What Makes a Good Salesman

Authors: David Mayer and Herbert M. Greenberg

Introduction

Salespeople possess two critical qualities even before training: empathy for customers and a drive to overcome customer hesitations.

The Issue of Turnover in Sales

The insurance industry has faced a turnover issue for over 35 years, with more than 50% leaving in their first year and 80% within three years despite extensive investments in training.

Costs of Turnover:

Wasted salaries and commissions for unsuccessful salespeople.
High recruitment and training expenses for those lacking sales potential.
Lost sales and reputation deterioration.

Empathy and Ego Drive: The Keys to Sales Success

Effective sales rely on two fundamental traits:

1. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to deeply understand a customer's feelings, allowing salespeople to tailor their approach effectively. Poor empathy hinders sales, whereas strong empathy allows for responsive adjustments based on customer reactions.

Analogy: Old anti-aircraft weapons versus modern heat-seeking missiles illustrate this point; the former aims blindly, while the latter homes in on the target.

2. Ego Drive

This characteristic drives a salesperson to need the sale for personal fulfillment, enhancing their self-image. The need for sales also motivates the individual to overcome failures and pursue further success.

Balance Required: A balance between a healthy ego that craves success and the resilience to handle failures is crucial for a productive salesperson.

The Interplay of Empathy and Ego Drive

While empathy and ego drive can vary independently, they significantly influence sales success when combined:

If a salesperson has high empathy and low ego drive (Ed), they may connect well but fail to close sales.
A salesperson with low empathy but high drive (eD) might secure some sales but lacks deeper customer connections.
High empathy and high drive (ED) create the top sales performers.
Low empathy and low drive (ed) are usually unfit for sales roles.

Challenges in Salesman Selection

Despite extensive research, many companies struggle to effectively select top sales talent due to misconceptions:

1. Interest vs. Ability

Testing often conflates interest with aptitude, leading to inaccuracies in predicting a candidate's potential.

2. Faking Test Responses

Applicants often tailor their answers to suit perceived desires of employers, undermining the integrity of tests.

3. Conformity vs. Creativity

Many tests favor conformity over the creativity needed in effective sales roles.

4. Trait Isolation

Current testing attempts focus on isolated personality traits rather than the holistic dynamics vital for successful salesmanship.

The Fallacies of Experience

Companies may mistakenly believe experience correlates with competency, often leading to mediocrity being accepted. Real sales ability is generally innate and not solely derived from experience.

Example: "Big Jim" - An inexperienced individual became a top salesman despite initial skepticism, exemplifying that potential can reside in unlikely candidates.

Role of Training

While training is key to developing sales ability, it can only succeed if the raw potential is present. Large investments in training can be wasted on individuals who lack fundamental sales characteristics.

Conclusion: Effective sales depend crucially on the intrinsic traits of empathy and ego drive rather than superficial experience; improving selection methods can better address issues of turnover and optimize sales team effectiveness.

Further Reading

Robert N. McMurry, "The Mystique of Super-Salesmanship," HBR March–April 1961.

Qualities and Dynamics of a Successful Salesman

Qualities and Dynamics of a Successful Salesman