Are You an Expert?

Many companies offer a wide array of products and services and it can be quite daunting for a salesperson to be an expert at all of them.
 
You certainly need to be familiar with all of the products and services you sell, at least to some degree, so you can talk intelligently about them.  But there comes a time when it is more effective…and more professional…to refer to someone else on your team who is an expert.
 
Good sellers pick a specific item or department because they have a certain affinity for it.  That, in and of itself, is enough to cause them to want to dig deeper. 
And, as a manager or sales leader, you should encourage and challenge your team members to focus in and narrow down.
 
You’re familiar with the saying that, “If you try to be all things to all people you will end up being nothing to nobody.” You should think in terms of becoming an inch wide and a mile deep.
 
I shop quite frequently at Home Depot.  I love the store.  Often, when someone asks if he/she can help me, I tell them what I’m looking for and they will escort me to the proper department and introduce me to someone who is the expert in that area, such as paint, plumbing or flooring.
 
And, even better, you should think in terms of becoming the authority on the subject. Being the authority means you are the one and only.  You are the person the experts turn to for help.  You have become the rock star in that particular field or area.
 
Knowledge is power and, the more you know about what you are selling, the more powerful you will be as a salesperson.  And the more powerful you become, the more valuable you are to the team…and to yourself!