Leverage networking and relationship-building skills to achieve success in sales

Today, careers in sales have become increasingly challenging and dynamic due to high competition among companies. Sales professionals are constantly focused on meeting their targets, working diligently to achieve their goals amidst fierce competition and growing consumer sophistication. This article will explore how sales professionals can achieve their career objectives and manage the relentless nature of their work by applying the concept of relationship marketing to their daily sales activities, as outlined in table 1. 

Sales hero 

Sales heroes are professionals who maintain a vast network and possess a charismatic personality that helps them sustain their careers. They are rich in human qualities, easily building rapport with people and maintaining long-term connections. Their high emotional intelligence enables them to identify various types of people and customers, catering to their diverse needs and expectations. They know how to leverage their connections to succeed, understanding when and which connection is useful in different situations. These “sales heroes” are valuable assets to organisations, which retain them by offering attractive packages and favourable working conditions, as they are in high demand from competing companies.

Sales champion

Champions typically have an average personality but possess a large network built over years of experience. They maintain their work-related connections over long periods without actively expanding their network. The main difference between champions and heroes is that champions are not as aware of the value of widening their network.

Traditional salesman

These individuals have good personalities and work hard while maintaining a narrow network. They focus on sustaining work-related relationships rather than expanding their network. Traditional salesmen are typically marginal achievers. They can improve their performance by strategically expanding their network and developing their emotional intelligence skills. 

Non-sales individual 

Some individuals enter the sales field without recognising that it may not align with their skills or career aspirations. Often, they choose sales due to a lack of opportunities in other roles or their desire for a higher salary. These individuals may not be people-oriented or goal-driven. They should focus on skill development to enable them to succeed in their profession or shift to another profession which matches their interest and qualifications. 

Sales is a crucial function in any organisation, as sales and marketing professionals are the primary sources of revenue. Sales professionals have unlimited earning potential based on their performance, although achieving success is challenging due to competition, inflation, production delays, distribution issues and other obstacles. Overcoming these challenges requires strong relationship-building skills and a broad network of connections for support.

To succeed, sales professionals should be enthusiastic about developing their networks and relationship skills. They can employ various tactics to expand their networks, such as joining professional organisations, maintaining and updating their contact lists, participating in social and community activities, attending seminars and academic events, sponsoring local community events and seizing other available opportunities.

(The writer holds an MBA, PG.Dip.M (SL), MSLIM, MAPIEM, MCPM, and is a Member of Finnish Academy of Marketing, a Certified Professional Marketer (Asia), Practicing Marketer (SL), Visiting Lecturer in Marketing and is a Senior Manager – Sales and Marketing.)