Determining the Consultant Skills Required of Salespeople

By Michael Leimbach, PhD

Salespeople increasingly need business consultant skills, but the specific skills required remain poorly defined. This study quantify the impact of different levels of consulting skills on sales performance in a telecommunications company. Salespeople were divided into three groups: Basic Sales Skills, Level 1 Consultant Skills, and Level 2 Consultant Skills.

 

Download the research paper to explore:

  • Initial Consulting Skills: 22% higher sales quota than basic skills.
  • Advanced Consulting Skills: 21% improvement over initial skills; 49% higher than basic.
  • Sustained Performance: Level 2 group at 128% of quota; Basic group at 86%.
  • Consulting Skill Levels Defined:
      • Basic Skills: Questioning and listening.
      • Level 1 Skills: Consultative processes and strategic probing.
      • Level 2 Skills: Customer value chain analysis and executive discussions.

Advanced consulting skills lead to deeper customer understanding and enhanced business relationships, driving higher sales performance.

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