define an acquisition strategy adapted to the strengths and weaknesses of each.

For example, the hunter among salespeople isn’t intimidated by the cold, while the extroverted salesperson can do wonders in social selling, especially on LinkedIn.

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