Salespeople come in all shapes and sizes. But the true measure of a salesperson is really, how well can they negotiate and close? I have been thinking a lot about the different kinds of people I have met in sales. I like to break it down the following way!

Some salespeople are simply order takers. Order takers are lucky when the economy is strong and robust but the order taker fails miserably when the economy turns or competition grows stronger. The order taker often knows the product or service well and can easily talk about features and benefits. But they lack the true ability to establish rapport with their prospect. Without the ability to establish rapport, the order taker simply cannot establish trust and credibility. Both are necessary ingredients to move a sale forward.

Joe Average Salesman - Now this salesperson can establish rapport and knows the product or service. The problem here lies simply with the ability to close. The only close this salesperson knows is the "soft close" where they simply wait for the prospect to ask for the order.

The Negotiator - This salesperson has it all. They establish rapport, know their product or service and can close. These folks are usually in the top 10% of the sales organization and consistently remain there, year in and year out. But, they lack one trait that keeps them from the number 1 spot.

The Super Negotiator - or the great showman. The Super Negotiator has it all and then some. This type of salesperson captivates an audience and never lets them go. They walk into a room and fill it with dynamic energy. They constantly read the room and immediately know how to interact with everyone there. There greatest skill lies in their ability to make a product demonstration a show everyone wants to be a part of. They are usually fun, energetic and bright.

To become better and more accomplished at what you do always takes work. Sometimes just understanding the differences will put you on the road to great success!

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Today's the day! Today's the day I get to sit through 8 hours of Sales Training. I can hardly wait. No really, I can hardly wait. I could use some Sales Training this week. So far this month my only "yes" turned into 6 "No's" from Banks who seem better equipped and more willing to torture people than interragators from the Abu Ghraib prison.

When they introduce the Sales Trainer all I can see are his shoes. Wow, he certainly has walked a lot in those shoes. I'm pretty sure they used to be brown, unless he thinks mustard is really a color for mens shoes. Maybe I'm too judgemental.

He begins, "The quickest way to yes in this economy is to listen, really listen to your customer. If you can emphasize with them, they will become your best friend." Oh good, I think. I could use a best friend, maybe two. And then I can ask my new BFF if they can make my mortgage payment. Why, why, why am I so cynical?

He continues, "I'm going to show you today how learning to ask questions and listening to the answsers will make you a Sales Superstar." He asks, "Why don't we ask close ended questions?" I'm not sure he is looking for audience participation but John Wayne from Atlanta jumps to his feet. (Yes, that's really his name!)John Wayne yells, "because Close ended questions are Closed." Oh, and I had so hoped he would win the toaster.

The speaker then spends the rest of the day going through the differences of open and close ended questions, how to set up open ended questions and then... role playing. Personally, I would rather cut off my left leg than to role play. Ever! And no matter what any of us did - according to this Sales Training guy, we just couldn't get it right. My boss, Shrek, likes to pipe up from time to time and offer his valuable insight to the group, as if a promotion hangs in his future. I notice though that he doesn't look so much like Shrek anymore. I think he ACTUALLY did get his stomach stapled. (Which could be why he never calls anymore.) Now he looks just like Yoda from Star Wars. It's funny how losing weight can make you look shorter but your ears bigger. Fat or skinny, the dude is still Green.

When it's over we meet in small groups and discuss the day. The Philadelphia rep Jeff Morgan is in my group and is the first one to speak. "Here's the thing about closed and opened ended questions," he begins. "Closed ended questions actually aren't bad if they are used for important questions where you need to know a specific answer or if you are trying to establish credibility with your prospect. For instance, I may need to specifically know when someone's lease is up on equipment they already own. I have to ask a close ended question to get that answer. And when you think of open ended questions, you can't just walk into a meeting and begin asking a bunch of open ended questions. You haven't established any credibility. I use what I call credibility questions to actually establish my credibility, and these are generally more close ended, and then I move to open ended questions"

Yoda looks confused and actually so do I. But Yoda says he agrees with Jeff's assessment and so I look at Yoda and ask, "Can you give me some examples of what you mean?" Yoda looks like he wants to cut me off at the knees, as if for a moment we all might get to see as a group how his reputation as Ted Bundy actually unfolds. "No," he says, "This is Jeff's moment, lets let him tell us." Pity, I think.

Jeff begins, "Let's say you don't know the prospect and you want to establish credibility. Credibility as an expert in your field. You could ask questions like - How many pieces of Imaging Equipment have you purchased or used in the past? Were they 2D, 3D, 4D or Hologram? Were they Open or Closed? Were you able to adjust the resolution using Coral or GreenSave software? Could you magnify them using standard magnification mirrors or did you have to send them to Johnson Company for perfect magnification? So in less than a minute, I have just told the prospect that I know something about my field and probably more than he or she does. And I have done this by asking a series of close ended questions." He continues, "Often times I will ask a question someone can't answer. I have to be careful then not to appear arrogant and I might slightly downplay the answer if it appears they seem uncomfortable with their lack of knowledge."

"And because my close ended questions have provided me a lot of information, when I begin my presentation I feel like I have some pretty valuable stuff to work with," Jeff says.

"Then, I tailor what I'm going to present. I structure the open ended questions I'm going to ask, around their previous responses and reactions. And, in asking some of those closed end, credibility questions, I usually uncover several, specific reasons why they are looking at buying a new piece of equipment. But no matter what, it's only after I have established credibility can I begin to ask broader, open ended questions. Like, what are the challenges they are currently facing, what is their vision specifically with this new equipment, how do they see this new equipment helping them with their vision, etc....And, if I don't understand or I'm not certain they are exactly sure what they are saying, I will ask them to explain what they mean. I am not afraid to ask someone to restate if I am not certain. Sometimes I may ask someone to repeat something, several different ways. Then I have clarified it in my mind and it's now clear in their mind. You might be surprised to find that getting someone to yes simply means having them say back their reasons for purchasing on several occasions and at the close reminding them exactly what they said."

Wow, I think. This is the guy who should have taught the class.

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