Cocky or just confident? As a sales coach and sales recruiter, I am always seeking confident salespeople. It comes with infectious enthusiasm, drive, optimism and carries immediate respect. Cockiness is interpreted as brash, arrogant and unlikable. What is the fine line between the two?
20 years ago, I went out on sales calls with a guy that entered an office suite without an appointment. He often flashed the lights on and off to get their attention and to get a laugh. I was amazed how Tom usually got away with it… and then followed it up by selling his printer cleaning services. Tom had a likeability about him and could quickly disarm the prospect at the front desk with a wink, smile and a joke. Later on in life, I realized that he probably wasn’t going to get away with selling anything that cost more than $500. Tom had half of what I was looking for – confidence, but he never succeeded as far as I know, in making a connection with a CEO and selling a bigger ticket item because his borderline cockiness would not fly today.
Cocky Salespeople:
- Sell you stuff – if you don’t like the product, all they have is words…
- So they talk a lot.
- They tell you this product is the best one then make you feel bad for not buying it today (like most people in car sales).
- This trait develops when people externally are continually telling them that they are important. When this breaks down, they usually don’t have the internal wherewithal to recover well.
Confident Salespeople:
- Sell you a product and/or service with choices, solutions and benefits surrounding their offering(s).
- They usually don’t talk that much but ask you what you are looking for and answer questions.
- The urgency to buy belongs to the customer – the salesperson is urgent, but can sell it to you as slowly as you’d prefer.
- This trait arrives from an internal self-assurance. It is built from within through a realistic view and trust in your own talents and abilities. It allows you to authentically respond to your customers and prospects.
If you are still waiting for the punchline on Johnny Manziel… NO, he wouldn’t make for a good salesman!
There are two things a salesperson can do this week:
- Have your manager or one of your better coworkers join you on a call with a prospect. Their number one job is to evaluate you while in the meeting.
- Video tape your presentation in a mock sales call with a coworker.
Evaluate your sales approach and make sure your confidence never comes across as cocky. You can always learn something about yourself through these two simple methods to keep yourself sharp.
It’s time to grow faster.
~Drew Schmitz
www.linkedin.com/in/andrewschmitz/
drew@blueoctopusllc.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Octopus-LLC/176668965728096
Twitter: @drew_schmitz
Blue Octopus LLC 
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Mary
Mary Marso
CEO
Jeane Thorne Inc.
Accounting/ Administrative/ Professional
The Absolute Best Talent in Minnesota.â¢
Recognized as one of the Top Staffing Firms in Minnesota!
Direct (612) 904-2931
http://www.jeanethorne.com
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