The tools of the trade

Selling, like any craft, requires some tools - things we can use to do our job. The salesperson needs to make the audience believe his/her point of view, follow his/her directions, and do all that in a meaningful, not threatening way.

How do they do that? By means of certain tools, such as the voice, appearance and body movement. These are to the salespeople what paint, canvas, and brushes are to the painter. Anyone can go out and buy the basic tools of painting. Not everybody can paint! Everyone has a voice and appearance. Not everyone can impress the client to make a decision.

Other internal tools are also important, such as imagination, sensitivity, intelligence, self-control, empathy and patience. Every good salesperson relies on these internal tools as much as the external tools. The better the salesperson, the more he/she makes use of all his/her tools, internal and external.

A common misconception is that regional or foreign accents, as well as small speech impairment may stop short a sales career. I use my foreign accent as a good icebreaker. Most clients are dying to know where I'm from, how I moved to the U.S. and what I think of my adopted country. I go with the flow and answer all the questions honest and directly. This open conversation usually becomes the foundation of a great business relationship.