According to the LinkedIn 2018 Emerging Jobs Report, the No1 skill sought in sales people is the art of conversation. The report makes it clear: “Oral Communication remains the skill group with the biggest shortage in nearly every city across the country.” The ability to communicate is the foundation skill of a salesperson. Many aspects of the sales process can be automated, but conversations can’t be. It’s especially hard to replicate empathetic conversations that create trust, uncover challenges, and secure commitments. It’s more than just being a good talker. It’s about creating a connection and moving a relationship forward. Source NCS19
“We still live in a world where people want to talk to other people — it’s human nature. Use yourself as a judge. Do you want to talk to a person or an automaton? Ultimately, this comes down to basic supply and demand. The ever-growing reliance on tech as a tool is creating a talent pool that isn’t very good at an essential skill and this means excellent communicators will be increasingly in high demand as this gap continues to widen.” — Douglas Vigliotti, author of the Salesperson Paradox
Thus, if you have a robust integrated marketing process which includes direct mail, email and social media marketing, make sure you also include telemarketing – the skilful conversation.
