Sales Person versus Sales Professional

Sales Person versus Sales Professional

The essential difference between a sales person and a sales professional is attitude:

A sales professional has the attitude of "How can I help someone today?" A sales person says, "I gotta sell something to someone today."

Their mental attitude is completely different; a sales professional is people-centered. A sales person is self-centered.

A sales professional is focused on helping customers solve a problem or issue.

The sales person is concerned only with closing the sale.

A sales professional qualifies her customers thoroughly and effectively.

Salespeople jump to a product demonstration as quickly as possible.

A sales professional demonstrates enthusiasm and excitement about his products. The salesperson gives the same canned presentation over and over and over again.

A sales professional is genuinely interested in other people. Salespeople care primarily about themselves.

A sales professional works at cultivating relationships with her clients.

Salespeople just want to get through that sale and on to the next one.

A sales professional generates a high level of sales and income. A salesperson struggles to reach his sales targets every month.

A sales professional earns his customer's respect and develops a large customer base. The salesperson looks at each person as a one-time sale and treats that person accordingly.

A sales professional leaves her personal problems at home. A salesperson drags his problems along with him every day.

A sales professional gives the customer plenty of time to talk. A salesperson does most of the talking.

A sales professional’s attitude differs completely from that of a salesperson. A sales professional concentrates on the customer while a salesperson concentrates on herself. Many salespeople view themselves as professionals when in fact they are not. Consider the number of people they must talk to in order to reach their monthly quotas, the potential income they are losing, and the enjoyment and fulfillment they are missing. Salespeople can make the transition to sales professional with little difficulty but they must shift the way they do business in their own minds.