The Confidence Provider

People who sell can tell you when a sale has been made or not made long before the customer says "yes" or "no". They know when they are getting through to someone. When the target of their persuasion is beginning to come around.

People who can sell know that a sale is a transfer of confidence.

Consequently, sellers must have a great deal of confidence before they can make a sale. Confidence in what?

Confidence that their product or service will do what the brochure says it will do.

Confidence that the support people that need to make certain things happen will make those things happen.

Confidence that the company is going to continue to stand behind its product and always do the right thing.

Confidence that his next paycheck isn't going to bounce.

Confidence that the web site is going to be up and running when he gets in front of the customer and needs to make a demonstration.

Confidence that the airline is going to get him to the meeting on time.

Confidence that the boss is going to approve the terms he needs in order to make the deal happen.

Confidence that his car is going to start and that his favorite suit will be clean and that the top button of his shirt is going to be repaired by the dry cleaner like they said it was.

Confidence that he'll order the right thing at lunch even though he has never had sushi before.

Confidence that his wife will still love him even if his sales are "below plan" this month.

If it sounds as if sales people are pretty needy, you're beginning to understand the necessary role of the sales manager. (And you thought it was to project forecasts accurately.)