What will it take to be a better sales person?

Its a new year and that means new year's resolutions. Aside from going to the gym, not working as hard and spending more time with the family, what else are you going to do?

Well, in addition to getting in better shape, or achieving a better life-work balance you may be setting a goal of getting better at your job. Maybe you are resolving to get better at sales and marketing.

But what does 'better ' mean. Well here is what Michael Bosworth and John Holland describe as 'better' in their book Customer Centric Selling.

Better in that you will stop thinking in terms of your products and their features, and start thinking in terms of your buyers and their goals, problems and needs.

Better in that you will stop forcing products on buyers, and instead start allowing them to convince themselves of their need for your offerings.

Better in that you will stop giving long-winded, opinion-laden speeches to lower-level 'buyers' and instead begin to have no-nonsence, results oriented business conversations with decision makers.

If like me you are striving for prefection, but have not quite achieved it yet, then that is a good definition to start with and a worthy resolution for the new year!