Good sales is a matter of knowledge, skills and attitude

Dec. 5, 2017
Knowledge and skills only have a 15% impact on sales performance while attitude accounts for 85% of the success.

You can have the best product or service in the world, but if you don't have the right people in place you will never get the business results you desire.

Speaking at the recent NationaLease Sales Meeting, Michael Caceci of Excellerated Performance, LLC, says a good salesperson needs knowledge, skills and attitude in order to be successful.

He defines those terms this way:

  • Knowledge: What to do or information, understanding or skills gained from experience or education
  • Skills: How to do it or the ability to do something that comes from training, experience and practice
  • Attitude: Want to do it

His list of skills includes: self-leadership, business acumen, consultative selling, written and verbal communications, and time management.

A salesperson needs knowledge of his customers and prospects as well as of local, regional and national markets. In addition, he or she must understand the buying process and be aware of industry trends. And a good salesperson must be well acquainted with both current and emerging competition.

He added that knowledge and skills combined only have a 15% impact on sales performance while attitude accounts for 85% of the success. But even though skills and knowledge only appear to have a small impact, they still are vital to the sales process.

Attitude is developed by major events that shape ones thinking and by discovering new facts. Attitude can be changed through increasing the use of positive language, and by being aware of negative “habits of thought.” During the hiring process, test for attitude and once you have hired someone reward behaviors that align with your sales goals.

But don’t forget to make sure your salespeople also have the knowledge and skills that will allow them to achieve their sales goals.

About the Author

Jane Clark | Senior VP of Operations

Jane Clark is the senior vice president of operations for NationaLease. Prior to joining NationaLease, Jane served as the area vice president for Randstad, one of the nation’s largest recruitment agencies, and before that, she served in management posts with QPS Companies, Pro Staff, and Manpower, Inc.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Take Control of Your Finances: A Practical Guide for Carriers in Trucking

This guide is designed to help you navigate these challenges, featuring strategies for automation, examples of effective tools, and a real-world success story from Phoenix Cargo...

Report: The 2024-2025 State Of Heavy-Duty Repair

Fullbay's fifth annual State of Heavy-Duty Repair compiles insights from almost 1,000 experts and over 3,500 shops. If you aren't leveraging these proven data points, your competition...

Guide For Managing Maintenance

The Guide for Managing Maintenance is a comprehensive resource designed to help fleet managers improve their maintenance operations, reduce downtime, and lower overall fleet costs...

The Road Ahead: 2025 Trucking and Fleet Insights

Discover how fleet operators are impacted by challenges like driver onboarding delays and complex compliance, and the critical need for technology to boost efficiency and cut ...