Sales Rep to Trusted Advisor: 3 Essential Traits of Modern Sellers

Discover the 3 essential traits that define a modern seller and learn how relatable decisiveness, clarity, and self-trust are the keys to becoming an indispensable asset in today’s fast-paced and competitive sales landscape.

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I work across a variety of client industries, and my definition of a modern seller holds true across them all:

A modern seller is recognized as a differentiator in their customer’s business, and the value of their product or service isn’t fully realized without them. A modern seller’s customer sees the work they do together as strategic to their competitive advantage.

The Power of Relatability, Clarity, and Self-Trust in Modern Selling

To be that modern seller for the prospects and clients that are your right fit, there are three traits they’re seeking, even if they don’t specifically verbalize them.

1. Relatable decisiveness. Our role is to help our prospects and clients make strong decisions that will improve their business. Elements like sales process, sales methodology, and skill-based tools help us to accomplish that. If there’s one tool you can focus on right now to help you move a client toward a decision, it’s your sales conversation. Your level of relatability makes a difference here. It’s walking alongside the client in their decision-making process, and discerning when to use a guided and direct approach with them, or when to use consultative questions that allow them to think differently about the problem or opportunity at hand.

2. Clarity. Your level of clarity and confidence will help your buyer to decide, and more importantly to feel confident in their decision-making process. You’re selling confidence as much as you’re selling a product, service, or solution. One strategy to build this clarity is to present three specific options for a solution where you’re able. Ideally the options are related and build upon one another. The more solutions that are presented, the easier it is to introduce confusion. Look for potential confusion points in any of your solutions so you can anticipate how to best position them. You own clarity will lead to confidence, and that will lead to building confidence in your buyer.

3. Self-Trust. To build trust in others, you must first trust yourself. But what if you’re new to the industry, new to your client base, or this is simply a new problem or opportunity? Rely on your previous experience and success to pull you forward. Rely on a trusted advisor or two that you trust to brainstorm ideas and coach you through potential scenarios. Know that you can course correct on your path as needed. Another strategy to build self-trust is to try something new that’s out of your comfort zone. It doesn’t have to be largely out of your comfort zone, just a step. When you take one step out of that zone, you’ve now just expanded it.

Buyers are busy. They’re challenged by continual disruption. They’re looking for solutions to their problems, and they’re looking for them as quickly as possible. They sometimes lack clarity and decisiveness. Elite sellers know this and make themselves indispensable. They’re relatable, decisive, they trust themselves, and they bring clarity to their clients’ decisions.

For more modern selling tips, listen to this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast.

Do You Need Help Developing a Team of Modern Sellers?

And if you’re a sales leader who needs help developing modern selling skillsets within your team, let’s chat. Fill out this form, and request a free 30-minute consultation call with me.