“We refer to CSC graduates as Super-Sellers™ because they have proven consistency and performance in eight consultative sales competencies. While they have all mastered each of these, every sales professional brings unique insights and field application of these skills,” said Jeff Arnold, Executive Director of The Sales Association.
Moderated by Marcia Gauger, CLO of DVR Learning, LLC and co-developer of the Consultative Sales Certification program and Tom D’Agostino, CSC Coach and Chief Training Officer of The Consultative Sales Academy, the panelists shared personal stories of how they build strategic relationships, grow sales opportunities and overcome challenges in dynamic sales environments.
“You have to come to client meetings with a point of view,” said panelist Rick Batia, Vice President of Sales, Mach 1 Global. “The days of just stopping in are long gone.” Batia shared best practices that he instills with his sales team such as using online tools like Newsie and Google Alerts to stay on top of what is changing and relevant to client businesses. “That way, you can bring insights to your clients that really add value and help them solve significant business challenges.”
Consultative Sales Certification is offered as a Sales Association member benefit. Graduates have not only demonstrated capability in eight core consultative sales competencies, but have also committed to excellence in each. CSC graduates subscribe to consultative selling and see themselves as advisors, seeking first to understand. This goes beyond understanding basic needs. They seek to understand their customer’s core business, their goals and vision and the motivation for each influencer. They position their solutions according to the impact on the business and address the individual motivation for each buying influencer.
“While training is a key component of the program, it is application and performance that matters,” says Gauger. “We have proven that sales and service performance is best enhanced when you concentrate on one competency at a time, deliberately apply the concepts during interactions with customers and receive coaching.”
“My environment is very technical and as an engineer, I never considered myself to be a salesperson,” said Richard Bowers, Technical Sales, Sandvik Coromant, Canada. “Now, I can say that sales is the career path that I am actively pursuing. Through this program I have learned that selling is a very teachable and learnable process. This has made a tremendous difference in my ability to read my customers and modify my sales approach according to what best appeals to each.”
Other panelists included Yvette Cheesebrew, Regional Sales Manager, Mach 1 Global and Jeff Rohr, Media Consultant. Cheesebrew shared the importance of communicating as a team and including inside sales and other operations team members in account planning in order to provide holistic solutions to clients. “I grew up in operations and am acutely aware of the importance of training all team members on consultative selling skills. I have learned that everyone, even the most veteran sales people have opportunities to grow.”
With a background in complex sales and strategic negotiations, Rohr emphasized the need to develop strong business relationships and partnerships with clients, “Especially with long sales cycles, you have to get creative and really listen to the customer to keep driving the sale forward.”
In addition to the panelist discussion, several recent CSC graduates were honored including Rob Spangler, Director of the Sales Association who was awarded his certification at the event.
Pictured left to right: Rob Spangler, CSC and Chief Operating Officer-The Sales Association; Jeff Arnold, President-The Sales Association; Jeff Rohr, CSC and VP of Sales Media Consultant; Marcia Gauger, CLO DVR Learning; Yvette Cheesebrew, CSC and Regional Sales Manager-Mach 1 Global; Tom D’Agostino, CSC Coach and Chief Learning Officer – Consultative Sales Academy; Richard Bowers, CSC and Technical Sales Representative-Sandvik Coromant Canada; Rick Batia, CSC and VP of Sales-Mach 1 Global.
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