sales skills problem solving skills

Problem Solving in Sales: 7 Techniques To Improve Your Skill

In sales, mastering problem-solving becomes the bridge between closing deals and losing opportunities.

Why? Because at its core, sales is applied problem-solving. You're not simply closing deals or pushing products; you're removing obstacles that prevent your customers from achieving their goals.

This is why exceptional salespeople consistently close deals faster and retain customers more effectively. They transform from average salespeople into trusted advisors, empowering their clients through problem-solving expertise.

In the following sections, you’ll learn in detail what problem solving means in sales and 7 techniques to improve your problem solving skills as a salesperson. 

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What is Problem Solving in Sales?

Effective sales rely on understanding unique customer challenges and crafting solutions that effectively address them. 

Here's how to master the problem-solving process for sales success:

Uncover the Problem

• Actively listen to customer feedback.
• Ask insightful questions to delve deeper into their pain points.
• Identify the root cause of their challenges.

Break it Down

Go beyond surface-level concerns and understand the problem's core.

Come up with an Effective Solution

• Leverage product/service knowledge to tailor solutions for their specific needs.
• Demonstrate how your offering delivers value and addresses their challenges.

Overcome Objections

• Anticipate potential concerns.
• Present your solution effectively to address objections and build trust.

By mastering these steps, you can transform into a trusted advisor who consistently closes deals and fosters lasting customer relationships.

Why is Problem Solving Important in Sales? 

Problem-solving has become even more important in sales today due to several key factors:

Adapting to evolving customer needs

Today's marketplace is highly competitive , with customers having access to a wider range of options than ever before. This means that simply having a good product or service isn't enough. 

Salespeople need to devise new and better ways to understand the unique needs and challenges of each customer and demonstrate how their offering solves those specific problems in a way that stands out from the competition.

Differentiation from competition

Customers face a sea of similar options, so simply offering a good product isn't enough. This is where problem-solving becomes your weapon.

By sharpening your problem-solving skills, you can:

• Uncover unique customer challenges : Go beyond generic features and identify the specific issues customers face.
• Craft effective solutions : Showcase how your offering addresses their pain points, not just features.
• Shift the conversation : Move from features to solutions, positioning yourself as a trusted advisor, not just a salesperson.
• Become proactive: Anticipate customer needs and offer preventive solutions, gaining a competitive edge.

Essentially, problem-solving allows you to differentiate yourself. By addressing customer challenges effectively, you demonstrate the true value your offering brings, justifying your price point and present a compelling proposition that stands out from the crowd. 

Build trust and long-term relationships

Today’s buyers want an almost rep-less buyer journey because they don’t trust salespeople to promote their best interest. This is why building trust and long-term relationships with customers is more important than ever. Salespeople who can demonstrate their ability to solve sales problems effectively are perceived as valuable advisors and trusted partners. This fosters loyalty and repeat business, which is crucial for sustainable success.

How To Improve Your Sales Problem-Solving Skills 

1. improve your sales acumen with expert-led sales training programs.

Sales acumen is the combination of skills, knowledge, and experience that empowers you to excel at selling. This includes:

• Understanding and empathizing with customer pain points
• Anticipating customer needs proactively
• Tailoring solutions to specific challenges
• Build trust through expertise, active listening, and empathy
• Collaborating effectively as part of a problem-solving team

While these skills seem essential for any salesperson, a surprising statistic reveals that only 13% of clients feel salespeople truly understand their needs . This highlights a gap between how sellers approach sales and how buyers want to buy, often due to inadequate problem-solving skills. If you can’t uncover your customer’s problems and needs you don’t stand a chance at selling them a solution.

Investing in expert-led sales training can bridge this gap significantly. Programs like the Pclub's Platinum Passport offer exclusive access to learn directly from the top 0.01% of sales professionals. These training programs can equip you with the practical problem-solving and B2B sales skills necessary to:

• Uncover and understand your customer’s needs and challenges in-depth.
• Develop tailored solutions that resonate with their specific circumstances.
• Navigate complex situations and objections with confidence and clarity.
• Build trust and credibility as a trusted advisor who can solve their problems effectively.

2. Develop a high emotional intelligence threshold

2024 brings a complex sales landscape: cautious buyers, increased stakeholder involvement in purchases, and longer sales cycles. This environment demands a crucial skill: high emotional intelligence (EQ).

Here's why EQ is essential:

• Deeper Customer Understanding : Salespeople with high EQ excel at building rapport and fostering trust. They can read social cues, understand emotions, and create an open environment where clients freely express their challenges and emotions. This leads to deeper understanding and accurate diagnoses of customer problems.
• Confidently Handling Objections : Objections are inevitable, but high EQ salespeople view them as opportunities to uncover deeper needs. They remain calm and composed, acknowledge concerns, and address them with empathy, transforming objections into chances to craft compelling solutions.
• Adaptable Communication : Tailoring your approach to each customer's unique personality and decision-making style is key in sales. High EQ allows you to adapt your communication based on emotions, leading to relevant and impactful solutions that resonate with each individual.

By mastering EQ, you become a trusted advisor, equipped to navigate the complexities of modern sales and consistently close deals effectively.

3. Learn how to identify your buyer’s true pain points

Your potential customer’s true pain point is the challenge that aligns with their financial priorities. Every business operates within limited financial resources, which forces them to prioritize how they allocate these resources. 

When a pain point directly impacts their financial priorities, it creates a sense of urgency and justifies the investment in a solution. This urgency becomes crucial for successful sales negotiations and closing deals.

Even if you possess the best of emotional intelligence and sales negotiation skills, struggling to sell against the core financial challenge can hinder success. Consider your reaction to the illustration below: 

• Person A: Needs visibility for better sales coaching (solution-oriented statement).
• Person B: Faces an urgent need to prevent a significant valuation loss due to cash flow issues.

Clearly, Person B exhibits a more defined and urgent problem. Person A, while facing a challenge, frames it as a solution they already have in mind.

The key here is to master how to identify the "Why" behind the "What". That’s how you uncover the true business pain point. 

4. Improve your sales negotiation skills

Negotiation is an integral part of the sales process, and mastering it is crucial for effective problem-solving. 

A HubSpot study reveals that 58% of buyers want to discuss pricing on the very first call. This can be a major obstacle for salespeople as it can lead to premature price discussions before the value proposition has been established.

Diving into price negotiations without establishing yourself as the preferred vendor is risky. It often leads to over-discounting because the focus shifts to price point instead of the value your product or service offers. 

This scenario makes it difficult to achieve a win-win outcome as the buyer lacks a clear understanding of the business value you bring.

Honing your sales negotiation skills helps you overcome this challenge and become a more effective problem-solver.

5. Leverage team collaboration

Problem-solving is rarely a solo endeavor. Sales leaders and sales managers should encourage collaboration inside the  sales team specifically for developing new problem-solving techniques. 

Sales team members can initiate brainstorming sessions with the marketing strategy department or even social media team to uncover innovative solutions. 

That way, you share insights and strategies that not only enhance the sales process  but also foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning within your team.

6. Include creativity in your sales process

Including creativity in your sales process is about strategically applying creative thinking and unconventional approaches to enhance your creative problem-solving process and ultimately, create a better sales strategy. 

Here's how creativity empowers your sales reps to solve problems and close deals:

• Capture Attention : Move beyond conventional outreach tactics. Remember how Gong secured a meeting through a personalized video pitch from the Old Spice Guy? This unexpected approach cuts through the noise and increases engagement.
• Simplify Complexities: Transform static case studies into engaging animated customer success stories. Adding visual elements and a touch of whimsy simplifies complex solutions, creating emotional resonance and fostering understanding.
• Connect on an Emotional Level : People remember stories 12 times better than facts. By weaving compelling narratives into your presentations, you create a memorable customer experience, fostering trust and leaving a lasting impression beyond statistics.

By embracing creativity, you become more than just a salesperson; you transform into a strategic problem solver equipped to diagnose specific challenges and overcome them effectively.

7. Analyze sales data to generate insights

Much of sales success relies on your ability to transform information into valuable insights. That’s why being able to analyze sales performance data and metrics to make informed decisions is a vital sales skill . 

Sales data, often housed in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, acts as a goldmine of insights waiting to be discovered. 

By analyzing metrics like win/loss ratios, conversion rates, and sales cycle length, you can uncover hidden patterns and trends that might be the root cause of various sales challenges. 

Is your lead generation strategy falling short? Data analysis can reveal specific challenges , areas to optimize for improvement, such as ineffective marketing campaigns or a mismatch between your ideal customer profile and your targeted outreach efforts.

Enhance your problem solving skills with expert-led sales training programs

Ready to take your problem solving skills to the next level? Pclub offers expert-led courses that help you upskill key areas of your sales process where problem solving is required. 

• Sales demo mastery
• Sales discovery masterclass
• Overcoming objections

Take the first step towards a more profitable future. Unlock all courses today with a platinum passport and enjoy personalized mentorship and training solutions that guarantee a solid foundation for your team’s success. 

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20 Essential Sales Skills for a Successful Career

Discover the top 20 Sales Skills you need to succeed in your career in our blog. Gain valuable insights and tips to dominate the Sales world. Learn how to master communication, social selling, relationship-building, active listening, product knowledge, negotiation, time management, persuasion, problem-solving, and resilience.

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According to Glassdoor , a Sales Manager earns about £56,000 annually in the UK. It could go higher based on the individual's experience and skill set. Do you want to know how these skills help in building a successful career? Read this blog to learn about how acquiring Sales Skills is one of the best ways to build a strong connection, maximise productivity, meet deadlines, and prioritise tasks effectively. Read more! 

Table of contents      

1) Essential Sales Skills for success 

     a) Effective communication skills 

     b) Social selling 

     c) Relationship-building 

     d) Active listening 

     e) Product knowledge 

     f) Negotiation skills 

     g) Time management 

     h) Persuasion and influencing skills 

     i) Problem-solving skills 

     j) Resilience 

2) How to improve Sales Skills?

3) Conclusion 

Essential Sales Skills for success   

Having the right Sales Skills is crucial for every Sales professional. From captivating prospects to closing deals with finesse, these skills are the foundation of a successful Sales career. So, prepare to take your Sales journey to new heights with these must-have Sales Skills. Let's have a look at some of them: 

1) Effective communication skills  

Effective communication skills are essential for Sales professionals to convey their message clearly and build rapport with customers. Here are some key aspects of effective communication in Sales:  

a) Clear and concise expression : Use simple language to effectively convey ideas and product information effectively.

b) Active listening : Give full attention, ask relevant questions, and show empathy to understand customer needs. 

c) Non-verbal communication : Maintain open body language, eye contact, and positive gestures. 

d) Adaptability in communication style : Adjust tone, pace, and level of detail to match customer preferences. 

e) Building rapport and trust : Actively engage, show genuine interest, and establish a connection based on understanding. 

2) Social selling  

a) Online presence and personal branding : Establish a strong online presence through professional profiles and consistent branding that showcases expertise and credibility. 

b) Targeted prospecting : Utilise social media platforms to identify and connect with potential leads who align with the target audience. 

c) Relationship building : Engage with prospects by providing valuable content, participating in relevant conversations, and offering personalised interactions. 

d) Content creation and sharing : Develop compelling content that educates, entertains, or inspires the target audience, positioning oneself as a trusted industry resource. 

e) Relationship nurturing : Continuously engage with prospects through social media interactions, offering insights, addressing inquiries, and providing personalised recommendations. 

f) Social proof and testimonials : Leverage social proof by sharing customer testimonials and success stories to establish credibility and build trust. 

g) Collaboration and networking : Collaborate with industry influencers, participate in relevant groups or communities, and network with peers to expand reach and visibility. 

h) Analysing and measuring : Track and analyse social selling efforts, measuring key metrics like engagement, conversion rates, and revenue generated. 

i) Continuous learning and adaptation : Stay updated with social media trends, tools, and best practices, adapting strategies to maximise effectiveness. 

By embracing social selling strategies, sales professionals can effectively leverage social media platforms to engage with prospects. They can also build relationships and drive sales conversions.   

3) Relationship-building  

Building strong and meaningful relationships is one of the fundamental Sales Skills for professionals to establish trust, loyalty, and long-term partnerships with customers. Here are key aspects of relationship-building in the Sales context:  

a) Effective communication : Communicate clearly and transparently. This ensures that messages are tailored to the customer's preferences and delivered on time. 

b) Building rapport : Develop rapport by finding common ground, showing genuine interest, and engaging in meaningful conversations beyond the transactional aspect. 

c) Trust and credibility : Consistently deliver on promises, provide accurate information and maintain the highest ethical standards. This helps build trust and credibility. 

d) Personalisation : Customise interactions and solutions based on the customer's needs and preferences, making them feel valued and understood. 

e) Proactive support : Anticipate customer needs and proactively offer assistance, providing solutions and support throughout their journey.  

f) Relationship maintenance : Nurture relationships even after the sale by staying in touch, providing value-added resources, and seeking opportunities for continued engagement.  

g) Customer advocacy : Act as a trusted advisor and advocate for customers, offering guidance, insights, and recommendations that align with their best interests.  

h) Feedback and improvement : Regularly seek customer feedback, using their input to enhance products, services, and the overall customer experience. 

Sales professionals who prioritise relationship-building as one of their Sales Skills can cultivate loyal customers, generate repeat business, and foster positive word-of-mouth referrals. 

Learn how to cultivate lasting customer connections to drive exponential growth - join our Relationship Sales Masterclass .   

4) Active listening  

a) Full attention : Give undivided attention to the customer, maintain eye contact, and avoid distractions to show genuine interest. 

b) Patience and silence : Allow the customer to express themselves fully without interrupting, allowing for a free flow of thoughts and ideas. 

c) Empathy and understanding : Put yourself in the customer's shoes, seeking to understand their perspective, emotions, and challenges. 

d) Clarification and paraphrasing : Summarise and repeat key points to ensure accurate understanding and show that you are actively listening. 

e) Non-verbal cues : Pay keen attention to the customer's expressions like facial expressions, tone of voice and body language. This helps them grasp their emotions and sentiments. 

f) Asking relevant questions : Pose thoughtful, open-ended questions to encourage the customer to share more details and provide deeper insights. 

g) Avoiding prejudices : Refrain from making assumptions or jumping to conclusions.  Allow the customer to fully express their thoughts and concerns. 

h) Reflective responses : Respond with empathy and understanding, acknowledging the customer's feelings and validating their experiences. 

i) Taking notes : Capture important details and customer preferences to demonstrate attentiveness and facilitate follow-up actions.  

j) Follow-up and action : Based on what you have heard, take appropriate actions and provide tailored solutions to address the customer's needs. 

By practising active listening, Sales professionals can establish trust, foster deeper connections, and better understand customer requirements. This enhances the overall sales experience, improving customer satisfaction and long-term success. 

Active listening is important for all Sales Skills. It helps Sales professionals talk well with their customers and gives them what they need. When Sales professionals listen well, they can find out what problems their customers have, how to solve them, and how to make them happy. Active listening also helps Sales professionals get better at their jobs and grow their careers.

5) Product knowledge 

Comprehensive product knowledge is essential for Sales professionals to effectively convey the value, features, and advantages of their products or services. Here are key aspects of product knowledge in the Sales context: 

a) Understanding product details : Familiarise yourself with the product's specifications, functionalities, and unique selling points of the product or service. 

b) Benefits and value proposition : Identify and articulate how the product solves customer problems, meets their needs, and delivers value. 

c) Competitive differentiation : Differentiate your product from competitors by highlighting its advantages, superior features, or pricing. 

d) Target audience alignment : Understand the target audience and tailor your product knowledge to resonate with their specific requirements.  

e) Application and usage scenarios : Be well-versed in various applications and use cases of the product, providing insights into its versatility. 

f) Addressing customer concerns : Anticipate and address common objections or concerns that customers may have about the product. 

g) Ongoing learning : Continuously update your knowledge by staying informed about product updates, enhancements, and industry trends. 

h) Technical expertise : Develop a deep understanding of the technical aspects of the product, enabling you to answer complex customer queries. 

i) Demonstrations and samples : Utilise product demonstrations, samples, or trials to showcase the product's features and benefits effectively. 

j) Communicating with clarity : Articulate product information clearly and concisely, avoiding jargon and technical language.  

Sales professionals with in-depth product knowledge can instil confidence in customers, provide accurate information, and address their specific needs.   

6) Negotiation skills  

a) Preparation : Thoroughly research and gather information about the customer, their needs, and the market to prepare for the negotiation process. 

b) Effective communication : Clearly articulate the value proposition, benefits, and Unique Selling Points (USP) of the product or service. This influences the customer's perception.  

c) Problem-solving mindset : A Approach negotiations as collaborative problem-solving exercises to find win-win solutions that address both parties' needs. 

d) Flexibility and adaptability : Remain open to alternative solutions and be willing to adjust and adapt during the negotiation process. 

e) Assertiveness : Advocate for the company's interests while respecting and considering the customer's perspective. 

f) Value-based bargaining : Focus on the value and benefits delivered by the product or service rather than solely on price. 

g) Creative problem-solving : Explore creative options and alternative solutions to overcome impasses and find mutually beneficial agreements. 

h) Win-win mindset : Strive to achieve outcomes that benefit both the customer and the company, fostering long-term partnerships. 

Sales professionals with strong negotiation skills can effectively navigate complex Sales scenarios, address objections, and close deals. 

Master the art of persuasive Nnegotiation by signing up for our Sales Negotiation Training !   

7) Time management  

Acquiring  t ime management skills is one of the crucial Sales Skills to maximise productivity, meet deadlines, and prioritise tasks effectively. Here are some of the key aspects of time management: 

a) Prioritisation : Identify and prioritise high-value activities that align with sales goals and yield the greatest results. 

b) Planning and scheduling : Create a well-structured plan, allocate time for different tasks, and schedule activities to ensure efficient use of time. 

c) Setting goals and deadlines : Set clear, specific goals and establish realistic deadlines to stay focused and motivated. 

d) Avoid multitasking : Instead of juggling multiple tasks, focus on one task at a time. Avoiding multitasking helps maintain concentration and productivity. 

e) Delegation : Delegate tasks that others can handle, freeing up time to focus on critical sales activities. 

f) Time blocking : Allocate dedicated blocks of time for specific activities, such as prospecting, customer follow-ups, and administrative tasks. 

g) Minimising distractions : Identify and eliminate or minimise distractions, such as excessive email checking or unnecessary meetings. 

h) Efficient communication : Streamline communication processes and leverage tools to minimise time spent on non-essential conversations or information gathering. 

i) Breaks and rejuvenation : Take regular breaks to recharge and maintain mental clarity, enhancing overall productivity. 

j) Continuous evaluation and adjustment : Regularly assess Time Management Strategies and identify areas for improvement. Also, make necessary adjustments to optimise efficiency. 

Sales professionals who excel in time management can effectively allocate their time, focus on high-value activities, and achieve their sales targets.   

8) Persuasion and influencing skills  

Persuasion and influencing skills are vital to effectively communicate value propositions, build trust, and convince customers to make purchasing decisions. Here are key aspects of persuasion and influencing skills: 

a) Effective communication : Master the art of conveying ideas persuasively, using compelling language and influential techniques. 

b) Understanding customer needs : Gain a deep understanding of customer pain points, desires, and motivations. This helps tailor persuasive messages that resonate with their specific needs. 

c) Building rapport : Establish a connection with customers by building trust and demonstrating empathy. Also, show genuine interest in their concerns and aspirations. 

d) Presentation skills : Deliver persuasive presentations highlighting the unique selling points, features, and benefits of the product or service. This assists in capturing the attention and interest of the audience. 

e) Emotional appeal : Appeal to customers' emotions by highlighting how the product can improve their lives, solve their problems, or fulfil their desires. 

f) Social proof : Utilise testimonials, case studies, and success stories to provide evidence of the product's value and effectiveness. Providing proof enhances credibility and influences customer decisions. 

g) Overcoming objections : Address customer concerns and objections proactively. Offer persuasive counterarguments and reassurances to alleviate doubts and build confidence. 

h) Negotiation skills : Employ effective Negotiation Techniques to find win-win solutions that satisfy both the customer's needs and the company's objectives.  

Sales professionals with strong persuasion and influencing Sales Skills can sway customer decisions, drive sales, and foster long-term customer relationships.   

9) Problem-solving skills  

Mastering problem-solving skills is essential to overcoming challenges, addressing customer needs, and achieving Sales success. Here are key aspects of problem-solving skills in the Sales context: 

a) Analytical thinking : Apply critical thinking and analytical skills to understand customer pain points, identify underlying issues, and develop effective solutions. 

b) Creative thinking : Think outside the box and generate innovative ideas to offer unique solutions that meet customer requirements. 

c) Data-driven approach : Utilise data and analytics to gain insights and make informed decisions. Also, tailor your Sales Strategy to specific customer needs. 

d) Collaborative problem-solving : Engage in collaborative discussions and seek input from team members or subject matter experts to find comprehensive solutions. 

e) Prioritisation and time management : Assess the urgency and importance of different problems. Also, effectively manage time and resources to address them efficiently. 

f) Adaptability : Adjust strategies and approaches when faced with unexpected challenges or changing circumstances to find viable solutions. 

g) Continuous improvement : Continuously evaluate and refine sales processes based on feedback, lessons learned, and emerging industry trends. 

Sales professionals with strong problem-solving skills can identify customer pain points, offer effective solutions, and build trust and loyalty. 

10) Adaptability   

Being adaptable is critical to thrive in a dynamic and ever-changing business landscape. Here are key aspects of adaptability in the sales context: 

a) Openness to change : Embrace change as an opportunity for growth and improvement rather than resisting or fearing it. 

b) Agility : Respond quickly and effectively to shifting customer needs, market trends, and competitive dynamics. 

c) Versatility : Demonstrate versatility by adapting sales approaches, communication styles, and strategies to different situations and customers. 

d) Continuous learning : Stay updated with industry knowledge, market trends, and the latest technologies to stay ahead of the curve.  

e) Problem-solving : Effectively analyse challenges and find creative solutions, being resourceful and adaptable in finding ways to meet customer demands.  

f) Collaboration : Work collaboratively with colleagues, departments, and stakeholders to adapt to changing circumstances and achieve shared goals.  

g) Customer-centricity : Adapt sales processes and approaches based on customer feedback and preferences to provide personalised experiences.  

h) Resilience : Bounce back from setbacks, setbacks, and rejections, maintaining a positive mindset and persevering towards sales objectives.  

Sales professionals who possess adaptability can thrive in a rapidly evolving sales environment and drive success in their sales endeavours. They can effectively navigate challenges by embracing change, continuously learning, being versatile, and maintaining customer-centricity. 

11) Resilience  

Resilience is crucial for sales professionals to navigate the challenges and setbacks inherent in the sales process. Here are key aspects of resilience in the sales context: 

a) Positive mindset : Maintain a positive outlook, focusing on possibilities and solutions rather than dwelling on obstacles or failures. 

b) Adaptability : Embrace change and quickly adjust strategies and approaches to meet evolving customer needs and market dynamics. 

c) Persistence : Persevere in the face of rejection, setbacks, or obstacles, staying committed to achieving sales goals. 

d) Emotional regulation : Manage and control emotions effectively. Remain composed and professional even in high-pressure situations. 

e) Learning from failures : View failures as learning opportunities, analyse mistakes to gain insights and improve future performance. 

f) Flexibility : Be open to feedback, input, and new ideas. Show willingness to adapt and explore alternative approaches. 

g) Resilient mindset : Develop mental toughness and resilience to bounce back from disappointments and setbacks. 

h) Self-care : Prioritise self-care practices such as exercise, Stress Management , and work-life balance to maintain well-being. 

Sales professionals with resilience can persevere through challenges, maintain motivation, and continue striving for success. By cultivating a resilient mindset, they can effectively navigate the ups and downs of the sales journey. They can also learn from setbacks and ultimately achieve their goals.  

12) Goal-oriented mindset    

A goal-oriented mindset is a key characteristic of successful sales professionals. Here are key aspects of a goal-oriented mindset: 

a) Clear and specific goals : Set measurable and time-bound objectives to provide focus and direction. 

b) Action plan : Break down your goals into actionable steps and create a structured implementation plan. 

c) Focus and determination : Maintain unwavering concentration and drive towards achieving set goals. 

d) Progress monitoring : Regularly track performance and make necessary adjustments to stay on track. 

e) Continuous improvement : Embrace a growth mindset and actively seek personal and professional development opportunities. 

f) Celebrate achievements : Recognise and celebrate milestones along the journey to reinforce motivation. 

g) Accountability : Take ownership of actions and outcomes, holding oneself responsible for results. 

Sales professionals with a goal-oriented mindset establish clear objectives and develop action plans. Moreover, it helps them stay focused and determined, monitor progress, seek continuous improvement, celebrate milestones, and take accountability. By cultivating a goal-oriented mindset, sales professionals can drive their success and achieve outstanding results. 

13) Customer-centric approach  

a) Deep understanding of customer needs : Gain insights into customer preferences, pain points, and desires to tailor solutions accordingly. 

b) Personalisation : Customise interactions and offerings based on individual customer profiles and preferences.  

c) Empathy and relationship building : Demonstrate genuine care and build rapport with customers to foster long-term relationships.  

d) Solution-oriented mindset : Focus on providing value and solving customer problems rather than simply making a sale. 

e) Timely and effective communication : Respond promptly to inquiries, provide accurate information, and maintain open lines of communication. 

f) Continuous feedback and improvement : Seek customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and enhance the overall customer experience.  

By adopting a customer-centric approach, sales professionals can cultivate loyalty, drive customer satisfaction, and achieve long-term success.  

14) Continuous learning    

One of the crucial Sales Skills also includes continuous learning. Here are key aspects of embracing a continuous learning mindset: 

a) Curiosity and openness : Approach new information and experiences with a curious and open mindset. Stay receptive to learning opportunities. 

b) Industry knowledge : Stay updated on industry trends, market changes, and emerging technologies to maintain a competitive edge. 

c) Product and service expertise : Continuously deepen knowledge about the products and services being offered to effectively address customer needs. 

d) Skill enhancement : Identify areas for skill development and actively seek growth opportunities, such as attending workshops or online courses. 

e) Peer collaboration : Engage in knowledge sharing and collaborative discussions with colleagues to exchange insights and best practices. 

f) Learning from customers : Value customer feedback and interactions as opportunities to learn and improve sales approaches. 

g) Self-reflection : Regularly evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses, seeking self-improvement and growth.  

h) Professional development resources : Utilise resources like books, podcasts, webinars, and industry events to expand knowledge and gain new perspectives. 

By continuously learning along the journey, Sales professionals can stay relevant and adaptable in a dynamic business environment. It can also help them enhance their Sales Skills, deliver exceptional customer value, and drive long-term success. 

15) Emotional Intelligence (EI)    

Emotional Intelligence is crucial for effectively navigating interactions and building strong customer relationships. Here are key aspects of Emotional Intelligence in the sales context: 

a) Self-awareness : Recognise and understand your emotions, strengths, and limitations to manage them effectively. 

b) Empathy : Demonstrate genuine empathy towards customers by understanding their perspectives, emotions, and needs. 

c) Social awareness : Pay attention to social cues, non-verbal communication, and the emotional states of others during interactions. 

d) Relationship management : Build and maintain positive relationships by adapting communication styles and resolving conflicts effectively. 

e) Self-regulation : Control and manage emotions in challenging situations to respond calmly and professionally. 

f) Resilience : Handle rejection and setbacks with resilience, maintaining a positive attitude and bouncing back from setbacks. 

g) Conflict resolution : Effectively navigates conflicts by finding mutually beneficial solutions and fostering open communication. 

h) Adaptability : Embrace change and adapt strategies to meet the evolving needs and preferences of customers. 

By cultivating EI, sales professionals can understand customer emotions, adapt their approach, and effectively manage relationships effectively. As a result, they can achieve success in their sales endeavours. 

16) Networking skills  

a) Building rapport : Develop the ability to quickly build rapport with individuals, making genuine connections based on trust and common interests. 

b) Communication : Cultivate strong verbal and non-verbal communication skills to effectively convey ideas, engage in meaningful conversations, and articulate value propositions. 

c) Relationship cultivation : Nurture relationships by maintaining regular contact, providing support, and finding ways to add value to the network. 

d) Networking events : Attend industry conferences, seminars, and networking events to meet new contacts and exchange insights with professionals in the field. 

e) Online networking : Utilise social media platforms and professional networking websites to connect with industry peers, share knowledge, and engage in online communities. 

f) Referral partnerships : Build mutually beneficial relationships with complementary businesses or professionals who can refer potential clients or collaborate on projects.  

g) Follow-up and gratitude : Show appreciation by following up with contacts after meetings and sending personalised thank-you notes. Also, express gratitude for their time and support. 

Sales professionals with strong networking skills can establish a robust professional network, tap into valuable resources, and generate new business opportunities. By investing in building relationships and actively listening, sales professionals can enhance their visibility, credibility, and success in the sales industry.  

Unlock the power of genuine connections and elevate your sales with our Building Rapport With Customers Training.   

17) Closing techniques    

Closing techniques are essential Sales Skills to guide prospects effectively towards making a purchasing decision. Here are key closing techniques that can contribute to successful Sales outcomes: 

a) Assumptive close : Assume the sale using language that implies the prospect has already decided to purchase. 

b) Alternative close : Present the prospect with two or more options, allowing them to choose between different packages, features, or payment plans. 

c) Urgency close : Create a sense of urgency by highlighting limited-time offers, exclusive discounts, or upcoming price increases. 

d) Trial close : Seek feedback from the prospect throughout the sales process to gauge their interest and address any concerns in real time. 

e) Summary close : Summarise the key benefits and features of the product or service. This helps reinforce the value proposition and demonstrate how it meets the prospect's needs. 

f) Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) close : Highlight the potential loss or missed opportunities if the prospect doesn't take advantage of the offer or make a decision promptly.  

g) Referral close : Share success stories or testimonials from satisfied customers to build trust and encourage the prospect to follow suit. Sales Skills 

h) Direct close : Clearly and directly ask the prospect for their commitment to move forward with the purchase. 

18) Business acumen

Business acumen is a Sales Skill that helps you understand and make good decisions in business situations. You need to have a deep understanding of how businesses work, including finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and other important aspects. You also need to have skills such as critical thinking , problem-solving , and analytical thinking . Here are some key aspects of business acumen that can improve your Sales performance:

a) Customer understanding: Learn about your customer’s business situation, goals, challenges, and needs. This helps you connect and communicate with them better and offers them the best solution.

b) Financial literacy: Understand the financial aspects of your product or service, such as pricing, profitability, return on investment, and value proposition. This helps you justify your offer and negotiate effectively.

c) Market awareness: Stay updated on the latest trends and best practices in your industry and target markets. This helps you identify opportunities and threats and position yourself as an expert and a leader.

d) Strategic thinking: Think ahead and plan your Sales actions based on your customers' needs, goals, and decision criteria. This helps you create a clear and compelling Sales strategy and roadmap.

e) Problem-solving: Analyse and solve problems that arise during the Sales process , such as objections, concerns, or issues. This helps you overcome challenges and move the deal forward.

f) Analytical thinking: Use data and evidence to support your claims and arguments. This helps you persuade and impress your customers with facts and figures.

g) Critical thinking: Evaluate and question the information and assumptions that you and your customer have. This helps you avoid biases and errors and make sound judgments.

h) Learning and improvement: Seek feedback and learning opportunities from your managers, peers, and customers. This helps you improve your knowledge and skills and grow your Sales career.

19) Sales demoing

Sales demoing is a Sales Skill that helps you show your product or service to your prospect. You need to provide a demonstration that is personalised, engaging, and informative. You need to show how your solution can solve your prospect’s problems, meet their needs, and help them achieve their goals.

 You also need to address any objections or questions that your prospect may have and provide clear next steps to move the deal forward. Here are some key aspects of Sales demoing that can increase your chances of closing the sale:

a) Research and preparation: Do your homework and find out as much as you can about your prospect’s situation, expectations, and preferences. This helps you customise and tailor your demo to their specific needs and interests.

b) Focus and relevance: Focus on the most relevant and impactful features and benefits of your product or service for your prospect. This helps you highlight your value proposition and demonstrate how you can solve their pain points.

c) Storytelling and emotion: Use stories and examples to capture your prospect’s attention and emotion. This helps you create a connection and a memorable impression.

d) Visual aids and presentation: Use visual aids, such as slides, videos, screenshots, or live demos, to illustrate your points and enhance your presentation. This helps you make your demo clearer and more attractive.

e) Feedback and confirmation: Ask for feedback and confirmation from your prospect throughout the demo to check their understanding and interest. This helps you gauge their readiness and address any concerns in real time.

f) Summary and value proposition: Summarise the key takeaways and value proposition of your product or service at the end of the demo. This helps you reinforce your message and shows how you can meet your prospect’s needs.

g) Objection handling and questions: Handle any objections or questions that your prospect may have about your product or service. This helps you overcome any barriers and doubts and build trust and confidence.

h) Call to action and follow-up: Provide a clear call to action and follow-up steps at the end of the demo. This helps you move the deal forward and close the sale.

20) Prospecting

Prospecting is a Sales Skill that helps you find and develop new business by searching for potential customers, clients, or buyers for your product or service. You need to network with others and successfully evaluate their needs and interests to determine which individuals and companies can get the greatest benefit from your solution.

You also need to reach out to them and generate interest and curiosity in your product or service. By prospecting effectively, you can create a steady and quality pipeline of leads for your business. Here are some key aspects of prospecting that can boost your Sales results:

a) Ideal customer profile and target market: Define your ideal customer profile and target market to narrow down your focus and optimise your efforts. This helps you identify and prioritise your product or service's most qualified and profitable prospects.

b) Channels and sources: Use multiple channels and sources, such as social media, email, phone, referrals, events, and webinars, to reach out to your prospects and generate interest. This helps you diversify and expand your reach and exposure.

c) Messages and value: Craft compelling and personalised messages that highlight your value proposition and offer value to your prospects. This helps you capture their attention and curiosity and entice them to respond or meet with you.

d) Follow-up and persistence: Follow up consistently and persistently with your prospects until you get a response or a meeting. This helps you stay on top of their mind and show your interest and professionalism.

e) Nurturing and qualification: Nurture and qualify your prospects by providing relevant information, building rapport, and uncovering their pain points, challenges, goals, and decision criteria. This helps you establish trust and credibility and move them along the Sales funnel .

f) Appointment setting and confirmation: Set and confirm appointments with your prospects to present your product or service. This helps you secure the opportunity and advance the Sales process.

g) Referrals and recommendations: Ask for referrals and recommendations from your existing customers, contacts, or prospects to find more potential customers. This helps you leverage your network and reputation and generate more leads.

h) Tracking and measurement: Track and measure your prospecting activities and results using tools such as CRM, spreadsheets, or dashboards. This helps you evaluate your performance and effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.

Note: These Sales Skills are related and work together. So, if you learn these techniques well, you can persuade prospects to buy your product or service better. You can also choose the right technique for each case and customer, and close more Sales and be more successful.

Unlock the secret to sealing deals with our game-changing Closing Sales Technique Masterclass - Sign up today! 

How to improve Sales Skills? 

Salespeople need to continuously refine their Sales Skills to remain relevant in the industry and stay updated with the latest trends. More importantly, acquiring Sales Skills can effectively increase their revenue. Developing and polishing a set of various skills helps Salespeople continually progress in their Sales career. Here is a  step-by-step guide that you can follow to improve these skills:  

1) Attend Sales training 

Salespeople can improve their Sales Skills through professional development opportunities and on-the-job training. Adopting the mindset of a lifelong learner gives them a competitive upper hand over their counterparts in the Sales market. 

Moreover, courses and certifications can help Salespeople get further trained in Sales presentations, methodology, Sales coaching or social selling. It is helpful for Salespeople to consider aspects like the training's duration, point of focus, fee, and location. 

Such certifications essentially target the skillsets required to shine in the Sales industry. These skills include personal skills for conducting a successful Sales meeting and further knowledge for effective critical thinking and strategy. 

2) Implement roleplay 

When a Salesperson is attending an exploratory call, it is crucial for them to be prepared for all questions and objections that come their way. Thus, it can be helpful for them to practice conversational flow and learn the art of asking questions in an authentic manner. This keeps the atmosphere of the call much more relaxed and smoother. 

Furthermore, multiple Salespeople from a Sales team can also practice roleplaying among themselves occasionally each month. Here is a list of a few key exercises that Salespeople can play with their team: 

a) Roleplaying in extreme situations 

b) Challenging a prospect on their doubtfulness with a Sales contract 

c) Getting used to ending Sales contracts with prospects 

d) Tackling common objections 

3) Practice public speaking 

The majority of people are known to have a fear of public speaking. A Salesperson who has an extroverted personality may also face this fear due to inexperience and lack of training or practice. Regardless of the person, everyone needs to practice their craft to perfection. More practice will automatically keep them at ease.  

Additionally, it is vital for Salespeople to be confident communicators, as they can better empathise, sell and close Sales contracts with their prospective buyers. In the Sales process, Salespeople are required to give Sales presentations to their prospects, conduct product demos and speak persuasively to many decision-makers. 

Moreover, attending a variety of events which push people to talk and interact, like exhibitions, open mics, hobby classes, and so on, will tremendously boost confidence and decrease social anxiety. 

4) Ask questions 

A landmark trait of successful people is their ability to ask questions. Salespeople can confide in their manager or colleagues if they hit an unexpected roadblock during their Sales call. This roadblock is usually an unexpected question or an objection from the prospect. Asking the questions at the right time helps mitigate the problems if they arise again. 

Moreover, after learning to ask more questions, the next step is to ask the right questions to the prospective buyers. Salespeople can learn more about their prospects’ discomforts and figure out what their business goals are. After finding out these key points, the Salespeople can proceed to understand how their product can resolve the prospects’ problems.

5) Review your Sales calls 

After completing Sales calls, Salespeople must spend time reviewing the exploratory call. This way, they can learn many lessons, like where they performed well and what didn’t go as well.  

A great way for managers to help their team conduct good reviews of their Sales calls is to host film reviews. A review is an event that can propel the Sales team to practice their active listening skills and offer feedback on a recorded Sales call. 

For instance, a participant could request their colleagues to rank their questions, their authenticity over the Sales call and their knowledge of the product. They could then discuss any specific techniques they could implement to improve their exploratory calls. 

6) Listen to feedback 

Actively listening to feedback is part and parcel of review sessions. The participants must be open-minded to accept any feedback they receive from their managers and colleagues. While it can be difficult to critique one’s Sales performance, feedback is vital for enhancing Sales Skills in the future.   

Participants will need to pay attention to the critique they receive on the questions they are asking, the conversational flow that they maintain and the rapport they build with their prospective buyers. These are considered crucial Sales Skills that Sales representatives need to master to achieve success in the Sales industry. 

7) Stay connected to the customer

It significantly helps to build a healthy rapport with your prospective buyers. However, this takes time and can be fostered gradually over the Sales call. It requires Emotional Intelligence and stability from the Salesperson’s side.  

These two features of a Salesperson’s personality help them make the conversation interesting because it ropes the prospect into a mode of interest faster so they can decide to buy in on the Sales call. 

8) Prepare for objection handling 

It is imperative for the Salesperson to receive at least a few objections from the prospects’ side regarding their product, which is why it is essential to be well-prepared before the call. 

A great way is to learn about the prospect’s business persona and invest time to know their pain points. Paying care and due attention to their prospect’s pain points will boost the Sales representative’s Sales Skills and, consequently, their performance.  

9) Play with your closing techniques 

Techniques in a Sales process require continual iteration and experimentation. Here is a list of some popular closing techniques utilised in the Sales industry: 

a) Summary closes: The summary in-closing technique entails the Salesperson providing a summary of all the items that the prospective buyer is interested in purchasing. The technique also involves the Salesperson emphasising the benefits of the product or service being offered to get the prospect more inclined to sign the Sales contract. 

b) Question closes:   It's important for Sales reps to include some questions at the end with the intention of probing the prospect’s pain points. Questions such as ‘How can we help with this concern?’ or ‘Could you elaborate more on your concern?’ will help the conversation acquire a tone of authenticity. 

c) Soft closes: The soft close is a technique to put in a low-impact question to your prospect at the end of the call to re-affirm if they would be interested in learning more about the product.  

10) Track your progress 

Sales representatives should set their Sales goals, record their performance and track their progress. They could start improving one item at a time from their list of actionable items. For example, they can keep track of their close rate by utilising any of the closing techniques to understand the improvement in their close rate.  

Conclusion  

We hope that after reading this blog, you understand everything about the various Sales Skills. Possessing a comprehensive set of abilities is essential for a thriving career in the field. They enable professionals to excel in building relationships, negotiating, adapting to change, and ultimately closing deals with finesse. 

Ignite your sales success and unlock your full potential with our game-changing Sales Training – Sign up now!  

Frequently Asked Questions

Sales Skills are crucial for career success because they help you communicate effectively, persuade others, and solve problems. These skills are useful not only for selling products or services but also for building relationships, collaborating with teams, and advancing your goals in any industry or role.

You can remain adaptable in an ever-changing Sales environment by embracing change, learning new skills, and seeking feedback. You should be open to new opportunities, challenges, and technologies that can improve your Sales performance. You should also keep updating your knowledge, skills, and tools to meet the changing needs and expectations of your customers.

The Knowledge Academy takes global learning to new heights, offering over 30,000 online courses across 490+ locations in 220 countries. This expansive reach ensures accessibility and convenience for learners worldwide.  

Alongside our diverse Online Course Catalogue, encompassing 17 major categories, we go the extra mile by providing a plethora of free educational Online Resources like News updates, Blogs , videos, webinars, and interview questions. Tailoring learning experiences further, professionals can maximise value with customisable Course Bundles of TKA .   

The Knowledge Academy’s Knowledge Pass , a prepaid voucher, adds another layer of flexibility, allowing course bookings over a 12-month period. Join us on a journey where education knows no bounds. 

The Knowledge Academy offers various Sales Training , including Sales Bootcamp, Innovative Thinking Training, Online Sales Training and more. These courses cater to different skill levels, providing comprehensive insights into the Sales Process .  

Our Business Skills Blogs cover a range of topics related to Sales Training, offering valuable resources, best practices, and industry insights. Whether you are a beginner or looking to advance your Sales skills, The Knowledge Academy's diverse courses and informative blogs have you covered.  

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The 17 Essential Sales Skills Every Rep Needs to Succeed

Table of Contents

In this guide, we’ll explore the key sales skills that will equip your reps with confidence and boost sales. With proven sales training strategies and ongoing coaching and enablement, reps will be ready to tackle the art of selling.

Why Is Sales Skills Training Important?

The changing landscape of sales skills, how does sales enablement enhance sales skills and sales techniques, essential sales skills training topics for your team, key skills for effective sales leadership.

• Essential Sales Skills Every Salesperson Needs
• Take Skills From Concept to Results

Sales skills enable sellers to persuade, negotiate, and communicate effectively. These skills facilitate customer relationship building, identifying and understanding customer needs, fostering trust among new leads, and ultimately driving revenue growth. Many sales skills apply to in-person sales, remote roles , and many areas of life and work.

Becoming a good salesperson involves much more than simply knowing your product; it’s a rich blend of product and market expertise, meaningful dialogue, solution-based selling, and emotional intelligence. Mastering the right sales skills can transform each customer interaction into a compelling relationship that positions your products or services as the perfect solution to their needs. Look at this article to see if your sales organization’s performance is on par .

Sellers are experiencing a pivotal shift in when, how, and why prospects need them. Customers now approach salespeople with substantial product knowledge, altering the sales cycle’s dynamics. Customers are waiting to engage with sales reps at more advanced stages of the sales cycle than ever previously experienced.

Recent research confirms the significant changes to the sales landscape . “There has been a dramatic increase in information available to customers due to technological advances. In the past, salespeople added value to customer interactions through their ability to broker product information to their customers. However, the rapid innovation in mobile and internet technologies has equipped customers with vast product knowledge not previously available to them. Salespeople may now find their first interaction with customers is at a different and later stage of the sales cycle, where customers are far more educated about their options. With increased access to knowledge and the changing role of technology in sales, the role of the B2B salesperson has become more complicated and requires sales professionals to work with more information than ever before.” These findings highlight the need for salespeople to monitor and adapt to the constantly evolving business landscape, honing the necessary skills of the moment.

Sales enablement equips reps with tech tools, content such as case studies, training modules, and sales coaching to perform in their roles. It includes mastering product knowledge and refining communication skills. Sellers will also better understand customer needs and apply technology like CRM to streamline processes when fully equipped.

Successful salespeople need to have more than just charm. Sellers must know your company and product, understand the market, give good presentations, handle objections, use tech tools, manage time, and build strong relationships.

Sales training programs can take many forms, including ongoing sales enablement, new employee onboarding, sales kick-offs, moment-of-impact training, and sales coaching. Incorporate these topics into your onsite or online sales training and onboarding program to equip sellers to engage with prospects and close deals more efficiently.

• Company information: Providing sellers with an organization’s mission, vision, goals, and values is fundamental to sales performance .
• Product knowledge: Understanding product features, benefits, and use cases arms sellers to perform demos and answer questions during sales prospecting.
• Target audience: Be sure to define the target audience so sellers can create personalized sales pitches and engagement activities.
• Sales methodologies: Sellers must understand the organization’s sales methodology, workflow, essential tools, and best sales practices. Sales plays and coaching are unique to each organization.
• Public speaking: Speaking to individuals and groups is part of everyday sales roles. Sellers can benefit from public speaking sessions to build confidence and clarity in speech as they pitch to prospects.
• Objection handling: Teaching sellers to overcome fear, uncertainty, and doubt using objection-handling strategies, such as good communication, competitive intelligence, and product and industry knowledge, will help ease customer opposition.
• Tech stack: During sales onboarding , sellers must learn the ins and outs of the company’s CRM and other sales technology to streamline work and remain productive.
• Time management: Perfecting time management skills ensures sellers plan and prioritize activities to manage the sales pipeline and meet quotas.
• Interpersonal skill: Focus on soft skills, such as active listening and empathizing with customers. This will help sellers develop stronger relationships and build trust with prospective customers.

What does good training for a sales career look like? Hear from Tanuja Paruchuri , the director of sales enablement at H1.

Sales Onboarding Checklist

Our sales onboarding checklist is a valuable tool for managers that will guide the creation of a detailed plan for new hires. It helps define key competencies, set milestones, encourage hands-on activities, and assess progress using targeted KPIs.

Download the Sales Onboarding Checklist

Sales leadership requires a unique skill set. Strong leaders inspire their sales force, set clear objectives, and strategize effectively. They’re adept at problem-solving, negotiation, and have strong communication skills. Equally important is their emotional intelligence, enabling them to understand and motivate their team members.

17 Essential Sales Skills Every Rep Needs

Possessing a diverse range of sales skills is critical to beating the competition. The skills needed to thrive in a sales role can be categorized into product and market knowledge, selling process and strategy, and interpersonal skills and personal traits.

Together, these types of sales skills encompass a well-rounded repertoire of skills that enable sales reps to understand what they are selling and to whom, strategically guide prospects through the sales funnel, and build solid and lasting relationships with customers. Now, let’s explore each category to understand these important sales skills.

Product and Market Knowledge

Product and market knowledge is foundational to navigating product questions and articulating ROI. By understanding the market, sellers can position the product and use industry data to provide real-world information.

• Product expertise: Understanding the product or service features, benefits, and value proposition allows sellers to demo the product and answer customer questions confidently.
• Demonstrating and justifying the buy: Presenting return on investment (ROI) involves articulating the product’s economic value. While often overlooked, buyers value when sellers can make a compelling ROI case because it is one of the top justifications for purchasing a product. According to Rain Group, sellers consider making the ROI case one of the least challenging sales skills , yet buyers think sellers are largely terrible at it.
• Market expertise: Understanding market trends, customer needs, and competitor strengths and weaknesses helps sellers position their products and defend statements using data.
• Data analysis: Understanding sales and market data helps sellers hone better sales strategies and make informed decisions on engaging customers.

Sales Process and Strategy

Mastering that sales cycle, from interest to closing, is essential for sellers to remain productive. This includes understanding sales methodologies like partnership and consultative selling, available tools, social media usage, and solving customer problems quickly.

• Sales process expertise: Familiarity with every step of the sales cycle, from prospecting to closing deals, ensures a structured and smooth sales experience.
• Social selling: Potential customers expect information wherever they are working. Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, are essential to find, connect, and engage with prospects.
• Customer success: Great customer service can help an organization stand out from the competition. Sellers must provide high-quality service before, during, and after the sales process, including prompt follow-up to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Problem-solving: Delivering a solution to a customer problem is essential to selling. Rain Group found that 68% of buyers appreciate sellers who can demonstrate how to solve a problem or enhance their situation. However, it’s a top challenge for sellers, but it is one of the crucial selling skills to possess.
• Tech savvy: Sales technology proficiency, such as CRM systems and workflow automation tools, can streamline the sales process, account management, and business development, ensuring everyone is moving in the right direction and has the data to make intelligent decisions.
• Ability to continuously learn and improve: Seller adaptability and eagerness to learn new sales techniques, products, strategies , and embrace new tools is key to seizing better sales opportunities and evolving with customers.

Interpersonal Skills and Personal Traits

Soft skills shape a seller’s ability to connect with customers and colleagues. Communication, active listening, and building and maintaining relationships foster trust. Talking things out, working well with others, and understanding feelings help salespeople face problems and stay resilient, even when things get tough. These skills are key to successful business outreach and lead generation, encompassing everything from cold calling to conducting demos and webinars.

• Communication: Clear sales communication across all channels helps deliver company and product messages and stories and connect with customers. Active listening skills on sales calls is a crucial part of communication – Rain Group found that 68% of buyers are highly influenced by great salespeople who listen, but only 26% say sales professionals are competent listeners.
• Relationship building: Developing and maintaining in-person and virtually relationships is critical to seller success – 87% of sellers find connecting with buyers and building rapport challenging, according to Rain Group’s survey.
• Negotiating: The ability to communicate deal conditions and strike a mutually beneficial agreement with sales manager support and approval using negotiation skills is a non-negotiable skill.
• Collaboration: Teamwork and effective communication across sales, marketing, leadership, accounting, and other supporting groups are vital to achieving sales success and ensuring customers have a smooth experience.
• Emotional Intelligence: The ability to manage emotions and empathize with customer pain points plays a significant role in seller success.
• Resilience and perseverance: Sellers often deal with rejection. They frequently face ‘no’ responses. Despite this, it’s crucial to keep pushing forward, even when faced with obstacles.
• Presentation and public speaking: Sales professionals must gain skills that build confidence and clarity in delivering their sales pitch.

Take Sales Skills from Concept to Results with Highspot

When sellers master essential sales skills, they transform your business into a productivity powerhouse. But how do you ensure your team has the right skills to thrive? Invest in sales training. A robust sales training and onboarding program is essential for building a top sales team capable of achieving your business objectives. Empowering sales representatives with the right skills boosts your team’s performance and contributes to long-term employee satisfaction and retention.

Highspot can help empower sellers with the skills needed to win more deals. Request a demo to discover how our platform can help create winning behaviors.

The Highspot Team works to create and promote the Highspot sales enablement platform, which gives businesses a powerful sales advantage to engage in more relevant buyer conversations and achieve their revenue goals. Through AI-powered search, analytics, in-context training, guided selling, and 50+ integrations, the Highspot platform delivers enterprise-ready sales enablement in a modern design that sales reps and marketers love.

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7 problem-solving strategies to overcome project hurdles

Unexpected problems are unavoidable in business. Whether it’s a workplace conflict between two coworkers or a sudden change in industry regulations, problem-solving strategies and skills are crucial if you want to be successful.

Each industry and individual career has its own set of unique challenges that require different approaches. The trick is to have a fully loaded problem-solving toolkit ready to go when problems arise.

In this article, we’ll break down the problem-solving process and then dive into seven of the most powerful problem-solving strategies.

What are problem-solving strategies?

Problem-solving strategies help you break down, analyze and resolve problems. They take you beyond obvious answers and help you find the best solution to your specific problem.

Whether your problem is a business challenge, personal conflict or technical work issue, problem-solving strategies help replace random guesswork with detailed blueprints.

In sales and marketing, problem-solving strategies are used as guidelines to figure out the best way to resolve industry challenges. These strategies can be put in place ahead of time so that when fires arise, you have the tools required to put them out.

Different problem-solving strategies are designed for different types of problems. While one problem requires a strategy that uses creative thought and experimentation, another problem might require a heavily analytical approach.

Before we dive into specific strategies, let’s take a look at the foundations of good problem-solving.

Key takeaways from this problem-solving strategies article

Seven powerful problem-solving strategies: Overcome project hurdles with these strategies, including trial-and-error, the 5 Whys, problem tree analysis, SWOT analysis, means-end analysis, consulting an expert and working from experience. How problem-solving helps: Effective problem-solving strategies help identify root causes, generate solutions and implement effective actions, ultimately improving project outcomes and fostering a proactive approach to challenges. Pipedrive aids in problem-solving by providing tools for tracking project progress, managing tasks and analyzing performance metrics, ensuring efficient resolution of issues and optimization of project workflows. Try Pipedrive free for 14 days .

The four essential steps to problem-solving

To solve a problem, you need to identify it, conceptualize solutions, decide on the best solution and then put the solution into action.

While all problem-solving strategies approach these steps differently, each step is integral to the process, so let’s take a look at the four steps in detail.

1. Identify and define the problem

To solve a problem effectively, you need to know exactly what it is. Trying to solve a vague problem is like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it. Any solutions you implement will be based on guesswork and probably won’t solve the problem in its entirety.

To identify your problem, remember:

Clarify with a statement. It’s far easier to solve a clear problem. Use journalistic questioning (who, what, where, when, why and how) to clarify the problem as far as possible. Then create a problem statement that defines your problem in simple terms.

Break the problem down. Problems are often complex with a lot of distracting information. The trick is to identify key parts of the problem and, if necessary, break it down into smaller problems that you can solve individually.

Visualize the problem. If the problem you’re dealing with is abstract or particularly complex, it can help to try to build a mental picture of it. For example, if your problem is with your sales software, visually map out the elements of the program and how you use it. This lets you see each step and pinpoint where issues may originate.

Example: Your team’s sales productivity is lower than it should be. You investigate and realize that your sales process is disorganized, causing opportunities to slip through the cracks. You break the problem down to look at each part of the process and find that your sales reps don’t have a standardized way of tracking customer interactions.

2. Brainstorm possible solutions

With the problem clearly defined, your next step is to generate an exhaustive list of potential solutions. The purpose of this step is to work out everything you could possibly do so that you can narrow it down later.

Here are some tips for effective brainstorming:

If you’re working with a team, have them brainstorm ideas before the meeting. Prior to the brainstorming meeting, provide background information so everyone has some ideas ready by the time you meet and you can get to a solution faster.

Include key stakeholders. Who does the problem mainly affect? This is the group of people you should include in the solution-finding process, as they will have the deepest understanding of the problem.

Include every solution and narrow them down later. Begin by getting as many ideas written down as possible. This will get the creative juices flowing and help you consider all angles to develop a more effective solution.

Example: You send out your findings about the gaps in the sales process in advance and ask each sales team member to bring a few proposed solutions to share. During the meeting, you set a ground rule that you won't discuss or critique ideas until they’re all on the table. By the end, a series of solutions are suggested, including introducing new tools to track the customer journey, automate repetitive tasks and set follow-up reminders.

3. Decide on a single solution

Now that you have a list of solutions, it’s time to decide which are likely to be the most effective. To do this, you need to evaluate each in order until you have a short list of promising solutions.

To help evaluate your solutions, consider whether:

The solution will achieve your desired outcomes without causing additional issues

The solution aligns with your organizational goals

The solution is affordable and realistic with your current resources and constraints

This step is often the most difficult and requires effective decision-making abilities in addition to problem-solving skills. Often, there will be several solutions that vary in their projected cost, effectiveness and difficulty to implement and you’ll need to take all this into account when making a decision.

Example: Based on your brainstorming session, you decide that the best solution is to invest in a customer relationship management (CRM) system. This will allow you to set up a consistent process and will easily pay for itself in increased productivity. The CRM’s reporting features will also provide greater insight into your sales team’s performance, helping you improve processes further based on what’s working.

4. Implement the solution

Finally, it’s time to put the solution in place. Depending on the complexity of the problem you’re trying to solve, this may require additional steps. For example, you might need to develop a detailed action plan for several team members and then monitor their effectiveness going forward.

To ensure that your solution remains effective:

Schedule regular feedback meetings. Regular feedback from the people closest to the problem will help you gauge whether the solution has been effective and how and when you may need to make adjustments over time.

Decide on key metrics before implementing the solution. Which metrics will tell you whether your solution is working? For example, if your problem is tech-related, you could judge whether the solution worked based on how many IT requests come in each month. Determine what you’ll need to measure upfront.

Don’t be afraid to try again. If your solution didn’t work, it’s time to go back to the drawing board. Get your short list of possible solutions out again and reevaluate them based on what you’ve learned. You might find that another solution works better now that you have more data.

Example: You invest in a CRM solution for your team. A week after onboarding your team, you meet to discuss how the software is working for your team. Based on the discussion, you discover ways to optimize your sales process further.

Seven powerful problem-solving strategies

The type of problem you’re facing will determine how you approach each step in the problem-solving process. Different problems require different creative thinking, critical thinking and brainstorming techniques to come to a solution.

To help you sort out your approach, here are seven different strategies you can use to tackle different kinds of problems:

1. The trial-and-error approach

Trial-and-error is a step-by-step problem-solving approach that’s most effective for problems with many possible solutions. As you test each solution rapidly in order, you’ll find the best fit as quickly as possible.

For this reason, trial-and-error problem-solving is incredibly useful in fields like tech support.

For example, imagine your internet connection drops out. There could be more than one possible cause for this, so quickly running through a checklist of solutions (like checking if your provider is down and restarting the router) is the most effective method.

However, when you’re dealing with large, serious issues, the trial-and-error approach is tantamount to guesswork and may introduce more problems than it fixes.

2. The 5 Whys

The 5 Whys process is a systematic problem-solving method with a simple premise: Keep asking “Why?” until you discover the root cause of an issue.

In good problem-solving, people will often try to solve a surface-level issue without investigating any deeper. The problem many surface-level problems are themselves caused by prior problems that went unchecked.

The 5 Whys process helps uncover these root causes. It also provides a framework for you to work through more complex problems. With the framework in place, it’s much easier to develop a plan to solve each part of the problem in turn.

How to use the 5 Whys:

Write down the surface-level problem.

Ask why the problem has occurred and write the answer below the original problem.

If the answer isn’t the root cause of the problem, repeat step 2 until you find the root (five times is usually all it takes, hence the name).

Here’s what this looks like in practice:

The overarching problem: You aren’t generating enough sales leads. Why #1: Your website isn’t receiving enough traffic. Why #2: Your website isn’t optimized for sales lead generation . Why #3: You don’t have any landing pages or effective calls-to-action (CTAs). Why #4: You haven’t allocated enough of your marketing budget to hire an in-house marketer or agency.

Once you find the root cause, you can easily develop a solution by working backward. In this example, you can clearly see that a potential solution to the overarching problem is to invest in a role that can drive website optimization for lead generation .

3. Problem tree analysis

Problem tree analysis is the process of mapping out the causes and effects of a problem. The causes become the roots of the tree, while the consequences become the branches. Once mapped out, the tree can be inverted to become a solution tree.

Here’s how a problem tree might look for a company struggling to move prospects past the sales demo in their sales process:

This format helps break a problem down into manageable chunks so you can prioritize key objectives. Here’s how to use problem tree analysis:

Identify and write down the problem. Write it in the center of a piece of paper in negative form (for example, “sales process stall after on-site demos”). This will be the “trunk” of the tree and is the focal issue.

Work out the causes of the problem. Write these below the problem and use arrows to connect them – these are the “roots” of the problem tree. Dig deeper to find whether each cause has further causes (you can use the 5 Whys process for this).

Write down the consequences of the problem above the cause. These are the “branches” and connect to the “trunk” in the same way that the “roots” do.

Analyze the tree to ensure it’s complete. If you’re certain that everything is covered, highlight the most serious causes and consequences, as well as the ones that are the easiest to address.

Create a solution (or objective) tree. Flip all negatives into positives. For example, the problem “sales process stall after on-site demo” would become the desired outcome “on-site demos help close deals”. Replace each cause and consequence with its positive counterpart to see how to correct the problem. Turning root causes into root solutions quickly establishes solution starting points.

Double-check your solution tree. Make sure each of your solutions is clear and realistic and there are no gaps between causes or consequences.

Implement a solution. Select your preferred solution and begin to work toward it using the solution tree as your blueprint.

4. SWOT analysis

SWOT analysis is a strategic planning and sales management technique that can also be used as an effective problem-solving strategy.

Start by identifying the problem and coming up with a list of solutions. You can then use SWOT analysis to determine which solution is most suitable for your situation:

What are its strengths? Why is this solution the best fit for the problem at hand? How does it solve the problem better than other solutions might?

What are its weaknesses? Are there any ways this solution is lacking? Can you do anything to remove or strengthen those weaknesses?

Does it open up any opportunities? Does this solution provide any further benefits or opportunities?

Does it introduce any threats? Are there any risks involved with this solution? Could it backfire in any way?

This will help you compare solutions and choose the best one.

This approach works best with complex problems that have multiple possible solutions as it helps you consider their potential impact within your organization.

5. Means-end analysis

Means-end analysis is a problem-solving strategy that involves working out what you need to do (the means) to get to a certain outcome (the end).

You start by defining both your current situation and your ideal situation. You then determine solutions to get from one to the other.

For example, say your problem is that you want to increase sales performance . Your starting point is your current sales metrics while the outcome (end) is the number of sales you want to reach.

Then, develop a list of likely obstacles that might prevent you from reaching your goal and devise solutions to overcome each.

In the above example, you might find that a competitor is offering better deals on their products. You can then devise the solution of creating a new sales promotion or focusing your messaging on a unique attribute of your product.

6. Consult an expert

While this isn’t a creative problem-solving methodology, it is effective.

When problems arise that are completely outside of your expertise, attempting to solve them yourself is often time-consuming and costly. Most organizations simply don’t have the time or resources to create detailed strategies for complex, highly specific problems.

In many industries, there are expert consultants you can hire to help you solve your issues in a fraction of the time that it would take you on your own.

You wouldn’t attempt to replace your home’s hot water system with no experience in plumbing, you’d call in an expert. Sometimes it’s best to approach complex problems with the same mentality.

7. Work from experience

Use your experience with similar or related past problems to work out a solution based on a calculated guess. Working from a framework or strategy you’ve already established (such as an algorithm or formula, often called a heuristic approach), is a mental shortcut that helps you come up with answers quickly.

For example, say a previous organization you worked for reduced customer complaints by having sales reps follow up with customers within one week of purchase. When your current company has an urgent need to improve customer feedback, you draw from your experience and propose implementing rapid follow-up. The team then compares the solution with your current problem to gauge whether it might help in this case, too.

Heuristics are a quick way to get to a solution, and though it may not be the optimal final solution, this is a helpful approach when you need a fast fix.

Supplemental strategies for optimal problem-solving

Here’s a list of general strategies that can be applied to any problem-solving technique to help you devise a better solution in less time.

Don’t reject any ideas (at first). Fully consider your options when coming up with a solution. Many solutions could work, but some will be quicker, cheaper or more effective than others. Likewise, team members may hold back potential solutions for fear of immediate rejection. Instead, list them all at first and narrow them down later.

Set a deadline. Some problems are tedious to solve so they get put on the back burner. To keep easily fixed issues from remaining on hold indefinitely, set a deadline. Establishing a stopping point will increase the chances that you’ll find a solution within the time frame.

Introduce a mediator. If you have a sensitive issue like a personal conflict between two employees, it can help to introduce a neutral third party. A mediator can help reduce tensions and approach the conflict from an unbiased perspective.

Drop the assumptions. Assumptions can be one of the biggest obstacles to successful problem-solving. If you’re biased toward a particular solution or have unfounded presumptions about particular constraints, you may pass over effective solutions.

Reframe the problem as an opportunity. If you approach every problem with a negative mindset, you’ll think of the solution as an unwanted burden or cost. Instead, try to think of the problem as a challenge or opportunity. When you see it as a chance to improve your results and further your business, you’ll be eager to implement solutions.

Distance yourself from the problem. Problem-solving can require intense discussions and deep critical thought. It can help to distract yourself from the issue for a while and then return with a fresh mind. Instead of dwelling on a problem, try sleeping on it. You might find that your mind is open to new ideas when you return.

Final thoughts

Problems are a constant when you’re running a business. The key to success is preparation. With the right tools and problem-solving methodologies, nothing can stop you.

Look for strategies that address your specific problems and don’t forget to celebrate when you crack a tough problem.

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24 Sales Skills Every Sales Pro Should Be Improving

If you want to become a top inside sales rep at your company (and you’re reading this, so you probably do), then you have some work ahead of you. First on the agenda: build and sharpen certain critical sales skills.

Many of these key sales skills can be learned and cultivated quickly through self-education and a relentless dedication to improving yourself on the job. With each skill you master, from sales calls to emails to applying just the right amount of pressure during the close, you approach your destiny: best salesperson ever (confetti included).

However, some of the sales skills we’ll discuss today are best learned (and retained) by seeking regular mentorship from the right sales managers and fellow reps who’ve been around the metaphorical block a few times more than you.

So, without further ado, let’s discuss which skills will kick your career into gear!

8 Soft Skills that Will Maximize Your Efforts and Help You Close Deals

Soft skills are the abilities and characteristics you need to work effectively and deal well with the people around you. Here are eight of those skills you'll need to develop to close more deals.

1. Problem-Solving

The most important sales skill to master is becoming a great problem-solver—one who can navigate the ever-changing selection of tools, tactics, techniques, and new relationships you’ll experience as an inside sales rep. This is why developing a repeatable process to solve new problems and work through challenges in foreign environments pays off.

There are four basic steps to solving any problem: 1. Define the problem, 2. Use brainstorming activities to generate alternatives; 3. Evaluate and select the best alternative, and 4. Implement your solution.

Training yourself to become an effective problem-solver will take time, repetition, and a willingness to challenge yourself in vulnerable situations proactively. Seek out new responsibilities, push yourself, and don’t be afraid to take on a side project or two if there aren’t enough growth opportunities in the office.

2. Relationship Building

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about relationship selling as the “way of the future” in sales. Putting all jargon aside, building relationships with your prospects and customers is one of the most critical skills for any sales representative.

Put simply, relationship building is your ability to effectively engage with other people and work to establish a level of connection. You want it to last beyond just a quick transaction and instead span months and years to come.

These relationships—when built on the foundation of providing genuine value without the expectation of immediate reciprocation—often lead to exciting opportunities. These may include getting referrals to friends and colleagues or being the first call when your prospect takes a job at a new company that needs your solution.

3. Time Management

Studies consistently report that time is the most valuable resource for small business owners. As such, time management is essential not only to your success but to your prospect’s success as well.

At the end of the day, your effectiveness as a salesperson is measured by your level of sales productivity : the amount of revenue you’re able to generate in a given period. Beneficial time management systems help you focus solely on one mission-critical task at a time.

We’re talking:

• Making sales calls or prospecting for new leads for at least an hour or two at a stretch
• Isolating activities so they don’t interfere with one another
• Scheduling your day thoughtfully so each activity makes sense for that time of day

Don’t forget that your prospect’s time is equally important. Tailor your conversation to balance showing genuine interest and giving the clear impression that you’ll take as little of their time as possible.

4. Team Collaboration

Like it or not, as an inside sales rep, you’re not a lone wolf . Your success depends partially on how well the other people at your company perform their jobs. This makes becoming a great team player a vital skill to master early on in your career.

Ultimately, this skill determines how productively you can work with your manager and fellow teammates to align your personal goals , quotas, tools, workflows, and schedule with their goals, quotas, and so on.

Embracing team collaboration means being willing to work on unappealing tasks, picking up the slack for teammates when needed, and owning projects when no one else will.

Tools like Slack , CRMs that promote team-wide transparency, Google Docs, and Zoom make it possible to collaborate across geographic locations and hit everyone’s sales goals .

Want to master today's most important sales skills?

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5. Customer Service

Too many businesses forget that the sales cycle does not stop once the prospect has purchased and become a customer. It is during the post-purchase period that customers can most impact your business—either positively or negatively.

This is where customer service comes in. Everyone must get the help and attention they deserve—whether they’re a lowly lead, a qualified prospect, or a dedicated customer. The best way to make sure your entire audience is taken care of is to:

• Run a dedicated help desk that offers contact through phone, email, and chat
• Be available for customer service during normal business hours, bonus points if it’s offered 24/7
• Give your service department thorough documentation on the use and troubleshooting of all products and services
• Maintain good training procedures for your service reps

… and otherwise, set your company up for success through customer satisfaction. One of the best ways to do that is through a CRM that provides sales and marketing tools and service tools.

6. Understanding Customers’ Needs

Customers need to feel heard before they’re ever going to give you a chance.

Why? They already know what you want: the sale. We all intuitively understand that when someone is trying to get us to buy their product or service, we are a name on the list, a cell in the spreadsheet, a future feather in their cap.

But that’s not how we want to feel. We want to feel like people who have problems that can be solved. And if you’re the salesperson who understands my needs and can solve my problem, then I will want you .

Therefore, one of your first jobs is to make sure that you intimately understand customer needs . You can start with a well-rounded buyer persona to inform your lead generation. Once you’ve got leads and prospects in the pipeline, though, it’s time to circle back to Skill #13 and start listening.

Psst... Want to enhance your sales skills? Check out our in-depth challenger selling analysis.

7. Emotional Intelligence

Another highly critical sales skill is emotional intelligence , sometimes called EQ. In sales, your EQ is just as important as your IQ—and maybe more so.

Everyone has experienced a sales pitch where the pitcher didn’t have much emotional intelligence. Concerns went unaddressed, and pain points were met with robot-like responses rather than compassionate listening. Humans get that enough from their bosses; they don’t need it from a salesperson who claims to have a solution.

Along with listening, you must hone those emotional skills. To do so, practice tapping into your own feelings rather than ignoring or shoving them aside (easy, right?). Watch for cues in other people as to how you make them feel with words or actions.

More directly, analyze your calls, demos, and other interactions to discover the emotional tenor of the conversation. Was there discord? Are you afraid or anxious about moving to a new product? Frustration? Stalled negotiations? Look for areas to do better simply by showing more concern.

8. Business Acumen

If business acumen seems like a bit of a gimme for essential sales skills, that’s because it is. Having it makes all the difference. Not having it makes all the difference … but not in a good way.

We’re not talking about acumen related to your own business. You are already expected to understand your products, services, and your organization's needs.

Rather, we’re talking about acumen related to your prospects’ organizations, their needs, and the like. What challenges are they facing in the modern market? Which changes over the last decade have impacted their process? How do they do business themselves?

If you’re not yet adept with this, it’s time to take some training courses to get you there.

5 Communication Skills that Affect Sales Performance

Effective communication skills are key at the top of the list of can’t-live-without sales skills. Key . this lays the foundation for customer expectations and builds trust, contributing significantly to sales performance management .

The following skills are applicable to emailing, social media, and every other daily sales practice you’ll encounter as a top-shelf rep.

9. Using a Sales Script Effectively

Let’s take cold calling as an example because this is where listening skills really come into play. What happens when you dial a prospect, and they pick up the phone? Well, you better have a plan and a sales script to follow. And you better really know your script, or you’ll come off sounding more like a droid than a human.

In this situation, your soft sales skills will include:

• Developing a powerful sales calling script and knowing it inside and out
• Crafting compelling answers to the most common sales objections
• Setting activity goals, such as the number of phone calls to make each day
• Learning to embrace rejection

10. Storytelling Ability

Just about every great salesperson is adept at wrapping their pitch inside a compelling story , one that does more than just communicate the reasons a prospect should buy.

Storytelling uses entertaining illustrations to help prospects see how a product or service could impact their own unique situation. It also builds strong connections that transcend the often transactional nature of a sales conversation.

Why are stories so convincing? Because we remember them, your prospect is more likely to think of you at opportune moments. It’s not mind control; it's science .

Sharpen your sales skills by becoming a better storyteller, and you’ll also be on your way to building a great personal brand .

11. Active Listening

Salespeople often focus too much on talking and explaining the product, talking through its features, responding to objections, and selling. Always be closing! Always!

What the prospect is saying matters just as much as what you’re saying—and oftentimes, more. It’s in their words that you discover their pain points, their budget, and their objections. You also learn if they’re the decision-makers with the authority to close this deal.

So, hone your active listening skills with tips like:

• Count to two after they’ve finished speaking to make sure you’ve heard them out
• Respond directly to objections with well-practiced comebacks
• Create a safe space for prospects to not be ready yet; respect when they say they need more time to think

Some sales professionals worry that if they let potential customers air their concerns or ask for more time, the sale will fall through. But sales is not an instantaneous proposition: That’s why you’ve got a cycle and a pipeline. It’s only through active listening that you can learn how to provide the solution your prospect really needs.

12. Public Speaking

To be a good salesperson, you must have the ability to speak comfortably with your leads and prospects via any medium: phone, email, text, video chat, or in person. In some cases, this is a one-on-one situation. In others, it’s not.

While many sales reps are great at outreach to a single person, they balk when asked to speak to a group or entire boardroom. But if you want to get the big sales , these are skills you can’t ignore.

If you’re uncomfortable with public speaking … well, too bad. It’s time to get better at it. There are a number of ways you can do this, such as:

• Take a class like Toastmasters, focused solely on public speaking
• Ask for leadership roles at your company, such as heading up teams or going on larger sales calls
• Practice your pitch at home in front of family and your dog
• Ask friends or associates to listen to you, first individually and then as a group

Public speaking is like a muscle. It might be cold and stiff at first, but with enough movement and effort, it will warm right up—and you with it.

13. Using Customer Pain Points

Customer pain points can be either the grease that keeps the gears moving or the stumbling block that loses you the sale. It all depends on how well you use them.

For instance, one of the best sales techniques ever is to let the prospect do the talking. As they bring up objections, let them answer them on their own. As they share their worries, let them guide themselves toward your solution.

When necessary, you can nudge them along by addressing concerns and putting pressure on those pain points, ensuring they still feel the need for a solution. Do that, and you’ll make the sale.

Fail to center the pain points and attend to each one, and you risk losing the deal. Always keep your focus on that pain and the balm you’re peddling to address it.

14. Negotiation Skills

In addition to naming and addressing pain points, successful sales require a great deal of negotiation.

Even if you’ve got a customer on the hook and ready to say yes, you still might not meet their budgetary criteria. Or you might lack a tool in your service suite that they currently consider to be a dealbreaker.

Whatever the case, you must field their issues calmly and competently. Basically, a sales call is one endless negotiation where you never want the prospect to feel like they’re negotiating. In their mind, the process should feel like a smooth road to the solution they need.

This is easier said than done, which is where sales coaching comes in. If you’ve not yet taken the time to hone your negotiation skills , it’s time.

11 Hard Sales Skills the Most Successful Salespeople Need

Hard skills are the specific skills you learn to effectively use the sales tools in your tech stack and implement the strategies in your sales process.

While good communication is essential, these hard skills can help you become a more successful salesperson and boost your productivity.

15. Prospecting

Ideally, you work for an organization that helps you with prospecting. This depends on the types of sales at your company, your CRM, your social presence, and so forth. In general, though, a prospecting process should already exist.

Awesome sales leaders, however, will help deepen the effectiveness of those prospecting systems and teach them inside out. If you’re not yet a good prospector, start today.

This looks like:

• Building a personal brand online and over social channels to attract new leads and prospects (and lend credibility when your cold leads look you up)
• Leveling up your skills with qualifying leads and prospects
• Looking for new leads in unexpected places and bringing them to the company
• Personalizing your emails, subject lines, greetings, and email tokens
• Becoming an expert in your subject matter, products, and services
• Asking boldly for sales and referrals

The above steps take time and intention, but that’s okay. If you can nail this checklist, you’ll find that your new prospecting skills are worth more than the sum of their parts.

You can then join the elevated ranks of salespeople who rarely prospect anymore because their personal sales engine has become just. that. good.

16. Lead Qualification

Quickly qualifying leads (and disqualifying them) is a highly underrated sales skill.

Your ability to make speedy and reliable decisions about how likely a prospect is to become a customer—based on key data points about their business, insights drawn from your conversations, and how they fit as a decision-maker within their organization—will dictate your close rate (and how much time you spend chasing bad-fit customers).

‎Lead qualification is all about asking the right questions. Here are the four main ones:

• How well does the prospect match your ideal customer profile ?
• What are the needs of the individual, the team , and the company you are selling to?
• How do both the individual and the company make decisions?
• Who are you competing against for the sale, and what other companies have they worked with before?

If you can find the answers to all of these questions and draw relevant conclusions, you'll have a clear idea of whether or not this is a viable prospect.

And the faster you do it, the faster you can move people through your pipeline so that it never dries up .

Seeking to differentiate between MQL and SQL ? Our comprehensive guide to MQL vs. SQL awaits.

17. Offering Adaptable Demos

Structuring compelling demos and sales presentations is something you'll get better at with experience, making it a skill you’ll build quickly.

Plus, the more often you give demos, the stronger your instincts will be, and the better you’ll be able to adapt presentations on the fly.

Here are our tried and true basics for delivering strong demos :

• Start with macro ideas, then give micro examples
• Begin your demo with a bang, something sensational that’ll capture the audience's attention
• Speak your prospect’s language. Subtly mirror their favorite phrases in your own speech
• End your product demo with a strong close
• Get to the bottom of their objections, work to alleviate those concerns, and keep pushing for a definitive yes or no

18. Using Your CRM Effectively

A CRM (customer relationship management tool) like Close will quickly become your most powerful sales tool, if you let it.

It can (and should) deliver automated email workflows to new leads as they enter your funnel rather than requiring you to write each of them yourself, which alone can save you hours every week. Plus, features like built-in (one-click) calling help you maintain your time cushion and reduce resource waste.

We built Close with the singular goal of helping every sales team become drastically more productive . Here are just a few of our core CRM features that are built to maximize sales productivity:

• Smart Views and Dynamic Lead Lists
• Bulk Email, Automated Sequences, and Shared Templates
• Built-In Calling
• Predictive Dialing

While it’s a natural advantage for you to be using the best type of CRM for your small business or startup, it also pays to be adaptable. That way, you can learn to leverage new tools and technologies as they emerge on the scene.

19. Performing Cold Outreach That Slaps

Success as a sales rep depends on using the right sales techniques, using the right combination, using the right order, and using the right time. These include:

• Cold calls: When a lead has never heard from you before, you’ve got a tough hill to climb. However, studies are clear that cold calls are still effective . You don’t reach the top of the mountain by waiting around for it to get easier. Stop stalling, start calling.
• Warm calls: When prospects have already reached out to your company at some point, they’re considered a warm lead . When you call them, you can have more confidence in their interest, but you still need a great sales script.
• Emails: Email outreach and follow-ups are a constant process, but they are not the same as bulk-emailing 10k leads and hoping for the best. Crafting an email that is relevant and attention-grabbing to your audience is a skill that takes time and practice to learn.

Test your messaging to see what works, and keep optimizing for more conversions.

20. Product Knowledge

There’s nothing worse than being on a demo with a potentially lucrative prospect and running into a feature that doesn’t perform as expected.

Face meets palm as you scramble to move forward or side-step the awkward situation.

While these moments are inevitable in the early days after joining a new company while you’re working through the sales training process , mistakes like these lose sales. And soon become inexcusable.

That’s why it’s so important to have an intimate knowledge of your product's features, benefits, and weaknesses. This helps you formulate your product pitch to showcase how it fits the customer and solves their issues.

21. Following Up

The sooner you master the follow-up , the better. You need a final answer from every prospect—you can’t afford to live your sales life in the maybe zone .

That said, the follow-up is more art than science. The more you practice, the better you’ll get.

So, how often should you follow up?

If you reach out completely cold and have never interacted with the recipient, follow up a maximum of six times. However, if you’ve already had some sort of interaction with the prospect, and that interaction didn’t include a clear no to your offer, then it’s your responsibility to follow up for as long as it takes to get an answer.

Luckily, features like follow-up reminders and email workflows allow you to relax about the timing and trust your CRM.

22. Ability to Close Deals

Closing a sale is the culmination of all your sales skills working together. Beautiful, beautiful harmony.

However, you still need to ask for that sale. On the surface, it sounds obvious. But even pro sales reps often wait too long. Because of it, they miss out on opportunities.

So, when is the right time to ask for the sale? Answer: Before you think they’re ready.

If you’ve done a good job of qualifying your prospect, delivering the pitch, and answering their objections, and you still believe they’d be a good-fit customer, ask for the sale.

Expect an initial no (or at least some apprehension) from most prospects. Then follow up with the question, “What’s the process we’d need to work through to get you ready to buy?”

This gives your prospect some room to breathe, allowing them to feel safe moving forward or at least continuing to think through the purchase decision.

23. Social Selling

At every stage of the sales cycle, you need to be selling. This doesn’t change based on communication type: You sell on the phone, on video calls, and in person. So why wouldn’t you do the same on social media?

Most sales reps today understand that social media is an important aspect of any sales strategy , but they’re not quite clear on the selling part of social selling. Sure, social media is a great place to build relationships, but how do you actually land prospects?

Good question. While you might not do a true sales pitch over Twitter, it’s still a viable sales medium.

“In a nutshell, social selling is a strategic method for sellers to connect and build relationships with prospects through social networks,” says LinkedIn . “Social selling and virtual selling allow salespeople to build trusted relationships, boost social credibility, and ultimately reach their sales goals.”

In other words, use social media to bring your audience to you. Give them the content they want and prove that you know how to solve their problems. Once you form a connection, you can get the contact information needed to move the process forward.

24. Using Automation and AI

Want to maximize the time you spend selling? Want to follow up with people regularly without having to think about it? What about being able to keep all customer information and touch points in your CRM without actually typing anything up?

All of this (and more) can be achieved with automation and AI tools. Of course, these tools have their pros and cons, but learning how to use automation and AI in the sales process can make a huge difference in your productivity.

25. Data Analysis

Numbers, numbers, numbers.

A salesperson works with enough numbers on any given day to choke a horse … and now we’re asking you to keep track of more numbers?

Well, yeah. Data analysis is the thing these days. Good metrics can keep you from waffling about which leads to qualify first, which prospect to pursue next, which sales scripts to keep, and which email subject lines to marry and buy a burial plot for because they’re just that good.

Look, you might have intuition, and that’s great. Quite powerful, actually. But if you can get information for free, why wouldn’t you?

That’s what data is: Free information about what’s working in your sales process and what isn’t. If you don’t yet have a CRM that helps you gather and analyze metrics, get one .

Prepare to Launch Your Sales Career

The above sales skills are undeniably key to your success as a salesperson.

It’s important to continue learning, refining, and improving your professional abilities to excel in your sales career . Practice good daily habits like following the sales industry on social media and LinkedIn, reading sales books to learn new skills, and stay focused on the customer experience. Each additional skill that you hone propels you toward that star-seller status.

Of course, you can get these skills in a number of ways like mentorship, training, and continuing education. Regardless of what you do and how you do it, you absolutely need to use a cutting-edge CRM to help you track clients, familiarize yourself with scripts, and tidy up your organization. This is a can’t-miss strategy to becoming a better salesperson.

Good news: Close is here to help. Our industry-leading tools will help you reach your goals quicker than ever before, so make sure to give our free 14-day trial a whirl today.

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The Sales Skills Essential for Success

Most sales leaders know about the time-tested power of cold calling and sales presentations. But these two strategies only touch the surface of what sales can do.

“Always be closing.”

In the film “Glengarry Glen Ross,” Alec Baldwin unleashes a fiery sales speech for the ages, and likens customer acquisition to a simple act of willpower. Absent of both strategy and tactics, Baldwin’s pep talk demands results powered only by a relentless, bulldozer-like attitude. In reality, while willpower is an important ingredient for success, sales is an art form in which a wide palette of skills come into play. Many situations require the finesse of a paintbrush rather than the doggedness of an earthmover.

What’s the secret? We sat down with the sales teams of 18 tech companies to discuss which sales skills are most valuable, which are the most unheralded and how they can best be developed and strengthened. We learned that deeply understanding the customer’s pain points, developing an organized methodology for success and acquiring a jazz-like ability to improvise are critical components for high achievement. These skills aren’t as simple as A-B-C, but they are just as important for exceeding sales goals.

6 Essential Sales Skills For Success

• Self-awareness
• Persistence
• Adaptability
• Active listening
• Organization
• A solid repertoire prospect questions

Mina Aghareza

SALES DIRECTOR

Big Health  offers behavior programs through its proprietary digital health software to help users address and improve mental health. 

For Aghareza, the two most important skills for a salesperson to hone are self-awareness and resilience. She said that the ability to reflect on what went well and what didn’t — and then the ability to not dwell on those mistakes — have been critical to her success as a sales director.

What skill do you consider to be the most essential for your success as a salesperson, and why?

Self-awareness. Each day, I reflect on what went well and what didn't to recognize my losses but also to remind myself of my wins. The losses are simply learning opportunities, lessons on how to improve. If I did more talking than listening in a meeting, I’ll spend more time preparing powerful questions for my next meeting. This can be an uncomfortable process, but it is critical to success. 

What ’ s another skill that is less obvious or less appreciated that you also consider critical for sales success? 

Resilience. It goes hand in hand with self-awareness because focusing on what didn’t go well and how my actions may have contributed is hard. It feels yucky. But if I dwell on not being perfect, I waste time not being better.

Each day, I reflect on what went well and what didn ’ t to recognize my losses but also to remind myself of my wins.”

What advice do you have for sales pros looking to strengthen their skills? 

When things aren’t going as anticipated it would be easy to charge ahead and simply try harder.  But I’ll stop, take a step back, and give myself room to identify and solve the root issue. If I feel stuck and can’t figure out why, I turn to my peers and leaders. Ten times out of 10, an outside perspective will break down the invisible barriers blocking my flow.

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Verkada Inc

Lauren spears.

ENTERPRISE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Verkada  is a cloud-based security solution designed for enterprise building security. 

Spears’ success as a sales professional can be attributed to maintaining a positive mental outlook. She said that by being self-motivated and ambitious in her day-to-day operations, she’s able to consistently build momentum with new prospects and clients, as well as quickly bounce back from any challenges that may come her way.

Persistence. Walking the tight line between professional persistence and being a pest.

Successful salespeople realize customers buy from people they trust. Building and nurturing that trust is what I consider the most essential skill as it is required every step of the way. From the first cold call to the close, creating trust from nothing requires a subset of skills. 

The first is personalized interactions. Prospects don’t want a generic sales pitch! They want something tailored to them. By becoming a subject matter expert and understanding your customers unique situations, you set yourself apart.

The second is providing a white-glove sales experience. Throughout the sales cycle, you have the opportunity to serve as a consultant to your customers as they evaluate your system. By supporting, training, and checking all the boxes for them along the way, it becomes a team effort. It is likely they will want to get the deal done as much as you do, thus making it a win-win!

And the third is building your champion. By asking the right questions and listening to customers, you understand the business problems they need to solve. This helps you and your champion build a compelling, data-driven presentation on how your system will specifically benefit them. That way, conversations are less about price and more about value!

With a positive and goal-oriented outlook, you have constant reasons to stay motivated and passionate about what you do.

The common denominator behind success in sales is not a soft skill like relationship building or a hard skill like product knowledge. Instead, it is a trait that takes skill to maintain. The trait is mental toughness or grit. It requires the mental skill to stay focused and positive in the face of rejection. It is showing up to work everyday with a can-do attitude.

The skill of cultivating and maintaining mental toughness is critically important because working in sales can put a lot of pressure on you and your abilities — it is certainly not for the faint of heart! By being self-motivated, ambitious, and relentless in your day-to-day operations, you consistently build momentum and quickly bounce back from adversity to exceed expectations and quota attainment goals. 

In order to build mental toughness, it is important to set both short-term and long-term goals from daily activity metrics to career aspirations. With a positive and goal-oriented outlook, there are constant reasons and reminders to stay motivated and passionate about what you do. The “why” behind your actions will keep you focused when you lose a deal to competitors or a global pandemic throws a wrench in everything.

More From Sales Ace Your Discovery Call by Asking These Questions

What advice do you have for sales pros looking to strengthen their skills?

When I first entered the world of sales, I was drawn to the career path because it was easy for me to see that the effort you put into it has a direct correlation with the results you get out. Although I was inexperienced when I first started, I quickly realized there are a plethora of people and resources to study and learn from.

In the age of information, there is no need to “reinvent the wheel.” Sales professionals around the world have written books, hosted seminars and shared advice in all forms of media. It is easy to access, you just have to go looking for it. Closer to home, there are top salespeople on our teams and in the organizations we work for. If they’ve figured it out, why not ask how they built their foundation for success? 

Another major step I’ve taken to strengthen my skills is I have adopted a mindset of continuous learning. Successful people are never satisfied. They are competitive with themselves and realize how imperative it is to innovate, adapt and constantly upgrade their abilities to stay relevant. My advice is to strive to be in the top 20 percent of your sales organization by going above and beyond expectations and learning from the best around you.

Sage Intacct

Annelise hagmann.

SR. MANAGER SALES DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION

Sage Intacct  is a cloud-based financial management software. 

A willingness to understand and learn from her prospects has been vital to Hagmann’s success as a sales professional. She said that being an active listener enables her to understand prospects’ motivations and how Sage Intacct can better serve their financial needs.

The ability to always be seeking to understand and learn. Be an active listener with your prospects and try to understand their motivations. By doing so, I’ve been able to engage with them and help them better understand how we can best serve their financial needs. Additionally, always be willing to also reflect on your own process or talk track — sales is never stagnant and you need to be willing to grow.

Organizational and critical thinking skills are extremely important. When should I be reaching out to someone? How is what I’m saying relevant to them? Is this the right person? If you get your process down and are organized enough to execute it, you’ll be unstoppable!

Always be willing to also reflect on your own process or talk track.” 

Always be willing to try and fail! Your messaging from last year will probably not work this year so change things up and see if you get better responses! Learn through books, podcasts, LinkedIn, etc. There is so much great content that is free to keep you growing.

Dawn Svedberg

VP, CUSTOMER SUCCESS

Digital mortgage platform  Cloudvirga  aims to make the process of securing a mortgage simple, affordable and transparent. As self-proclaimed trusted advisors, the sales team at Cloudvirga is putting their skills to the test starting with discovering everyday users’ needs.

The ability to ask questions and really listen. It seems obvious, but as salespeople, we are excited to share all of the cool features and benefits of our product.

It is critical to ask open-ended questions and then let your customer talk. Don’t be afraid of a pause. They will often surprise you with their openness and will lead (both of you) to a greater understanding of their needs, underlying motivations and circumstances. Hearing them will help you identify the features/benefits that will resonate and will uncover common ground upon which to develop a real relationship.

You will also be surprised at how often your assumptions or research are wrong or outdated. Once you really understand, you can provide the best solution to your customer and create a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership. You then become a trusted advisor, not just another salesperson. 

What’ s another skill that is less obvious or less appreciated that you also consider critical for sales success? Why is this skill so important?

Keep it simple!

In technology and most other services, the acronyms and descriptions are virtually meaningless unless you are a deep insider. Your customer likely deals with hundreds of products, services and industries, so you need to clearly and concisely explain what you do and how you might help them.

You have a very short window of time to gain their attention and interest. I personally receive dozens of email and phone solicitations. Rarely is it clear what they are offering in the first sentences. I don’t have time to keep reading, research or figure it out on my own.

Translate all stats and specifications into real-world, understandable benefits and meaningful success stories. When confused, people are often uncomfortable admitting that they don’t understand so they just shut down or tune you out. Refine your message by explaining it to your spouse or kids until they understand. Your customers will appreciate the clarity!

Translate all stats and specifications into real-world benefits and meaningful success stories.”

Throughout your sales career, what specific steps have you taken to strengthen these skills? And what advice do you have for sales pros looking to do the same?

Selling is about educating your prospects so that they are aware of their options and can make the best decisions. By listening and empathizing, you will earn the customer’s trust. By clearly explaining in understandable terms, you will win more business.

But to even get to the point where you can sell, you must be fearless in reaching out to your prospects. You can develop fearlessness by recognizing that we are all the same, all with our own wants, needs, insecurities and strengths. Don’t fear rejection or making mistakes. It is all part of the process.

If you (or your company) makes a mistake or causes a problem, correct it, apologize once and move on. Don’t dwell on it. The same goes for rejection: it is just not the right time or fit. Just push reset and start again.

We are all selling all day and every day, even if it is not in our job title. The old saying is true: nothing happens without sales!

Drew Thompson

DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

At  TrackVia , a user-friendly app-building platform, Director of Account Management Drew Thompson knows that asking questions and understanding the customer are essential skills in becoming a successful salesperson. By personally understanding the pain points of each client, it becomes not only easier to create specific solutions that close the deal, but to understand when to push — and when to move on to the next opportunity.

When it comes to essential skills, asking great questions is paramount to your success as a salesperson. In a sales situation, it’s easy (and fun!) to speak to all the amazing features and benefits of your solution — and rightly so! You should be passionate and believe in your offering. But don’t get too carried away!

Asking thought-provoking and open-ended questions early and often is much more important than the pitch itself. It’s all about being naturally curious and demonstrating an interest in solving a customer’s problem. Ultimately, without this skill, you’ll never understand the buyer’s pain or problem or know the impact of your solution (and worse, risk losing the deal).

Asking thought-provoking and open-ended questions early and often is much more important than the pitch itself.  ”

Another critical skill that is under-appreciated is the ability to ‘lose quickly.’ Hear me out. There’s a subtle difference between knowing when to walk away from an opportunity and when to really dig in and compete (and hopefully it’s the latter the majority of the time!). 

In enterprise sales, you have to sell to multiple buyers with multiple personalities, needs and agendas. You’re also trying to control things that are really out of your control in the first place (budgets, timelines, competitors, unexpected pandemics, etc.). Over time you should become great at pattern recognition for all these factors and begin to develop a framework if you are in the right deal or not. 

There’s an opportunity cost for every deal you work and when you compete, compete to win. The more you develop this skill, the more time you can commit to successful sales and not waste time or resources on the wrong deals.

Throughout your sales career, what specific steps have you taken to strengthen these skills? 

In order to develop and strengthen these skills, I believe it takes focus and repetition. You’ll learn things from your sales managers, read the latest sales strategies books or blogs, and hopefully have some learning moments from deals you've lost. But all that information can be distracting and overwhelming. 

As a salesperson, you’ll have a shot at many opportunities over the course of your career. My advice is to focus on developing a few skills at a time and implement them in your sales process over and over until it becomes second nature. Oh and for all those up-and-coming sales pros out there, remember to give yourself some grace, have fun and learn something every step of the way.

Brandfolder

Caitlin safchik.

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Caitlin Safchik is an account executive at  Brandfolder,  a cloud-based digital asset management platform. She is a firm believer in the power of thorough organization to fast-track efficiency, prevent errors and improve the understanding of each account. She also believes in the importance of asking questions in order to gain a three-dimensional understanding of the customer, which unlocks the best avenues to a successful sale.

The skill I consider to be the most essential for my success as a salesperson is organization. It’s really important to stay organized throughout the entire sales process so you never skip a beat. As a sales rep we are involved in almost every aspect of the sales process, so if you’re not organized, things will fall through the cracks. I realized early on that keeping my Salesforce up to date and organized has led me to not only become better at forecasting but also to have a better grip on where each deal stands. Additionally, being organized helps my team be informed especially when bringing a solutions engineer into the conversation.

Keeping my Salesforce up to date and organized has led me to not only become better at forecasting but also to have a better grip on where each deal stands. ”

Another skill that is maybe less obvious that I consider critical for sales success is curiosity. There are two parts to this; one is being curious about the company you work for and two is being curious about the prospect’s pain points and how one can actually help them. As a sales rep, it’s really important to ask questions and not just any questions, but the right questions. This will ultimately allow you to get a better understanding if it makes sense to continue conversations vs. wasting time.

I am always learning from other successful reps and asking questions along the way. I learned quickly that you can’t be afraid to ask questions and it’s OK to not know something. One thing that is critical is being open to feedback and always looking to improve.

Branden Miller

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Branden Miller is vice president of sales and account management at  Choozle , a digital advertising software platform. He views successful sales skills from the perspective of a professional athlete and a jazz musician, specifically the coachability of the athlete and the improvisation and creativity of the musician.

While there are many skills that are essential to be a good salesperson, coachability (with execution) is paramount. When you are a sales professional it’s important to remind yourself that you are a “professional.” Just like a professional athlete, salespeople need guidance daily, weekly and monthly in order to execute well and achieve desired outcomes. If you can’t take feedback, adapt and execute on new directives then it will be much harder to succeed.

Several skills are a very close second: initiative, resilience and consistency.  

Creativity. It’s important to understand that sometimes the process or strategies that have helped you to succeed in the past don’t always work or continue to work. Having a standard process helps drive consistency, but understanding when to be creative is always important. In many conversations, I have related this to jazz. Jazz music has a time signature, key signature and standard riffs that you always play, but there are also places in the music that the player has to improvise (while keeping the structure of the piece in mind). Sales is similar. You have activity KPI, go-to-market strategy and a sales process that all help you create consistent sales, but there are times in prospecting, pitching or closing that you have to be creative and go off-script. Understanding when it’s time to do this often means the difference between a closed deal and a “no.”  

There are times in prospecting, pitching or closing that you have to be creative and go off-script. ”

The most important step is to have a standard process. Without having the ideal system outlined and set up, it is nearly impossible to optimize and make things better. In my current position, I set our go-to-market, sales process and accountabilities and then ensure that each of our team members has clarity on these areas. The whole team needs to understand the system and be aligned with expectations to ensure accountability. The next step is to optimize. Systems need to adapt to stay relevant and drive accelerated outcomes. Personally, I schedule a professional “think day” one time per quarter to evaluate how we need to rethink and adapt our strategy and process to improve and then make those changes to start the next quarter.

Get clarity on your process and don’t be so married to it that you cannot make it better. Just like a professional athlete studies their craft and trains hard to get better, sales professionals need to do the same. If you don’t learn, adapt and evolve, you won’t reach your highest potential.

Prep work, alignment and allies are the key tools for sales success at  PlayerLync , a mobile workforce enablement platform. Brad Gray, an enterprise account executive, believes in the importance of strategic alignment with every level of the organization. Crucially, he believes in the importance of listening carefully and asking the right questions, which creates new opportunities at critical moments.

Listening and aligning to business goals and strategic objectives of the organization. If not aligned at multiple business levels, IT and other stakeholders, you will not get funded. Also, ask the right questions to help facilitate the qualification of an opportunity, but in a consultative manner.

Prepping folks for specific calls during the buyer’s journey is key. Understanding which topics are crucial to move the opportunity forward and prepping your team (and their team) so each side is prepared to speak to those topics is important. Also, having a key contact (champion) on the buyer's side to understand priorities and specific areas of concern is a huge benefit throughout the process.

Prepping folks for specific calls during the buyer’s journey is key. ”

Welcome feedback and apply it to create your style and adapt by studying current processes and procedures needed to help the buyer’s journey. Facilitate rep lunches or meetings where you can share best practices and recent learnings.

Selena Sacchetti

SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE

Grubhub  is an online, mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace that features over 245,000 restaurants spanning 4,000 U.S. cities. 

Senior Sales Executive Selena Sacchetti described her sales approach as empathetic. She’s found that putting herself in a prospective partner’s shoes has enabled her to interact with them in a way that helps them better understand Grubhub and the service it provides. Sacchetti’s empathetic approach also includes careful listening and responding to prospects, as well as addressing all questions clearly and thoroughly. 

Focusing on just one task at a time is a skill that has helped immensely. In sales, there are a hundred different things I could be doing at any given point in the day. This can be overwhelming because we all want to spend our time as efficiently as possible. It’s easy to get worried and feel like I should be working on something other than what I’m working on at the time. If I’m caught up trying to decide which leads list to work off of or if it would be more beneficial to send emails, prospect or make calls, I end up bouncing back and forth between tasks, not really making a dent anywhere. Multitasking has never worked for me. 

My most successful days are when I pick one specific task and hone in on that. Whether it's for 30 minutes or three hours, I pick one activity and I don't deviate from it. After I’ve dedicated an allotted amount of time to one task, then I can move on to the next. Working this way is beneficial for a couple of reasons. Channeling my efforts into just one task helps me maintain momentum. It also forces me to isolate practices so I can more accurately evaluate what was impactful and what’s worth dedicating more time to.

Working with an empathetic approach goes a long way. Putting myself in a prospective restaurant partner’s shoes enables me to interact with them in a way that makes it easier to engage with me and with Grubhub. I try to think: “How would I want to be greeted on the phone?” and, “How would I want this aspect of our platform explained?” I communicate with people the way I would prefer someone to communicate with me. 

Keeping in mind that one of Grubhub’s core values is to be “authentically fun” helps me do that. I’m more likely to read emails with concise wording and fun GIFs, so those are the kinds of emails I send. I’m more likely to spend 10 minutes on the phone with someone who’s fun to talk to, so I try to make people smile when I call them. Having enthusiasm goes hand in hand with being fun, so it’s super important to bring that to my work. If I’m not excited to be on the phone, why should the other person be? I also make sure people know that I care and that Grubhub cares. Carefully listening and responding shows I’m invested. I make sure to directly address all questions clearly and thoroughly. At the end of the day, I think of the sales experience I would want and then create that.

My most successful days are when I pick one specific task and hone in on that.”

To strengthen my focus and productivity, I’ve always made a to-do list for every day. Most of the time I write my list for the next day the night before, so I can start the day with a game plan. My advice for creating more effective to-do lists is to have the items on the list be specific activities rather than objectives. Writing “add three new restaurants to my pipeline” does not help guide my workflow. It’s vague and does not tell me explicitly what to focus on. How am I adding these three new restaurants to my pipeline? Instead, my to-do lists include bullets like, “spend two hours between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. calling restaurants in ZIP codes x, y and z.”

To work with a more empathetic approach, I continuously re-evaluate what I’m doing through the lens of a prospective restaurant partner. I recommend listening to recorded phone conversations and re-reading written content regularly. Listening and reading as if on the other side of the conversation offers a different insight and tells me what to change. I can then adjust what I say over the phone and what I write in emails to better replicate the sales experience I would want and that I think people will be more receptive to.

Matt Williams

SENIOR SALES MANAGER

Mothership  is a logistics company that’s focused on making freight delivery more efficient with real-time tracking, on-demand truck booking and same-day delivery. 

Senior Sales Manager Matt Williams said that in order for sales reps to be successful, they need to be able to independently solve problems that come their way. This includes partnering with different teams throughout the entire organization to come up with a solution as well as effectively communicating that solution to customers and prospects. 

Since the pandemic began, I’ve found a consultative approach to be key to my team’s success. With supply chains across the country impacted differently, it’s pivotal that we actively listen to our prospects’ circumstances and needs and leverage that to determine which features in our arsenal will connect most effectively. We are so much more likely to help a business by making sure we are actively engaging and listening to their needs and tailoring our strategy accordingly. 

Another key skill is storytelling. I’ve partnered with our marketing and design teams to evolve our product demo to tell the story of how Mothership breaks down traditional legacy models and revolutionizes the industry on a macro level and exactly how that will specifically benefit a prospect’s supply chain on a micro level. The ability to tell that story clearly and specifically while also being tailored to a prospect’s circumstances is an absolutely crucial part of our sales strategy.

Independent problem-solving and the ability to partner with different teams has been critical for my team's success.”

Independent problem-solving and the ability to partner with different teams in the organization has been critical for my team’s success at Mothership. I have too often seen many sales reps minimize problems that touch other departments because they don’t completely understand the problem or a solution isn’t obvious. The best sales reps truly function as boots on the ground and effectively communicate prospect and customer feedback back to the wider organization to ensure problems are resolved. They are a part of solving the problem. Working at a startup presents infinite opportunities to expand your skill set and sharpen your experience beyond strictly selling to become the best professional version of yourself.

Some of the best advice I received early on in my career was, “listen to what you don’t want to hear.” It took me many years to understand what that really means. Critical thinking and the ability to receive tough feedback are probably the most challenging aspects of working in sales. 

Some of the best growth in my career has come from requesting continuous feedback and training to hone my strengths and identify my weaknesses. Do not be afraid to ask your managers and your team for honest feedback, especially in areas that you think you may be struggling in. I can tell you to this day, I am still trying to truly listen to what I don’t want to hear when receiving feedback, but it’s undoubtedly what has helped me grow the most.

Carey Pasek

SENIOR SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Donnelley Financial Solutions, or  DFIN , delivers end-to-end risk and compliance solutions through its proprietary software domain. 

For Senior Sales Representative Carey Pasek, active and honest listening is a less obvious yet essential skill for success as a salesperson. She said that while it’s good to be extroverted, she’s found that some of her most effective and insightful client interactions are when she does the least amount of talking and the most amount of active listening.

Process discipline. From a relationship map to a whitespace document, a structured approach to account management is essential. We need to be asking ourselves questions like, “Who do we know?; Who don’t we know that we need to know?; What do we understand about the account?; What are the gaps in understanding?”

Taking the time and having the discipline to honestly assess the current state of our relationship with a client is foundational: you can’t know where you’re going if you don’t understand where you’re starting. This requires time and effort, however, it’s critical for success. As the saying goes, “Don’t be upset for the results you didn’t get for the work you didn’t do.” You have to be willing to put in the work.

Managing an account involves constant discovery and to be successful in discovery, you have to be an engaged listener.”

Active and honest listening. Contrary to the stereotypical, extroverted sales rep, some of my most effective and insightful client interactions are when I do the least amount of talking, and the most active listening. Client insight is exponentially easier to excavate when you stop “pitching” and start listening. You can’t solve a problem if you don’t understand what you’re solving for. Ask a lot of questions then sit back and listen. Managing an account involves constant discovery and to be successful in discovery, you have to be an engaged listener.

I’ve taken active ownership in my own learning: to “get smart” where I recognize I have knowledge deficiencies and then take the initiative to locate resources to shore up those gaps. Coming into this business many years ago, while I had world-class sales training and years of sales experience, I knew absolutely nothing about the financial services vertical. From that aspect, I was probably the least likely candidate for this sales role! I literally got my hand on any book or article I could find to figure out what this space was about.

With this as a starting point, I asked — and to this day continue to ask — a lot of questions. Just because you are a top performer doesn’t mean you have an innate ability to understand things.

In my experience, it’s the opposite. A top performer is never too proud to recognize that they don’t understand something. Chances are, there are more people who don’t understand it either — they’re just afraid to show vulnerability in asking. Don’t be that person. You’ll be a better rep and a more qualified consultant to your clients by asking. Competence is confidence. Just don’t expect anyone to hand it to you. Continually be curious and take responsibility to constantly learn.

Christina Zmrazek

INSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE

What they do:   Dynatrace  uses artificial intelligence, advanced observability and automation to provide users an all-in-one software platform that simplifies cloud complexities and accelerates digital transformation.

It’s difficult to pick one skill as there are a slew of skills and learned traits that make the success of any individual in any given role. Recognizing this, a skill that has most definitely been essential in my career thus far is the ability to be consistently self-driven. As a salesperson, you have to be able to understand your “why” and execute your plan on a consistent, daily basis. 

We all know sales is a grind day-in, day-out. No one is going to do your job or pick up the phone for you. You’re going to have to carry the weight yourself and have the courage to take intelligent risks. This, accompanied with the mindset that the next opportunity is just around the corner, will bring you far throughout your career.  

Salespeople get rejected multiple times each day, and you can’t let that bring you down or get you off of your game. ”

What’s another skill that is less obvious or less appreciated that you also consider critical for sales success? 

I have a post-it note on my computer monitor that says, “My energy creates my reality.” Your mindset is your most undervalued asset. Think about it. It’s easy to spot a yellow car if you’re always thinking of a yellow car, just as it’s easy to spot an opportunity if you’re focused on opportunity. Salespeople get rejected multiple times each day, and you can’t let that bring you down or get you off of your game. You have to have a short memory in that regard, bring your best self to your customers and your team day-in and day-out, and execute like every quarter is the fourth quarter.

Learn from everyone and every experience. Be a sponge. Also, remember that your network is your net worth. Have a network of people from different business sectors and experience levels, and learn how to “chew the meat and spit out the bones.” By this, I mean to understand and learn the ability to leverage the advice and past experience of others but only in the ways that make sense for you and your opportunity.

Your inner voice and intuition are important, and you have to be able to not only cultivate the self-awareness to hear it but have the courage to follow it as well. You cannot use what you do not have and just because a certain strategy or positioning worked for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you if it doesn’t feel natural. Stay true to yourself and continue to build your business on the foundation of integrity and credibility.

AJ DiStefano

DIRECT SALES MANAGER

What they do:  Formlabs  is a 3D-printing tool, material and software provider. Its U.S., European and Asian offices produce solutions that span a number of industries including jewelry, dental, research, audiology and more.

Active listening. A lot of salespeople can love to dominate a conversation, especially ones who are newer to a company and want to show off all the product and market expertise they have worked hard to learn. However, in sales we want the prospect talking for the majority of the conversation so that we can uncover more information about them.

Sales is about finding a solution to a prospect’s problem. This could be a problem they are currently aware of, a problem that they don’t know they have or both. Knowledge is power in this situation, as the more we know about the customer, the easier it will be to provide a perfect solution to their problem(s) — hopefully leading to a sale.

A sales rep who just spews knowledge at a prospect and dominates the conversation is overloading them with information that may not be applicable to them or their problem. A sales rep who strategically asks probing questions to get the prospect talking about their current problems and then engages in active listening will then be able to apply their product expertise selectively as it pertains to the customer.

Pick your spots in a conversation to get the prospect going and turn on your active listening.  

Sales is about finding a solution to a prospect’s problem.”

Organization. It seems fairly simple, but it’s not. In a high volume sales process especially, organization is key. You can be the best salesperson on the phone, but if your sales tools are a mess it might not matter. 

Staying organized with your next steps, follow-up tasks and outreach activities will allow you to scale up volumes while maintaining the same efficiency as lower volumes. Mastering your workflow allows you to put all of your efforts into your sales conversations, rather than trying to remember who you need to follow up with or who you may need to still send a quote to.

I typically compare this to building blocks when discussing with our reps, as simple as it sounds. Your organization and workflow are your base. If you have a strong base, you can pile on and build up heavily with high activity and everything will be stable. However, if you have a poor base and try to pile on the activities, everything you build is going to fall apart.

Constantly be hungry for more knowledge in any way that you can get it. Even if you are the top sales rep on your team, there are things that you can improve. (If you think there is nothing you can improve, please reach out to me.) There are a few main areas to focus on in order to continue your self-development:

• Read, read and read.  There are so many great sales books out there that can constantly hone in your craft on your own time. Just because you’re done with school doesn’t mean you should stop reading for learning purposes.
• Attend webinars.  I have been watching more webinars during COVID as they are much more prevalent. There are sales skills ones, but I have mostly been ones related to sales tools we use. I have picked up some tips and tricks that I pass along to the team. Even if you pick one thing up that can increase productivity!
• Talk to others.  Sharing best practices is a great way to learn new things while also helping others. This is something that truly is not done enough. Whether it is a mentor, coworker or friend, never be afraid to ask questions and learn from others!

Chad Bullard

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS

I believe the most essential skill to be successful as a salesperson is to really listen to your customers. So many salespeople head into meetings with what they want to say, what product they want to pitch and the PowerPoint presentation deck they have practiced. They miss out on the most important thing, which is to ask discovery questions and listen to the customer.

What’ s another skill that is less obvious or less appreciated that you also consider critical for sales success, and why is it so important?

Another skill that is less obvious is early and often qualification. The time and resources for most salespeople are limited so it’s critical to make sure you maximize your time on deals that will provide significant value to your customer, have a budget, can be technically achieved and provide near-term results. It’s essential to analyze your deals against these metrics early and continuously.   

I believe the most essential skill to be successful as a salesperson is to really listen to your customers.’’

Throughout your sales career, what specific steps have you taken to strengthen these skills and what advice do you have for sales pros looking to do the same?

There are several key steps I’ve taken throughout my career to strengthen my skills. I continuously look for opportunities to learn from others who have been successful, surround myself with a solid sales support team and work hard to understand my customer’s business and industry. I also value gaining trust and credibility with my customer and take time to analyze my lost deals and what I would apply differently going forward. 

Victoria Abeling

VICE PRESIDENT OF WW INSIDE SALES

The dictionary defines curiosity as “eager to know or learn something.” I believe curiosity is the most fundamental skill as humans build relationships, nurture partnerships, make friends and stay genuine. In sales, it teaches you that you must provide value to the customer. Curiosity is how you do that. Asking questions to help a customer realize the value you are presenting is an important skill a salesperson must hone.

What’s another skill that is less obvious or less appreciated that you also consider critical for sales success, and why is it so important?

Many people who know me know that I admire Bobby Bones from “The Bobby Bones Show . ” His motto is “Fight. Grind. Repeat.” In simple terms, this means it is OK to make a mistake. Let me repeat this: It is OK to make a mistake. In sales, you will always make mistakes but what you do about it will set you apart and drive your ultimate success. This is not just a critical “skill.” It leads to self-awareness, emotional IQ and grit. These three descriptions usually come to mind when hiring for sales. I am very bullish about the fact that, until you know how to fight, grind and repeat, you will not be successful.  

In sales, you will always make mistakes. What you do about it will set you apart and drive your ultimate success.’’

As I mentioned above, making mistakes is a natural and expected part of your sales career progression. Sometimes these mistakes can set you off of your path. Do not be afraid if your course takes you to a “truck stop” or if point A to point B is not a direct line. I took multiple different paths in my own career before I ended up where I am today. I attribute all of those experiences, emotions and learning stages to this success. You will get a more rounded resume, set yourself apart from other candidates, show you are open to new ideas and ultimately prove to be a more valuable asset to your company.

Michael Kungl

STRATEGIC ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Empathy. People want to buy from people whom they like and who understand them. If you are a master of your own product but have no idea what the day-to-day is like for your customer, you’ll struggle to build a meaningful relationship. Getting to know your customer, understanding what keeps them up at night and understanding what impact your company will have on this person’s life will allow you to sell more effectively.

Excitement. It’s easy to show excitement when you finally book that meeting with the white whale on your target list. But it’s also just as easy to go through the motions when you are working with the smaller accounts. The reality is that the buying experience plays a big part in whether or not a company will purchase your solution. Excitement, just like energy, is contagious. If you show up to every meeting as if it’s the most important one that you’ve had all quarter, your customers will follow suit and will trust you as the person who has their best interests in mind.  

People want to buy from people whom they like and who understand them.’’

I got lucky in strengthening these skills because I started at Levelset when we were a 30-person company. Not only was I selling, but I was also part of the customer success and support departments. That meant that there were plenty of times when I had to drive a customer’s document to the post office 15 minutes before closing to ensure they met a critical deadline. To this day, I still think about the anxiety I felt on those drives because it helped me understand how my customers were feeling and how they were putting their trust in me to deliver for them.

If you are like me and only responsible for new logo hunting, I would recommend joining the occasional customer training or account management call. Not only will you have the opportunity to see how your company has impacted the customer after the sale but you will also be able to gather stories you can share with the next prospect that comes your way. Don’t forget to ask for a referral from those happy folks as well. 

Gooten Inc.

Kevin mcdowell.

SENIOR PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

Stay Organized

Organization and time management go side by side with adaptability. At Gooten , a workflow automation platform that allows thousands of e-commerce companies to access print on-demand production capacity, McDowell is always keeping an eye on how he’s using his time.

What skill do you consider to be the most essential for your success as a salesperson?

I believe the most essential skill for any successful salesperson is adaptability. Regardless of industry, a successful salesperson needs to be able to adapt to any situation. Oftentimes, sales demands the ability to pivot at a moment’s notice. A successful salesperson needs to be able to adapt, whether that’s in pre-planning or strategy, different tasks assigned to you from a superior or even in a conversation with a partner or potential client. 

In a perfect world, a salesperson would be able to control all of the variables associated with the sale. But typically, there are unforeseen circumstances throughout the sales process, and successful salespeople are the ones who can manage those conditions.

What’s another skill that is less obvious or less appreciated that you also consider critical for sales success?

Organization and time management. Salespeople are required to manage multiple clients or partners at the same time. There is no way someone can be successful as a salesperson without multitasking. Sales can often be overwhelming due to the multitude of different responsibilities. Part of being organized is managing time efficiently. In sales, your calendar is your best friend. It helps you keep track of what needs to be accomplished as well as how much time you should spend on a specific duty. The average workday is typically eight or nine hours, and a successful salesperson is able to make the most out of that time.

Regardless of industry, a successful salesperson needs to be able to adapt to any situation.’’

Take the time to identify and acknowledge the skills that you would like to improve. No one is perfect and each individual has a different set of skills that they would like to work on. Something that’s helped me work on adaptability is reminding myself to control what I can control. I always expect that there will most likely be variables that arise that are outside of my control, so having that expectation has helped me prepare for when these unforeseen circumstances emerge. 

In regards to organization and time management, I’d say repetition is key. Finding your workflow that you can repeat on a systematic basis is essential. I use a running to-do list as well as my calendar to keep myself on track.

More From Sales 16 Best Sales Podcasts For Leveling Up Your Skills

David Weinblatt

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

According to Weinblatt, the most important skill a salesperson can have is listening. At Aquant , a platform that helps organizations plan, predict and prescribe decisions throughout the service lifecycle, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. By listening to the client, salespeople are able to adjust their approaches. 

Persistence and adaptability are pivotal for any salesperson. Persistence in sales means that you have tough skin, and that you don’t fear rejection no matter how many times you hear the word “no.” But adaptability is having the foresight to alter your approach based on what messages appear to be more effective than others, the timing of each message and providing new educational content beyond a call to action. There’s a creativity to it all. Sometimes, adaptability goes beyond tweaking your messaging. 

We’ve had to adapt to a full digital landscape of webinars with the loss of our physical conferences throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But we’ve been able to turn what could have been a sour situation into one that’s become quite fruitful. The entire Aquant team shifted gears tactically, with proper caution, strategy, initiative and ambition. Sales have thrived in these newer, uncharted territories.

Listening is key. What you’re listening for may change based on a company’s industry, prospect’s title and other factors. But you need to anticipate the pain points of your audience, because outreach must be personal.

At Aquant, we listen to their vantage point. We don’t blindly sell.’’

A good salesperson cannot rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, go back to that adaptability and allow them to walk you through their needs. Let them guide, and you adjust from there. Answer their questions and mirror their diction with a sense of understanding and comfort, along with strategic, catered responses. Much of that begins on the front lines of sales and business development. At Aquant, we listen to their vantage point. We don’t blindly sell.

I strengthened these skills by seeking advice from colleagues and reviewing what processes have worked for them in similar situations. Learning from seasoned account executives, business development experts and top marketing minds has been crucial in my personal growth. It can be challenging to step outside of your skin to figure out what you need to improve upon. But a willingness to improve on your successes and learn from the missed opportunities is vital to help the business thrive.

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13 sales skills every successful sales team needs to have

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Sales skills every sales rep must master

13 essential sales skills, sales skills foster success.

“They’re a born salesperson.”

We’ve all heard the expression that describes someone with enviable sales skills.

While some people have a natural ability to fit into a sales role, sales skills aren’t genetic. Just like any other skills needed in today’s workforce, they can be learned and mastered.

Mastering sales skills will help you perform optimally and succeed in your sales role. They’re also some of the most transferable skills and sought-after skills in the job market, regardless of the industry or company you’re in.

But sales skills today aren’t necessarily the same as they were decades ago.

Powerful disruptors like a global pandemic , technological changes, and evolving client needs are changing the way we do business.

Let’s explore the essential sales skills a salesperson must have to succeed in their role today.  

The role of a sales professional in today’s workplace is complex.

A successful salesperson needs to master both hard and soft skills  to achieve their professional goals .

On the one hand, you need to keep up with the technical aspect of your role, like learning the ins and outs of a CRM system. On the other hand, fine-tuning your ‘human’ skills, like emotional intelligence , is just as (if not more) important.

According to a LinkedIn Talent Report , 92% of talent professionals say that  soft skills matter  as much or more than hard skills when hiring.

That’s because sales skills like empathy , communication , and time management  aren’t easy to teach and are hard to come by. But in a sales job, skills like these are crucial to relationship building and closing deals.

Besides mastering these skills, having the right mindset is key in a sales role. Here are some of the most valuable traits you must have to deliver the best sales performance:

• Confidence :  a salesperson needs to exude confidence . If you’re not confident in the product or service you’re delivering, your customer won’t be either.
• A growth mindset :  this is the belief that your success comes from your continuous development . A great salesperson isn’t born. They’re made.
• Motivation :  you should have the drive to accomplish your sales goals .  

Now that we’ve established the mindset successful salespeople have, let’s take a look at some of the most essential hard and soft skills they need.

As expected, the specific sales skills needed will vary depending on your specific type of sales job or the type of industry you work in. 

However, there are a number of skills that are essential for any salesperson. Here’s a sales skill list with some of the most important skills you need to master as a salesperson.  

Sales skills

• Product knowledge
• Strategic prospecting skills
• Social selling
• Objection handling
• Technological agility
• Closing techniques
• Trust-building skills
• Time management
• Active listening
• Communication
• Emotional intelligence

Technical skills 

Some people call these "hard" skills,  but that implies the others are soft or easy, they're not. Technical skills are skills that are more readily trained through content and repetition. They are more context-specific — meaning the skill relates to a specific product or service being sold, or it relates to a tool, platform, or program being used.

Let’s take a look at some valuable technical skills:

1. Product knowledge

Knowing the ins and outs of your product or service is one of the most important hard skills in any sales role.

Your   sales training program  will give you the resources you need to arm yourself with that knowledge. But it’s up to you to become an expert in your field and establish credibility and trust.

Having a thorough knowledge of what you’re selling projects confidence to your client. It also allows you to easily answer any questions or concerns a customer may have.

And clients aren’t the only ones who value this skill.

According to   LinkedIn’s State of Sales Report , industry expertise is one of the top skills valued by employers.

2. Strategic prospecting skills

Strategic prospecting means identifying sales opportunities in an efficient way.

This involves a strategic approach to finding and building a relationship with clients using:

• Email marketing
• Quality content creation

Sales representatives who can leverage this skill usually have a higher success rate than those who use ‘old school’ methods like cold calling or relying on referrals.

3. Social selling

A salesperson has to be where their customers are. By 2022,   3.96 billion people will be active users of social networking sites .

This is the reason why social selling has become one of the most desirable sales techniques today. Social selling is the process of developing relationships with prospective customers, usually via social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

LinkedIn reports that   78% of social sellers outsell their peers  who don’t engage in any social selling.

4. Objection handling

In sales, objections are unavoidable. It’s normal for your buyer to have reservations about your prices or product.

Objection handling is how a salesperson responds to these client concerns.

To be successful, sales reps must know how to alleviate these concerns without coming across as pushy. When done successfully, objection handling can turn a ‘no’ into an opportunity.

5. Technological agility

The COVID-19 pandemic  disrupted the way we work  in an unprecedented way. During this time, sales teams that adapted to remote selling via chat and phone   outperformed the rest of their peers .

Being open to leveraging technology to your benefit will continue to be a key skill in a sales role.

This includes adapting to working remotely or using software like customer relationship management (CRM) systems to improve your efficiency and productivity.

6. Closing techniques

Everything in the sales cycle leads up to the culminating point — closing the deal. The moment when your customer finally makes a purchase.

Mastering closing techniques that get your client to commit to buying is one of the most essential skills in sales. In   HubSpot’s State of Inbound Report , 75% of companies said closing more deals is their top priority.

7. Post-sale relationship

Successful salespeople know that the best time to build trust with their buyers is after they’ve made a sale. Things like providing ongoing support, resolving any complaints, or offering loyalty discounts continue adding value to clients even long after they’ve made a purchase.

A healthy post-sale relationship can lead to continued business, loyalty, and referrals.

Human skills

These are the so-called soft skills that are essential in sales. They are difficult to train, but once learned, they are highly transferable across different contexts. We develop these human skills through experience over time, with the help of sales coaching , mentoring, and peer support.

Now, let’s look at some important human skills for the sales job.

8. Time management

The expression ‘time is money’ has never been more true than when you’re in a sales role.

The reality is that time spent inefficiently in sales is lost revenue.   Learning to manage your time  effectively is an important soft skill to master if you want to be a successful salesperson.

And it’s not always easy.

Between prospecting, client meetings, and phone calls, managing your time can be challenging. A   Data Well survey  found that lack of time was one of the biggest challenges of sales managers in 2019.

Salespeople that know how to manage their time efficiently achieve a   higher level of productivity . They are also attractive candidates for sales roles.

9. Active listening

Your buyers know when you’re really listening to them and when you’re simply waiting for your turn to speak.

That’s why active   listening skills are the trademark  of a good salesperson. Active listening is the ability to focus on what someone is saying and   making them feel understood and valued .

When you’re actively listening, you’re giving your customer your undivided attention and trying to understand their point of view. This helps you understand their pain points better, and it’s also a sign of respect.

According to LinkedIn, 46% of buyers list active listening as the top skill they expect from a sales professional.

10. Communication

Communication skills are some of the most   in-demand skills  in any sector, but especially in sales. What’s the point of being an expert in a product or service if you can’t convey its value to prospective clients?

Effective communication is a powerful skill used in sales to establish connections with customers and communicate value.   Effective communication strategies  include:

• Keeping your client engaged
• Being mindful of their time
• Being concise when delivering your sales pitch

11. Integrity

Integrity is one of the most valuable skills  in any profession. A sales rep with integrity has strong moral values and is always honest with their customers.

Buyers value this trait because they know sales reps with integrity will act in their best interest. According to LinkedIn, 88% of buyers have purchased products or services from salespeople that they felt were trustworthy.

12. Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EQ)  is the ability to understand and regulate your own emotions. It is also the ability to perceive the emotions of others. This quality is especially important in a sales role because it makes you a skilled communicator.

A salesperson with a high EQ easily builds relationships and trust with clients. That’s because they have the ability to make clients feel comfortable around them.

13. Resilience

The pandemic launched   people and organizations into a new level of   stress  and disruption like never before. During these times, those who were resilient came out stronger than ever before.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back  from a challenging situation. In a high-pressure role like sales, it’s a must-have trait.

Say you’re a   sales manager  and your team is underperforming. If you’re not resilient, you quickly   crumble under pressure  and affect your team’s morale. But if   you’re resilient , you’ll overcome this challenge by taking action, such as   providing more training .

Sales is a rewarding career path .

Armed with the right technical and human sales skills, you can deliver the best performance possible and have a thriving sales career.

Mastering these sales skills also makes you a desirable candidate for hiring managers. For this reason, it’s important to include sales skills on your resume when applying for a sales job.

Ultimately, success in sales comes with being self-motivated , ambitious, adaptable , sociable, and responsible. You have to have confidence but also persistence, resilience, and humility. Most importantly, it comes with having the right mindsets and behaviors to unlock your full potential and show up as your best self every day.

At BetterUp we believe that while tools, training, and incentives are important elements for the field, companies must also prioritize investment in the mindsets and behaviors that impact sales performance for individual contributors and sales team leaders. Learn how BetterUp’s Sale Performance Coaching can empower your sales leaders and teams. 

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Allaya Cooks-Campbell

With over 15 years of content experience, Allaya Cooks Campbell has written for outlets such as ScaryMommy, HRzone, and HuffPost. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and is a certified yoga instructor as well as a certified Integrative Wellness & Life Coach. Allaya is passionate about whole-person wellness, yoga, and mental health.

Today's sales training program starts with the right choices

Sales coaching is the best way to empower your sales team, bring the power of sales coaching and real-time insights to your sales team, sales enablement strategy: what they need, when they need it, what is sales enablement how to drive revenue growth, what sales managers do and the qualities they need to succeed, how building trust is the true secret to motivating sales teams, the key mindsets sales leaders need to unlock success: q&a with brad mccracken, global vp of sales at betterup, 11 sales enablement tools every team should be considering, 8 hard and soft skills a project manager should have, 10 characteristics for becoming a successful entrepreneur, 17 essential transferable skills to boost your job search, odysseys into sales: navigating your path, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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12 Essential Skills in Sales to Master

In this article, we're diving deep into what the most important skills in sales are that every salesperson needs to master. From the art of effective communication to staying a step ahead with market and tech trends, we've got you covered.

Our goal is to arm you with the tools and insights you need to excel in your sales career. So, let’s explore each skill with practical tips and actionable strategies that you can apply immediately.

Here are the 12 most important skills in sales:

1. Effective Communication

In sales, words aren't just words; they're the tools that open doors, build bridges, and, most importantly, close deals. It's no secret that effective communication is one of the most important skills in sales, but what does that really mean in the day-to-day life of a sales professional?

Clarity in Communication

First and foremost, it's about clarity. Your ability to articulate the benefits of a product or service in a clear, concise, and compelling manner can be the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity.

Remember, you're not just selling a product; you're selling an idea, a solution. The clearer your message, the easier it is for your prospects to envision this future.

Effective communication in sales isn't just about what you say, but also about how you say it. Your tone, pace, and even body language play a crucial role in how your message is received. A confident, enthusiastic tone can be infectious, making your pitch more persuasive.

Similarly, your non-verbal cues– like maintaining eye contact and using open gestures– can build trust and rapport with your clients.

Tailor and Personalize your Messaging

Another key aspect of effective communication is the ability to tailor your message to your customers . A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works in sales. Treat each of your customers as an individual which means that every single one has unique needs, pain points, and preferences.

By customizing your message to address these specific aspects, you make your pitch more relevant and personal, increasing the chances of a successful sale.

Finally, let's not forget the power of listening– an often-overlooked part of communication. Effective sales communication is a two-way street. Listening to your clients not only helps you gather valuable information but also shows respect and builds trust. But we’ll go a bit deeper into that in the next section.

Effective communication in sales is about more than just talking; it's about connecting, understanding, and persuading. It's a skill that, when mastered, can take your sales game to new heights. 

2. Active Listening

Have you ever been in a conversation where it feels like the other person is just waiting for their turn to speak rather than truly listening? In sales, failing to listen means you miss the chance to truly understand your prospect, and that can sink the deal.

Mastering active listening is truly an essential component of effective sales communicatio n and successful sales interactions.

According to an analysis by HubSpot , which examined over 25,000 sales calls, salespeople who spent more time actively listening than talking were the top closers in their organizations.

Active listening is all about fully engaging with your client. It's not just hearing the words they say, but understanding the deeper messages behind them. When you actively listen, you're not only picking up on the client's needs and pain points but also on their emotional cues.

When you actively listen, you're not only picking up on the client's needs and pain points but also on their emotional cues.

This understanding enables you to tailor your response more effectively, aligning your pitch with their specific requirements and desires.

How to Practice Active Listening

Active listening starts with your mindset. Approach each sales conversation with genuine curiosity.

Be interested in what the client has to say, and show this through your body language. Nodding, maintaining eye contact, and leaning in slightly can all signal that you're attentively listening.

Then, there's the power of mirroring and paraphrasing. By repeating back what the customer has said in your own words, you not only show that you're listening but also confirm your understanding. This practice can often uncover hidden needs or concerns that you can address in your pitch.

Handling Objections: How Active Listening Helps

Handling objections is another area where active listening shines. Instead of seeing objections as hurdles, view them as opportunities to further understand and ultimately satisfy the customer’s needs. When they raise an objection, listen carefully to the underlying concerns and address them thoughtfully.

Remember, active listening in sales is about creating a dialogue where the client feels heard, understood, and valued. When you master this art, you build stronger relationships, uncover valuable insights, and pave the way for more successful sales outcomes.

So, next time you're in a sales conversation, take a moment to really listen. It's amazing what you can learn when you truly tune in. 

3. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence: It's not just about what you say or how you say it, but also about how well you can read and respond to the emotions of others.

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions while also being sensitive to the emotions of your prospects and customers.

It's about reading between the lines: picking up on those non-verbal cues, the subtle shifts in tone, or the unspoken concerns behind a question. That’s why emotional intelligence is an essential skill for sales professionals.

Another aspect of EQ is emotional regulation. Sales can be a rollercoaster of highs and lows, and managing your emotions in the face of setbacks or rejections is necessary. That means keeping a level head and maintaining a positive attitude, even when things don't go as planned.

By having emotional intelligence, you can create a deeper connection with your clients, making your interactions more effective and empathetic.

How to Improve Emotional Intelligence

So, how can you boost your EQ? Start by practicing self-awareness. This skill can take you far both personally and professionally.

Be mindful of your own emotional state during sales interactions . Are you truly present, or are you distracted? Are you feeling pressured to close the deal, and is that affecting your communication? Being aware of your own biases and emotions will allow you to manage them better and stay focused on the client's needs.

Practicing Empathy in Sales

Empathy plays a huge role in emotional intelligence. It involves putting yourself in your client's shoes and genuinely understanding their perspective.

When you empathize with your clients, you're better equipped to address their concerns and build trust. This doesn't mean just sympathizing with them; it's about truly understanding their business challenges and personal motivations.

4. Presentation and Storytelling

What turns a good presentation into a great one? The secret lies in storytelling , a skill that's become essential in the sales toolkit. It's not just about presenting facts and figures; it's about weaving them into a narrative that resonates with your audience.

Storytelling in sales is about creating a narrative around your product or service that engages and captivates your audience. It’s transforming features and benefits into relatable stories that illustrate how your solution can solve real-world problems.

Remember, people may forget the specifics of what you said, but they'll remember how you made them feel.

Incorporate Storytelling in Your Presentations

So how do you incorporate storytelling into your presentations? Start with understanding your audience. What are their challenges, goals, and aspirations? Once you know this, you can craft a story that aligns with their needs.

Use real-life examples, case studies, or even hypothetical scenarios that paint a vivid picture of the benefits your product or service offers.

The structure of your story is also crucial. Every good story has a beginning, middle, and end. Begin by setting the scene and presenting the problem your audience faces. The middle is where your product or service comes in as the hero that provides a solution. And the end should leave your audience with a clear call to action and a vision of their improved future.

Remember that storytelling is not just about the content; it's also about delivery. Use your voice, gestures, and visuals to bring your story to life. Vary your tone and pace to build excitement or highlight key points. And the best storytellers are also great listeners. Pay attention to your audience's reactions and be ready to adapt your story on the fly.

Enhancing your presentation skills with storytelling is a powerful way to connect with your audience on a deeper level. It makes your message memorable and sets you apart in a crowded sales landscape.

So next time you prepare for a presentation, think beyond the bullet points and numbers. Think about how you can tell a story that truly engages your audience!

5. Building Lasting Relationships

Building lasting relationships with your clients is about creating a bond that goes beyond mere transactions, turning customers into loyal advocates for your brand.

It starts with understanding that each client is more than just a revenue source; they're individuals with unique needs, preferences, and goals. Your role is to be a trusted advisor, not just a sales rep. This means being genuinely interested in their success and providing value beyond your products or services.

Consistent and open communication is key to building these relationships. Check in on them, ask for feedback, and offer your support. This ongoing engagement shows that you care about their experience and are committed to their satisfaction.

Another important aspect is reliability. Be someone your clients can count on. Keep your promises, be punctual in your responses, and always maintain professionalism. Trust is built over time, and reliability is its cornerstone.

Finally, be proactive in addressing problems and offering solutions. Don’t wait for clients to come to you with issues. Anticipate their needs and offer help before they even have to ask . 

6. Product Knowledge and Expertise

For sales professionals , deep product knowledge isn't just about understanding the features and benefits. It’s also about being able to articulate how your product can solve specific problems and enhance your clients' lives or businesses .

But why is product knowledge such an important skill in sales? First off, it builds credibility. When you can speak confidently about your product, answer questions in detail, and provide relevant examples, you gain trust. Clients are more likely to buy from someone who clearly knows what they’re talking about.

Moreover, strong product knowledge allows you to tailor your pitch more effectively. You can align the features of your product with the unique needs and pain points of your client. This customization makes your pitch more compelling and relevant.

How to Enhance Product Knowledge

So, how can you deepen your product knowledge? Regular training is key. Stay updated on product developments, new features, and case studies.

But don’t just stop at your product. Understand the broader industry context and how your product fits within it. This comprehensive view helps you anticipate questions and provide more insightful answers.

Another aspect of product knowledge is understanding the competition. Knowing how your product stacks up against others in the market enables you to highlight its unique advantages and handle objections more effectively.

7. Adaptability

Being adaptable in sales means having the agility to navigate shifting markets, evolving customer needs, and the constant introduction of new technologies. It keeps you competitive.

In a field where yesterday’s strategies may not work today, the ability to pivot and embrace new approaches is key to staying ahead. Whether it's adapting to a new sales tool, changing market trends, or a different client approach, flexibility ensures you're always at the top of your game.

Adaptability also enhances your problem-solving skills. Sales often involve unexpected challenges, and being adaptable allows you to think on your feet and find creative solutions.

Cultivating The Skill of Adaptability

So, how can you cultivate adaptability in your sales career? Start by embracing a mindset of continuous learning. Stay curious about new sales methodologies, technologies, and industry trends. The more you know, the more easily you can adapt to new situations.

Another key aspect is to be open to feedback. Constructive criticism can be a powerful tool for improvement. Listen to feedback from clients, peers, and managers, and use it to refine your approach.

Lastly, don’t fear failure. Be bold in trying new strategies or approaches. Even if they don’t always work out, each attempt is a learning opportunity that can enhance your adaptability.

8. Negotiation Skills in Sales

Mastering negotiation skills is about striking a balance where both parties feel they have gained value. Good negotiation isn't about winning at the other's expense; it's about finding a solution that benefits everyone.

In business negotiations , there are two main types of rationales: constraint and disparagement . Constraint rationales focus on the buyer's limitations, like budget constraints, while disparagement rationales criticize the offered product or service.

A study by Alice J. Lee and Daniel R. Ames found that sellers respond more favorably to constraint rationales. This is because they tend to view disparagement as inaccurate and rude, leading them to maintain their prices, whereas they are more likely to believe and empathize with buyers' financial constraints.

In business negotiations, there are two main types of rationales: constraint and disparagement. Constraint rationales focus on the buyer's limitations, like budget constraints, while disparagement rationales criticize the offered product or service.

Effective negotiation starts with preparation. Know your product or service inside out, understand your client's needs, and have a clear idea of your deal-breakers and flexibilities. Being well-prepared gives you the confidence to negotiate effectively.

This is also when active listening is also a critical component. By truly understanding your client's perspective, you can tailor your proposal to align with their interests. Clear, straightforward communication builds trust and facilitates a smoother negotiation process.

Finally, don’t be afraid to think creatively. Sometimes, the best solutions come from thinking outside the box. Be open to alternative ideas that can create a win-win situation for both parties.

9. Prospecting: Identifying and Reaching Potential Clients

Prospecting is the lifeblood of sales . It’s about sifting through the market to find the golden opportunities – those clients who are most likely to benefit from and purchase your product or service.

The first step in effective prospecting is defining your ideal customer. Who are they? What are their needs and challenges? Understanding your target audience helps you focus your efforts on the most promising leads.

Utilizing the right tools and techniques is also crucial. Whether it’s leveraging social media, networking events, referrals, or cold calling, each method has its strengths. The key is to find the mix that works best for you and your market.

Prospecting leads is also about qualifying them. Not every prospect is a good fit. Spend time to evaluate whether a prospect is likely to convert into a client. This ensures you invest your time and resources in the most promising opportunities.

Remember, persistence is key in prospecting. It’s often a game of numbers and patience. Don’t get discouraged by initial rejections. Keep refining your approach, learn from each interaction, and stay committed to the process.

10. Collaboration

For sales reps and leaders, the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, cross-functional teams, and even customers can significantly improve deal efficiency and enhance the sales process. It's about pooling diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.

Effective collaboration starts with clear communication. Whether it’s within your sales team or across different departments, ensuring everyone is on the same page is crucial. Another important aspect is understanding and leveraging each team member’s strengths.

Everyone brings something unique to the table – be it exceptional product knowledge, technical expertise, or customer insights. Recognizing and utilizing these strengths can elevate your sales strategy.

Collaboration also extends to working with your customers. Involving them in the sales process, understanding their feedback, and aligning your solutions with their needs create a sense of partnership. This approach not only improves customer satisfaction but also fosters loyalty and trust.

11. Data-driven Analytical Skills

The ability to collect, analyze, and utilize data is now a key element and driver of success. It is essential for making informed decisions, identifying trends, and tailoring strategies to meet market demands.

Data analysis in sales involves more than just looking at sales figures; it’s about interpreting a variety of data points to gain deeper insights. This can include customer behavior patterns, market trends, sales cycle lengths, and much more. By analyzing this data, you can identify what’s working, what’s not, and where there are opportunities for growth.

One key benefit of data analysis is improved targeting. By understanding who your best customers are and what they need, you can focus your efforts more effectively. This targeted approach not only increases the chances of sales success but also enhances the efficiency of your sales process.

Another aspect is predictive analysis. By looking at historical data, you can forecast future trends and prepare accordingly. This proactive approach allows you to stay ahead of the curve and adapt your strategies to changing market conditions.

To make the most of data analysis, it’s important to use the right tools. Whether it’s CRM software, analytics platforms, or other data tools, having the right technology at your disposal can make data analysis more accessible and actionable.

12. Staying Updated with Market and Tech Trends

Being updated with the latest market and tech trends means you're always ready to meet the changing demands of the industry and your clients. It's about being proactive, not reactive.

Whether it's a shift in consumer behavior, a new market segment emerging, or changes in industry regulations, being in the know allows you to adjust your strategies and stay relevant.

Tech saviness is equally important. With technology playing a crucial role in sales, from CRM tools to AI and data analytics, staying tech-savvy helps you streamline your processes, enhance efficiency, and offer better solutions to your clients. Embracing new technologies can revolutionize the way you approach sales, from prospecting to closing deals.

So, how do you stay updated? Make it a habit to regularly read industry publications, follow thought leaders, and participate in webinars and professional forums. Networking with peers and attending industry events can also provide valuable insights and keep you informed of the latest trends and technologies.

As we wrap up this comprehensive guide on the most important skills in sales, it’s clear that being a successful sales professional is about much more than just making sales. It’s about mastering a diverse set of skills that enable you to communicate effectively, build lasting relationships, adapt to change, and stay informed.

From honing your negotiation and prospecting skills to leveraging data analysis and staying tech-savvy, each skill plays a vital role in shaping your sales journey. Remember, these skills are not just to be learned but to be continually practiced and refined.

Sales enablement provides a strong foundation for mastering these diverse skills. By providing ongoing training, resources, and content tailored to your specific needs, sales enablement empowers you to excel in every aspect of the sales process. 

So, whether you’re a sales rep starting out or a seasoned leader, keep these essential skills in mind. Invest in yourself, embrace continuous learning, and stay adaptable. With these skills in your arsenal, you’re well-equipped to navigate the exciting world of sales and achieve lasting success.

Here’s to your sales journey – may it be fulfilling, successful, and always ahead of the curve!

Learn next: 

Sales enablement tools like Showell can streamline this process, ensuring you have the right resources at your fingertips to continuously improve your skills and close more deals. See it first-hand by clicking the banner below to get Showell Free or book a demo with our sales enablement experts!

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What Are Problem-Solving Skills? Definition and Examples

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Forage puts students first. Our blog articles are written independently by our editorial team. They have not been paid for or sponsored by our partners. See our full  editorial guidelines .

Why do employers hire employees? To help them solve problems. Whether you’re a financial analyst deciding where to invest your firm’s money, or a marketer trying to figure out which channel to direct your efforts, companies hire people to help them find solutions. Problem-solving is an essential and marketable soft skill in the workplace. 

So, how can you improve your problem-solving and show employers you have this valuable skill? In this guide, we’ll cover:

Problem-Solving Skills Definition

Why are problem-solving skills important, problem-solving skills examples, how to include problem-solving skills in a job application, how to improve problem-solving skills, problem-solving: the bottom line.

Problem-solving skills are the ability to identify problems, brainstorm and analyze answers, and implement the best solutions. An employee with good problem-solving skills is both a self-starter and a collaborative teammate; they are proactive in understanding the root of a problem and work with others to consider a wide range of solutions before deciding how to move forward. 

Examples of using problem-solving skills in the workplace include:

• Researching patterns to understand why revenue decreased last quarter
• Experimenting with a new marketing channel to increase website sign-ups
• Brainstorming content types to share with potential customers
• Testing calls to action to see which ones drive the most product sales
• Implementing a new workflow to automate a team process and increase productivity

Problem-solving skills are the most sought-after soft skill of 2022. In fact, 86% of employers look for problem-solving skills on student resumes, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2022 survey . 

It’s unsurprising why employers are looking for this skill: companies will always need people to help them find solutions to their problems. Someone proactive and successful at problem-solving is valuable to any team.

“Employers are looking for employees who can make decisions independently, especially with the prevalence of remote/hybrid work and the need to communicate asynchronously,” Eric Mochnacz, senior HR consultant at Red Clover, says. “Employers want to see individuals who can make well-informed decisions that mitigate risk, and they can do so without suffering from analysis paralysis.”

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Problem-solving includes three main parts: identifying the problem, analyzing possible solutions, and deciding on the best course of action.

>>MORE: Discover the right career for you based on your skills with a career aptitude test .

Research is the first step of problem-solving because it helps you understand the context of a problem. Researching a problem enables you to learn why the problem is happening. For example, is revenue down because of a new sales tactic? Or because of seasonality? Is there a problem with who the sales team is reaching out to? 

Research broadens your scope to all possible reasons why the problem could be happening. Then once you figure it out, it helps you narrow your scope to start solving it. 

Analysis is the next step of problem-solving. Now that you’ve identified the problem, analytical skills help you look at what potential solutions there might be.

“The goal of analysis isn’t to solve a problem, actually — it’s to better understand it because that’s where the real solution will be found,” Gretchen Skalka, owner of Career Insights Consulting, says. “Looking at a problem through the lens of impartiality is the only way to get a true understanding of it from all angles.”

Decision-Making

Once you’ve figured out where the problem is coming from and what solutions are, it’s time to decide on the best way to go forth. Decision-making skills help you determine what resources are available, what a feasible action plan entails, and what solution is likely to lead to success.

On a Resume

Employers looking for problem-solving skills might include the word “problem-solving” or other synonyms like “ critical thinking ” or “analytical skills” in the job description.

“I would add ‘buzzwords’ you can find from the job descriptions or LinkedIn endorsements section to filter into your resume to comply with the ATS,” Matthew Warzel, CPRW resume writer, advises. Warzel recommends including these skills on your resume but warns to “leave the soft skills as adjectives in the summary section. That is the only place soft skills should be mentioned.”

On the other hand, you can list hard skills separately in a skills section on your resume .

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In a Cover Letter or an Interview

Explaining your problem-solving skills in an interview can seem daunting. You’re required to expand on your process — how you identified a problem, analyzed potential solutions, and made a choice. As long as you can explain your approach, it’s okay if that solution didn’t come from a professional work experience.

“Young professionals shortchange themselves by thinking only paid-for solutions matter to employers,” Skalka says. “People at the genesis of their careers don’t have a wealth of professional experience to pull from, but they do have relevant experience to share.”

Aaron Case, career counselor and CPRW at Resume Genius, agrees and encourages early professionals to share this skill. “If you don’t have any relevant work experience yet, you can still highlight your problem-solving skills in your cover letter,” he says. “Just showcase examples of problems you solved while completing your degree, working at internships, or volunteering. You can even pull examples from completely unrelated part-time jobs, as long as you make it clear how your problem-solving ability transfers to your new line of work.”

Learn How to Identify Problems

Problem-solving doesn’t just require finding solutions to problems that are already there. It’s also about being proactive when something isn’t working as you hoped it would. Practice questioning and getting curious about processes and activities in your everyday life. What could you improve? What would you do if you had more resources for this process? If you had fewer? Challenge yourself to challenge the world around you.

Think Digitally

“Employers in the modern workplace value digital problem-solving skills, like being able to find a technology solution to a traditional issue,” Case says. “For example, when I first started working as a marketing writer, my department didn’t have the budget to hire a professional voice actor for marketing video voiceovers. But I found a perfect solution to the problem with an AI voiceover service that cost a fraction of the price of an actor.”

Being comfortable with new technology — even ones you haven’t used before — is a valuable skill in an increasingly hybrid and remote world. Don’t be afraid to research new and innovative technologies to help automate processes or find a more efficient technological solution.

Collaborate

Problem-solving isn’t done in a silo, and it shouldn’t be. Use your collaboration skills to gather multiple perspectives, help eliminate bias, and listen to alternative solutions. Ask others where they think the problem is coming from and what solutions would help them with your workflow. From there, try to compromise on a solution that can benefit everyone.

If we’ve learned anything from the past few years, it’s that the world of work is constantly changing — which means it’s crucial to know how to adapt . Be comfortable narrowing down a solution, then changing your direction when a colleague provides a new piece of information. Challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone, whether with your personal routine or trying a new system at work.

Put Yourself in the Middle of Tough Moments

Just like adapting requires you to challenge your routine and tradition, good problem-solving requires you to put yourself in challenging situations — especially ones where you don’t have relevant experience or expertise to find a solution. Because you won’t know how to tackle the problem, you’ll learn new problem-solving skills and how to navigate new challenges. Ask your manager or a peer if you can help them work on a complicated problem, and be proactive about asking them questions along the way.

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Step 1 of 3

Companies always need people to help them find solutions — especially proactive employees who have practical analytical skills and can collaborate to decide the best way to move forward. Whether or not you have experience solving problems in a professional workplace, illustrate your problem-solving skills by describing your research, analysis, and decision-making process — and make it clear that you’re the solution to the employer’s current problems. 

Image Credit: Christina Morillo / Pexels 

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Why the talent of problem solving is essential for sales performance.

by Tirzah Thornburg , on July 12, 2021

You have a salesperson who has a great, positive attitude. The clients love them and they do a great job at getting that first appointment and building a relationship with clients. 

BUT they tend to use the same few solutions over and over.

And when clients or coworkers come to this person with an issue, it ruins their day — it gets them completely off track, and they just can’t seem to find the way back. What’s the problem?! 

Is the individual's positivity not as high as it should be? Is discipline the issue? Actually, what you're witnessing may be their lack of ability to problem solve.

Problem Solver is the Basis for Sales

At the heart of every sale is the ability to solve the client’s problem.

Business owners need help getting their product or message to potential buyers, so they turn to advertising professionals for assistance. Sellers who are strong in the talent of Problem Solver have the innate ability to anticipate problems and find a way around them. They can brainstorm, think creatively, and come up with solutions.

These sellers take a big picture view of the sales process . They look long-range, see problems that might arise, and figure out ways around them before becoming an issue. It's also a strong indicator of success in sales. Salespeople with a strong Problem Solver trait are able to find creative ways to fix their clients' issues.

The Problem Solver Talent Struggle

On the other hand, a weakness in the Problem Solver talent can get in salespeople's way on a regular basis.

Since they struggle to find creative solutions to their clients' issues, they may rely on “tried and true” solutions that may or may not fit the clients' problem, or they may try to avoid the issue entirely.

Their default may be to run to their manager or coworkers with an issue and “leave it with them” instead of trying to solve problems themselves, so their coworkers may avoid them. And because they know that they're weak in Problem Solving, they may get frustrated or irritated when problems arise. Problems can distract them or put them in a bad mood. Even the smallest problems can literally ruin their day.

The Work-Arounds

While you can’t train someone to have strength in any talent, you can find ways to work around a weakness. So, if your seller defaults to the same few solutions for each client, or struggles to deal with unexpected problems, here are a few ways to help.

1. Supply them with a few creative suggestions at each one-on-one meeting and encourage them to brainstorm how to personalize these suggestions and make the suggestion their own.

2. Create a Problem-Solving checklist. List out the steps a seller should take when confronted with an unfamiliar problem. When your seller comes to you for help, ask them if they have checked off each step on their list.

3. Encourage your seller to create an ongoing mini client Needs Analysis that will help them stay up to date with changes in their client’s business. If they're alert to changes, they are less likely to be blindsided and struggling to think of a solution on the spot.

4. Work with your seller to create a research checklist. What consistent information do they need to be well informed and ready to help their clients?

If necessary, designate someone with strong Problem-Solving abilities to work with them. If they know who to go to for help, this will save time.

Great talent requires great coaching!  Make sure reference our e-book (free e-book?) “Coaching Sales Talent”  to get the most out of your sellers intense talents and Turn Talent into Performance.

*Editor's Note: This blog was originally written in 2017 and has since been updated.

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From Our Blog

7 Problem Solving Skills Marketing Managers Need & How to Improve Them

Updated: November 19, 2021

Published: November 03, 2021

Think back to a time you had to solve a problem but didn't have all of the right information. What did you do? Situations like this pop up all the time at work and put your problem solving skills to the test.

As a marketing manager, one may think your job doesn't revolve around problem solving. But it's an essential part of putting out fires at work — and making sure there's a process in place to prevent issues from happening again.

Whether you're making decisions that affect an entire team or simply creating solutions for yourself, strong problem solving skills can help you grow as a person and a professional.

In this post, we'll cover what it means to come up with creative solutions and how to hone the skills to approach problems like a pro.

What are problem solving skills?

Problem solving skills allow you to notice an issue, identify the root cause, design an effective solution, and successfully implement it. This includes the skills to evaluate whether or not your plan achieved the results you wanted.

The best problem solvers can anticipate problems before they arise and take action to prevent them or lessen the impact. They use logic to define what needs to change and creativity to propose innovative solutions.

Having strong problem solving skills can help you impress your manager, contribute unique ideas, and achieve your goals. It also means you can work through the core steps of solving a problem:

• Identify and define the problem.
• Come up with possible solutions.
• Evaluate the options.
• Choose the best solution.
• Implement the solution.
• Evaluate the outcome.

While there are many types of problem solving skills, many are considered soft skills that you develop over time. Think communication skills, people skills, social skills, and personality traits. For example, a marketing manager needs to be able to solve a conflict between team members or devise a plan to keep their campaigns going if the company marketing budget is cut.

While problem solving skills can require you to use your technical ability, you have to establish a number of specific soft skills to identify issues and implement solutions.

Problem Solving Skills Examples

No matter your career path, being an effective problem solver is beneficial for personal and career growth. Here's a look at the skills you may use when solving a problem:

• Communication
• Organization

Problem Solving Skills Marketing Managers Need

A marketing manager who notices issues and makes decisions to solve them is a valuable addition to any company. This type of person gets things done and motivates others to do the same.

The further you grow in your career, the more problem solving skills you need to have in your toolkit. The higher up you get in an organization, decisions become riskier, solutions are often more vague, and the potential impact can be monumental to the company.

Let's look at the top problem solving skills you need to be a successful marketing manager.

1. Analytical Skills

Solving any problem starts with analyzing the issue — you have to go beyond the symptoms of the problem to find the root cause.

Maybe your team is routinely going over budget on social campaign spend. Instead of micro-managing every detail, analytical skills help you dig into the problem to see what may be going wrong. You find that your social media coordinators can set up campaigns correctly, but they lack the basic budgeting skills to keep spending on track. So you devise a training program to teach them about profit, loss, and financial forecasting.

Being analytical can include a number of essential problem solving skills for marketers:

• Attention to detail
• Data collection
• Forecasting
• Fact-checking
• Historical analysis

2. Creativity

Once you discover the true problem, you can come up with the ideal solution. This is where you put your creative problem solving skills to the test. And for those who question whether creativity plays into solving problems, creativity is one of Indeed's top 20 in-demand skills for 2021 across all industries and fields.

Sometimes the solution to a problem is not always straight-forward, and can require creative thinking and other points of view to be resolved.

Creativity comes in many styles. Engineers can create innovative code, and writers can come up with new blog styles. For marketing managers, creativity plays out in a number of problem solving skills:

• Brainstorming
• Project design
• Project planning
• Editing the aesthetics of marketing materials
• Creating new promotional methods for products
• Planning and executing events

3. Judgment

With dozens of solutions before you, how do you choose the best one? Through exercising sound judgment. Developing good judgment lets you consider the nature of a problem, possible setbacks, costs and resources, decision makers, and how to implement a solution. You can compare between options and select the solution that's right for each unique situation.

As a marketing manager, you can showcase your judgment skills through:

• Critical thinking
• Decision-making
• Corroboration
• Test development
• Authenticity

4. Communication

Communication skills are the foundation of problem solving and one of the top leadership skills . As a manager, you need to be able to articulate your opinions, brainstorm with a colleague, and give feedback to a direct report. Being a good communicator also helps you relay your decision on a solution and align everyone to tackle it together.

Without specific problem solving communication skills, issues can't be resolved quickly and efficiently. That's why to be an effective leader and expert problem solver, it's important to make sure you have the following communication skills:

• Active listening
• Negotiation
• Clarity of expression
• Public speaking
• Reading body language
• Verbal communication
• Written communication
• Building rapport

5. Organization

Once you've chosen a solution to a problem and communicated it to your team, you still have to create a process to carry out your plan. Organization skills help you implement the steps everyone needs to take, which can improve alignment and efficiency.

Setting up a strategy for your solution uses a number of problem solving skills including:

• Prioritization
• Project management
• Time management
• Meeting facilitation
• Recording and filing information
• Creating strategic schedules

6. Teamwork

No marketing manager is an island. Teamwork is essential for working with others and contributing to a company's mission. It's necessary for exchanging ideas, delegating tasks, and working toward a solution.

Even if your role is largely independent work, you still need teamwork to collaborate with colleagues in different departments and keep your goals on track. But as a marketer, your role usually involves interacting with multiple people (if not dozens) per day. So you need to develop the skills that will make everyone want you on their team.

• Collaboration
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Goal setting
• Dependability
• Resource allocation
• Prioritizing tasks
• Setting expectations
• Assessing employee strengths and weaknesses
• Performance evaluation
• Identifying outcomes

7. Evaluation

When problem solving, evaluation skills let you assess if a solution is working and help you make the necessary adjustments. These are similar to analytical skills, but often require more patience and flexibility in case your strategy didn't go as planned. It's important to know whether or not your plan is working as quickly as possible so you can pivot and try another solution.

• Data analysis
• Adaptability
• Creating and evaluating surveys
• Customer feedback
• Follow-through
• Troubleshooting
• Identifying patterns
• Open mindedness

How to Improve Problem Solving Skills

Developing your problem solving skills isn't as straightforward as mastering Excel. But marketing managers can take several steps to improve their skills and advance their careers.

Question your decisions.

Relying on your gut instinct isn't the path to expert problem solving skills. Instead, try taking time to consciously question why you make decisions and what the outcomes may be if you choose one option over another. You can ask yourself:

• How important is this decision?
• How will this impact me a year from now?
• What’s the worst thing that could happen?
• What effect will this decision have on my team and the company?
• What can I do if I make the wrong decision here?

Look for opportunities to solve more problems.

Many experiences in your personal and professional life help you hone your problem solving skills, often without you even realizing it. You can gain or improve your skills by doing any of the following:

• Figuring out a technical problem with your phone or computer.
• Taking up a DIY project you've never tried before.
• Resolving a customer or employee complaint.
• Organizing a team bonding activity, overcoming obstacles along the way.
• Acting as a mentor for direct reports and helping them tackle their problems.
• Re-budgeting your finances to fund an out-of-the-blue trip.
• Finding out why there's been a dip in activity on your company's social media channels.

Find models and games to improve your problem solving skills.

A combination of proven models and fun mental games can help you develop problem solving skills. Some can hone your decision-making abilities, while others let you determine the cost of the possible solutions. Depending on which set of skills you want to improve, look to options like:

• 5 Whys (root cause analysis)
• Fishbone diagram (cause and effect analysis)
• Brainwriting (brainstorming technique)
• Starbursting (exploratory brainstorming)
• Hurson's Productive Thinking model (creative problem solving)
• Lego Master (decision-making and communication)
• Escape Room (group communication and collaboration)
• Line-Up (non-verbal communication)
• Hackathons (brainstorming and creativity)

Demonstrating Problem Solving Skills

Knowing how to solve problems at work is not only crucial for contributing to company goals — it's also a must-have for moving to management positions. That's why it's important to highlight the skills you already have. This includes adding problem solving skills to your resume and showcasing your abilities during job interviews.

Whether you're looking for a marketing manager role or wondering what to say next time an opportunity to advance at your current company opens up, start with the STAR method . It's designed to help you think through your experiences so you can articulate your specific problem solving skills. Make sure to give an overview of a challenge you had to overcome, how you approached it, what solution you found, and what outcome you achieved.

Honing your problem solving skills makes you more valuable as a manager and team member. So putting in time to develop the skills most relevant to your current (and future!) roles can make it easier to climb the ladder and come up with efficient, effective solutions.

Don't forget to share this post!

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6 Top Business Acumen Skills For Sales & Ways To Develop Them

Are you looking to enhance your business acumen skills? Mastering them could lead to a 12% increase in closed deals. In today’s competitive marketplace, having a strong grasp of business acumen is essential for sales professionals who strive for success.

Discover the key to unlocking your sales potential with our comprehensive guide on the top 6 business acumen skills for sales and effective ways to develop them. 

From strategic thinking to financial analysis, gain valuable insights and practical tips to sharpen your sales acumen. 

Get ready to become a sales powerhouse!

Table of Contents

What is Business Acumen?

Why do salespeople need business acumen, 1. far-sight and discipline, 2. emotional intelligence , 3. strong communication skills, 4. the ability to understand, 5. problem-solving skills, 6. financial know-how, 1. pay attention, 2. stay updated on global events, 3. build a network of colleagues, 4. find a mentor, 5. learn from customers, 6. explore different management styles, examples of business acumen put to practice.

Business acumen is understanding and making good judgments in business situations. It involves having a deep understanding of how businesses operate. This includes knowledge about finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and other vital aspects. These things play a significant role in impacting a company’s success. Also, it involves skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical thinking.

Strong business acumen plays a primary role in finding new opportunities. These possibilities help develop plans to achieve the industry’s goals. So, salespersons with good business acumen can handle difficult situations. Further, they can adapt to robust changes to promote growth.

Business acumen is valuable for managers, entrepreneurs, and anyone involved in the business world. It assists in making good decisions. These well-developed choices help contribute to the success of an organization.

You just saw that business acumen is essential for salespeople . Let’s delve in deeper.  

Salespeople need business acumen to effectively understand and connect with their customers’ unique business situations. This helps them sell their products or services better and establish trust and long-lasting relationships. They can tailor their offerings to the specific needs and goals of the client, positioning themselves as a strategic partner rather than just a vendor. 

Understanding financials, market trends, and industry dynamics allows them to put their value proposition in a context that resonates with the customer. It also allows them to identify potential opportunities or risks early on, thus enabling proactive solutions and strategic sales planning . Overall, business acumen can significantly enhance salespeople’s effectiveness, credibility, and success.

Business Acumen Skills Needed In Sales

Business principles and practices help in promoting the sales growth of the business. Salespeople with good acumen build client connections and make informed business decisions. Here is a look at the business acumen skills required:

Successful sales professionals own various business acumen skills, including far-sight and discipline. Far-sight is the ability to predict future trends and changes in the market. It allows salespeople to adapt their approach and stay ahead of the competition. 

Discipline is another essential aspect of maintaining focus. It helps to stay on track even when challenged. Sales leaders can identify and pursue lucrative opportunities. They are capable of consistently meeting and surpassing sales performance goals. 

To develop these skills, you should commit to continuous learning. Also, you should be brave to take risks and experiment with new approaches. With the right combination of far-sight and discipline, you can achieve long-term success in a competitive and dynamic industry.

Emotional intelligence is a crucial aspect of business acumen skills. It implies understanding and managing one’s emotions and those of others. Building strong bonds with clients is essential for salespeople. Addressing their feelings, especially during challenging situations, can assist you as a salesperson in achieving this. This will also help you to stay calm and positively handle challenges. 

The skill is essential as it helps individuals to communicate and maintain relationships. Plus, emotional intelligence enables individuals to empathize with others and build trust. 

Sales leaders owning high emotional intelligence are good at dealing with it. They can solve complicated social situations gracefully. Thus, developing emotional intelligence is essential for success. Make sure to focus on cultivating it as a part of your expertise.

Strong communication skills are critical to the company’s success rate. For example, when discussing your product, it’s important to tell people how it can help them. Also, it’s essential to listen carefully to what they need and what worries them.

Moreover, building solid relationships and successful business partnerships relies on effective communication. Trust and stable connections are the foundation for these partnerships to thrive.

Strong communication skills allow sales professionals to collaborate effectively with other team members. The scope covers marketing, product development, and customer service. Therefore, polishing your communication and sales skills can significantly benefit your career.

Understanding is a crucial skill in business acumen, particularly in sales. Sales professionals with this skill can understand their customers’ needs, demands, and issues. Actively listening, asking questions, and analyzing information can help understand client’s challenges. 

This understanding can help salespeople adjust the sales approach so that they can provide personalized solutions to customers. The ability to understand helps in predicting customers’ concerns and issues. By understanding their pain points well, they can deal with them in a better way. 

This leads to successfully closing deals. Being able to connect with customers in a meaningful way is vital in sales. In today’s fast and competitive world, it can help a business grow its sales.

Problem-solving skills are an essential part of business acumen, especially in sales. A good salesperson should quickly find and solve problems to make customers happy. Problem-solving skills require critical thinking, analytical skills, and active listening.

Salespeople need to be good at solving problems in sales. This means they can find solutions to any difficulties when making a sale. Being able to think creatively and develop new ideas is also really helpful. Needless to say, strong problem-solving skills can set you apart from your competitors and lead to success in the industry.

As a sales professional, financial know-how is crucial in building successful client relationships . It is a valuable business acumen skill that helps you to understand a business’s finances and how it affects its profits. To assure potential clients of the value of your product, one should prove how it can boost revenue or reduce costs.

Thus, the ability to negotiate more effectively using financial metrics can lead to deals that benefit both parties. While salespeople who need to learn about finances may need help to showcase themselves and their products well. This will lead to a lack of opportunities in their domain. So, it’s essential to prioritize building your financial acumen to drive success as a sales professional.

Ways to Develop Business Acumen

Improving your business along with listening skills is crucial for achieving success. Here are a few ways to build business acumen skills:

As a salesperson, it’s crucial to have situational awareness. Don’t just focus on your work, but observe the patterns and challenges within your company. Then you can distinguish yourself from other people by resolving these challenges.

For example, your company is losing business to a competitor because they offer an integration you do not offer. Then, consider contacting vendors who can provide that integration and a partnership. To help your company succeed, it’s essential to understand its problems and take the initiative to find solutions. This means knowing challenges and building ideas to solve them before they become more significant problems. 

Staying updated on global events is an excellent way to develop good business acumen. It will help you gain insights into new trends and challenges. In turn, you can make more accurate decisions and establish an effective strategy for your company.

Whether following the latest economic news, tracking developments, or analyzing industry-specific data, staying updated with global events is vital. Moreover, it will support you in staying ahead of the curve in today’s fast-paced business world. So, why not make it a priority to stay informed and stay ahead?

When it comes to making good decisions, seeking advice and help from experts is crucial. It can be helpful to establish connections with individuals in different fields. It includes people from marketing, accounting, HR, and legal, who can offer beneficial ideas when necessary. These contacts can provide valuable insights and guidance when required.  

For instance, if you encounter a prospect with challenging marketing issues, focus on something other than making the sale. Instead, contact your external marketing contact for their perspective on the situation. By offering constructive ideas and solutions, you can distinguish yourself from competitors.

Finding a mentor can be a great way to develop your business acumen. A mentor can help you make smarter choices. Plus, he will help you to overcome business challenges by providing essential guidance. When searching for a mentor, look for someone with experience in your industry or field of interest and a track record of achievement.

Additionally, find someone willing to invest the time and effort to develop a meaningful relationship with you. Finally, collaborate with a mentor who can provide helpful knowledge and marketing skills. It will result in achieving your company goals and targets.

Learning from customers is one of the most effective ways to develop business acumen in sales. As a sales professional, you must understand your customers’ preferences and issues to sell your products or services. At last, listening to your customers can gain essential points in their businesses and industries. 

Further, customer feedback can help you identify areas to improve your products or services. Ultimately, it will result in higher sales growth and greater customer satisfaction. So, it is vital to learn from customers to understand the market better and establish lasting relationships with clients.

Exploring different management styles is crucial for a salesperson to develop business acumen because it helps you understand how different businesses operate. This understanding can help you as a salesperson personalize your approach according to each client’s unique needs. 

Each management style impacts decision-making, employee engagement, and overall business strategy, which can directly influence a company’s purchasing choices. Understanding these dynamics allows you to position your products or services more effectively. Moreover, knowledge of management styles can help build strong relationships with clients by demonstrating empathy and a better understanding of their challenges. Thus, it contributes to enhancing sales effectiveness and success.

In the business world, several examples of individuals have put their business acumen to practice and achieved remarkable success. Let’s examine some of the most noteworthy business acumen examples.

Amazon –  Jeff Bezos

Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos, are among the most popular success stories. Bezos’ strategic thinking, risk-taking, and constant focus on customer satisfaction have made Amazon become the world’s largest online retailer. It offers millions of customers a wide range of products and services worldwide. 

Bezos has a keen eye for identifying new opportunities in technology too. As a result, the company expanded into various domains, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and streaming services. Amazon’s success is evidence of  Bezos’s business acumen and firm commitment to innovation. 

Facebook – Mark Zuckerberg

Zuckerberg created Facebook to connect people from different parts of the world. He recognized the potential of social media in promoting unity, sharing information, and building communities.

Thanks to Zuckerberg’s marketing skills, Facebook has become the most effective social media platform. Thus, with more than 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook has become the largest social networking site. Facebook’s success is because it constantly updates its features and products to meet its users’ needs. As a result, Facebook continues to stay popular among other social media platforms.

Tesla – Elon Musk

Elon Musk is another entrepreneur who has put his business acumen to practice and achieved remarkable success. Musk is well-known for his bold vision and innovative approach to business. He has founded Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company.

Musk’s remarkable business acumen has profoundly impacted the automotive industry through Tesla. Musk knew about the move to clean energy and electric cars and made Tesla a leader in the field. In addition, his ability to think outside the box and take risks has been crucial in helping Tesla achieve its goals.

Get Ready To Improve Your Business Acumen Skills To Boost Sales 

Proficiency in business skills is a necessity if you want to excel as a salesperson. It means understanding the industry, competition, and market. Doing this can improve your job, build client trust, and lead your team to success. 

To improve your skills, focus on learning more about the industry, market, and competition. Also, work on your communication, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. It will increase your value to the business both personally and professionally.

We hope you found this post useful. Don’t forget to thank us once you start seeing a jump in sales. 

Developing business acumen can be achieved through various means such as formal education, on-the-job experiences, seeking mentorship, reading business-related materials, and attending workshops or seminars.

While business acumen involves understanding financial and operational aspects, it’s often considered a soft skill because it requires interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and the ability to influence and drive change.

Business intelligence refers to the tools and processes used to gather, analyze, and present business data. In contrast, business acumen is the ability to interpret that data, understand its implications, and make strategic decisions based on it.

Published On: February 19, 2024

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7 Problem Solving Skills That Aren’t Just Buzzwords (+ Resume Example)

• Júlia Mlčúchova , 
• Updated April 8, 2024 9 min read

Problem-solving skills are something everybody should include on their resume, yet only a few seem to understand what these skills actually are. If you've always felt that the term "problem-solving skills" is rather vague and wanted to know more, you've come to the right place.

In this article, we're going to explain what problem-solving skills really mean. We'll talk about what makes up good problem-solving skills and give you tips on how to get better at them. You'll also find out how to make your problem-solving abilities look more impressive to those who might want to hire you.

Sounds good, right? Curious to learn more? 

In this article we’ll show you:

• What are problem solving skills;
• Why are they important; 
• Specific problem solving skills examples;
• How to develop your problem solving skills;
• And, how to showcase them on your resume.

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What are problem solving skills?

Why are problem solving skills important, the best 7 problem solving skills examples, how to develop problem solving skills, problem solving skills resume example, key takeaways: problem solving skills.

First of all, they're more than just a buzzword!

Problem-solving skills are a set of specific abilities that allow you to deal with unexpected situations in the workplace, whether it be job related or team related. 

It's a complex process that involves several “sub skills” or “sub steps,” namely:

• Recognizing and identifying the issue at hand.
• Breaking the problem down into smaller parts and analyzing how they relate to one another. 
• Creating potential solutions to the problem, evaluating them and picking the best one.  
• Applying the chosen solution and assessing its outcome. 
• Learning from the whole process to deal with future problems more effectively. 

As you can see, it's not just about solving problems that are right in front of us, but also about predicting potential issues and being prepared to deal with them before they arise.  

Despite what you may believe, problem-solving skills aren't just for managers . 

Think about it this way: Why do employers hire employees in the first place? To solve problems for them!

And, as we all know, problems don't discriminate. In other words, it doesn't matter whether you're just an intern, an entry-level professional, or a seasoned veteran, you'll constantly face some kind of challenges. And the only difference is in how complex they will get.

This is also reflected in the way employers assess suitability of potential job candidates. 

In fact, research shows that the ability to deal with unexpected complications is prioritized by an overwhelming 60% of employers across all industries, making it one of the most compelling skills on your resume.

So, regardless of your job description or your career level, you're always expected to find solutions for problems, either independently or as a part of a team. 

And that's precisely what makes problem-solving skills so invaluable and universal ! 

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As we've said before, problem-solving isn't really just one single skill. 

Instead, your ability to handle workplace issues with composure depends on several different “sub-skills”. 

So, which specific skills make an employee desirable even for the most demanding of recruiters? 

In no particular order, you should focus on these 7 skills : 

• Analytical skills
• Research skills
• Critical thinking 
• Decision-making
• Collaboration
• Having a growth mindset

Let's have a look at each of them in greater detail!

#1 Analytical skills

Firstly, to truly understand complex problems, you need to break them down into more manageable parts . Then, you observe them closely and ask yourself: “ Which parts work and which don't,” How do these parts contribute to the problem as a whole,” and "What exactly needs to be fixed?” In other words, you gather data , you study it, and compare it - all to pinpoint the cause of the issue as closely as possible.

#2 Research skills

Another priceless tool is your research skills (sometimes relying on just one source of information isn't enough). Besides, to make a truly informed decision , you'll have to dig a little deeper. Being a good researcher means looking for potential solutions to a problem in a wider context. For example: going through team reports, customer feedback, quarterly sales or current market trends.  

#3 Critical thinking

Every employer wants to hire people who can think critically. Yet, the ability to evaluate situations objectively and from different perspectives , is actually pretty hard to come by. But as long as you stay open-minded, inquisitive, and with a healthy dose of skepticism, you'll be able to assess situations based on facts and evidence more successfully. Plus, critical thinking comes in especially handy when you need to examine your own actions and processes. 

 #4 Creativity

Instead of following the old established processes that don't work anymore, you should feel comfortable thinking outside the box. The thing is, problems have a nasty habit of popping up unexpectedly and rapidly. And sometimes, you have to get creative in order to solve them fast. Especially those that have no precedence. But this requires a blend of intuition, industry knowledge, and quick thinking - a truly rare combination. 

#5 Decision-making

The analysis, research, and brainstorming are done. Now, you need to look at the possible solutions, and make the final decision (informed, of course). And not only that, you also have to stand by it ! Because once the train gets moving, there's no room for second guessing. Also, keep in mind that you need to be prepared to take responsibility for all decisions you make. That's no small feat! 

#6 Collaboration

Not every problem you encounter can be solved by yourself alone. And this is especially true when it comes to complex projects. So, being able to actively listen to your colleagues, take their ideas into account, and being respectful of their opinions enables you to solve problems together. Because every individual can offer a unique perspective and skill set. Yes, democracy is hard, but at the end of the day, it's teamwork that makes the corporate world go round. 

#7 Having a growth mindset

Let's be honest, no one wants their work to be riddled with problems. But facing constant challenges and changes is inevitable. And that can be scary! However, when you're able to see these situations as opportunities to grow instead of issues that hold you back, your problem solving skills reach new heights. And the employers know that too!

Now that we've shown you the value problem-solving skills can add to your resume, let's ask the all-important question: “How can I learn them?”

Well…you can't. At least not in the traditional sense of the word. 

Let us explain: Since problem-solving skills fall under the umbrella of soft skills , they can't be taught through formal education, unlike computer skills for example. There's no university course that you can take and graduate as a professional problem solver. 

But, just like other interpersonal skills, they can be nurtured and refined over time through practice and experience. 

Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all approach, but the following tips can offer you inspiration on how to improve your problem solving skills:

• Cultivate a growth mindset. Remember what we've said before? Your attitude towards obstacles is the first step to unlocking your problem-solving potential. 
• Gain further knowledge in your specialized field. Secondly, it's a good idea to delve a little deeper into your chosen profession. Because the more you read on a subject, the easier it becomes to spot certain patterns and relations.  
• Start with small steps. Don't attack the big questions straight away — you'll only set yourself up for failure. Instead, start with more straightforward tasks and work your way up to more complex problems. 
• Break problems down into more digestible pieces. Complex issues are made up of smaller problems. And those can be further divided into even smaller problems, and so on. Until you're left with only the basics. 
• Don't settle for a single solution. Instead, keep on exploring other possible answers.
• Accept failure as a part of the learning process. Finally, don't let your failures discourage you. After all, you're bound to misstep a couple of times before you find your footing. Just keep on practicing. 

How to improve problem solving skills with online courses

While it’s true that formal education won’t turn you into a master problem solver, you can still hone your skills with courses and certifications offered by online learning platforms :

• Analytical skills. You can sharpen your analytical skills with Data Analytics Basics for Everyone from IBM provided by edX (Free); or Decision Making and Analytical Thinking: Fortune 500 provided by Udemy (＄21,74).
• Creativity. And, to unlock your inner creative mind, you can try Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success from the Imperial College London provided by Coursera (Free).
• Critical thinking. Try Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking Specialization from Duke University provided by Coursera (Free); or Logical and Critical Thinking offered by The University of Auckland via FutureLearn.  
• Decision-making. Or, you can learn how to become more confident when it's time to make a decision with Decision-Making Strategies and Executive Decision-Making both offered by LinkedIn Learning (1 month free trial).
• Communication skills . Lastly, to improve your collaborative skills, check out Communicating for Influence and Impact online at University of Cambridge. 

The fact that everybody and their grandmothers put “ problem-solving skills ” on their CVs has turned the phrase into a cliche. 

But there's a way to incorporate these skills into your resume without sounding pretentious and empty. Below, we've prepared a mock-up resume that manages to do just that.

FYI, if you like this design, you can use the template to create your very own resume. Just click the red button and fill in your information (or let the AI do it for you).

Problem solving skills on resume example

This resume was written by our experienced resume writers specifically for this profession.

Why this example works?

• Firstly, the job description itself is neatly organized into bullet points .  
• Instead of simply listing soft skills in a skills section , you can incorporate them into the description of your work experience entry.  
• Also, the language here isn't vague . This resume puts each problem-solving skill into a real-life context by detailing specific situations and obstacles. 
• And, to highlight the impact of each skill on your previous job position, we recommend quantifying your results whenever possible. 
• Finally, starting each bullet point with an action verb (in bold) makes you look more dynamic and proactive.

To sum it all up, problem-solving skills continue gaining popularity among employers and employees alike. And for a good reason!

Because of them, you can overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of your professional life more efficiently and systematically. 

In essence, problem-solving skills refer to the ability to recognize a challenge, identify its root cause, think of possible solutions , and then implement the most effective one. 

Believing that these skills are all the same would be a serious misconception. In reality, this term encompasses a variety of different abilities , including:

In short, understanding, developing, and showcasing these skills, can greatly boost your chances at getting noticed by the hiring managers. So, don't hesitate and start working on your problem-solving skills right now!

Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

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What Are Problem-Solving Skills? (Definition, Examples, And How To List On A Resume)

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Summary. Problem-solving skills include analysis, creativity, prioritization, organization, and troubleshooting. To solve a problem, you need to use a variety of skills based on the needs of the situation. Most jobs essentially boil down to identifying and solving problems consistently and effectively. That’s why employers value problem-solving skills in job candidates for just about every role. We’ll cover problem-solving methods, ways to improve your problem-solving skills, and examples of showcasing your problem-solving skills during your job search . Key Takeaways: If you can show off your problem-solving skills on your resume , in your cover letter , and during a job interview, you’ll be one step closer to landing a job. Companies rely on employees who can handle unexpected challenges, identify persistent issues, and offer workable solutions in a positive way. It is important to improve problem solving skill because this is a skill that can be cultivated and nurtured so you can become better at dealing with problems over time. In This Article    Skip to section What Are Problem Solving Skills? Types of Problem-Solving Skills How to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills Example Answers to Problem-Solving Interview Questions How to Show Off Problem-Solving Skills on a Resume Example Resume and Cover Letter With Problem-Solving Skills More About Problem-Solving Skills Problem Solving Skills FAQs References Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs Show More What Are Problem Solving Skills?

Problem-solving skills are skills that help you identify and solve problems effectively and efficiently . Your ability to solve problems is one of the main ways that hiring managers and recruiters assess candidates, as those with excellent problem-solving skills are more likely to autonomously carry out their responsibilities.

A true problem solver can look at a situation, find the cause of the problem (or causes, because there are often many issues at play), and then come up with a reasonable solution that effectively fixes the problem or at least remedies most of it.

The ability to solve problems is considered a soft skill , meaning that it’s more of a personality trait than a skill you’ve learned at school, on the job, or through technical training.

That being said, your proficiency with various hard skills will have a direct bearing on your ability to solve problems. For example, it doesn’t matter if you’re a great problem-solver; if you have no experience with astrophysics, you probably won’t be hired as a space station technician .

Types of Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving is considered a skill on its own, but it’s supported by many other skills that can help you be a better problem solver. These skills fall into a few different categories of problem-solving skills.

Problem recognition and analysis. The first step is to recognize that there is a problem and discover what it is or what the root cause of it is.

You can’t begin to solve a problem unless you’re aware of it. Sometimes you’ll see the problem yourself and other times you’ll be told about the problem. Both methods of discovery are very important, but they can require some different skills. The following can be an important part of the process:

Active listening

Data analysis

Historical analysis

Communication

Create possible solutions. You know what the problem is, and you might even know the why of it, but then what? Your next step is the come up with some solutions.

Most of the time, the first solution you come up with won’t be the right one. Don’t fall victim to knee-jerk reactions; try some of the following methods to give you solution options.

Brainstorming

Forecasting

Decision-making

Topic knowledge/understanding

Process flow

Evaluation of solution options. Now that you have a lot of solution options, it’s time to weed through them and start casting some aside. There might be some ridiculous ones, bad ones, and ones you know could never be implemented. Throw them away and focus on the potentially winning ideas.

This step is probably the one where a true, natural problem solver will shine. They intuitively can put together mental scenarios and try out solutions to see their plusses and minuses. If you’re still working on your skill set — try listing the pros and cons on a sheet of paper.

Prioritizing

Evaluating and weighing

Solution implementation. This is your “take action” step. Once you’ve decided which way to go, it’s time to head down that path and see if you were right. This step takes a lot of people and management skills to make it work for you.

Dependability

Teambuilding

Troubleshooting

Follow-Through

Believability

Trustworthiness

Project management

Evaluation of the solution. Was it a good solution? Did your plan work or did it fail miserably? Sometimes the evaluation step takes a lot of work and review to accurately determine effectiveness. The following skills might be essential for a thorough evaluation.

Customer service

Feedback responses

Flexibility

How to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

You now have a ton of skills in front of you. Some of them you have naturally and some — not so much. If you want to solve a problem, and you want to be known for doing that well and consistently, then it’s time to sharpen those skills.

Develop industry knowledge. Whether it’s broad-based industry knowledge, on-the-job training , or very specific knowledge about a small sector — knowing all that you can and feeling very confident in your knowledge goes a long way to learning how to solve problems.

Be a part of a solution. Step up and become involved in the problem-solving process. Don’t lead — but follow. Watch an expert solve the problem and, if you pay attention, you’ll learn how to solve a problem, too. Pay attention to the steps and the skills that a person uses.

Practice solving problems. Do some role-playing with a mentor , a professor , co-workers, other students — just start throwing problems out there and coming up with solutions and then detail how those solutions may play out.

Go a step further, find some real-world problems and create your solutions, then find out what they did to solve the problem in actuality.

Identify your weaknesses. If you could easily point out a few of your weaknesses in the list of skills above, then those are the areas you need to focus on improving. How you do it is incredibly varied, so find a method that works for you.

Solve some problems — for real. If the opportunity arises, step in and use your problem-solving skills. You’ll never really know how good (or bad) you are at it until you fail.

That’s right, failing will teach you so much more than succeeding will. You’ll learn how to go back and readdress the problem, find out where you went wrong, learn more from listening even better. Failure will be your best teacher ; it might not make you feel good, but it’ll make you a better problem-solver in the long run.

Example Answers to Problem-Solving Interview Questions

Once you’ve impressed a hiring manager with top-notch problem-solving skills on your resume and cover letter , you’ll need to continue selling yourself as a problem-solver in the job interview.

There are three main ways that employers can assess your problem-solving skills during an interview:

By asking questions that relate to your past experiences solving problems

Posing hypothetical problems for you to solve

By administering problem-solving tests and exercises

The third method varies wildly depending on what job you’re applying for, so we won’t attempt to cover all the possible problem-solving tests and exercises that may be a part of your application process.

Luckily, interview questions focused on problem-solving are pretty well-known, and most can be answered using the STAR method . STAR stands for situation, task, action, result, and it’s a great way to organize your answers to behavioral interview questions .

Let’s take a look at how to answer some common interview questions built to assess your problem-solving capabilities:

At my current job as an operations analyst at XYZ Inc., my boss set a quarterly goal to cut contractor spending by 25% while maintaining the same level of production and moving more processes in-house. It turned out that achieving this goal required hiring an additional 6 full-time employees, which got stalled due to the pandemic. I suggested that we widen our net and hire remote employees after our initial applicant pool had no solid candidates. I ran the analysis on overhead costs and found that if even 4 of the 6 employees were remote, we’d save 16% annually compared to the contractors’ rates. In the end, all 6 employees we hired were fully remote, and we cut costs by 26% while production rose by a modest amount.

I try to step back and gather research as my first step. For instance, I had a client who needed a graphic designer to work with Crello, which I had never seen before, let alone used. After getting the project details straight, I began meticulously studying the program the YouTube tutorials, and the quick course Crello provides. I also reached out to coworkers who had worked on projects for this same client in the past. Once I felt comfortable with the software, I started work immediately. It was a slower process because I had to be more methodical in my approach, but by putting in some extra hours, I turned in the project ahead of schedule. The client was thrilled with my work and was shocked to hear me joke afterward that it was my first time using Crello.

As a digital marketer , website traffic and conversion rates are my ultimate metrics. However, I also track less visible metrics that can illuminate the story behind the results. For instance, using Google Analytics, I found that 78% of our referral traffic was coming from one affiliate, but that these referrals were only accounting for 5% of our conversions. Another affiliate, who only accounted for about 10% of our referral traffic, was responsible for upwards of 30% of our conversions. I investigated further and found that the second, more effective affiliate was essentially qualifying our leads for us before sending them our way, which made it easier for us to close. I figured out exactly how they were sending us better customers, and reached out to the first, more prolific but less effective affiliate with my understanding of the results. They were able to change their pages that were referring us traffic, and our conversions from that source tripled in just a month. It showed me the importance of digging below the “big picture” metrics to see the mechanics of how revenue was really being generated through digital marketing.

How to Show Off Problem-Solving Skills on a Resume

You can bring up your problem-solving skills in your resume summary statement , in your work experience , and under your education section , if you’re a recent graduate. The key is to include items on your resume that speak direclty to your ability to solve problems and generate results.

If you can, quantify your problem-solving accomplishments on your your resume . Hiring managers and recruiters are always more impressed with results that include numbers because they provide much-needed context.

This sample resume for a Customer Service Representative will give you an idea of how you can work problem solving into your resume.

Example Resume and Cover Letter With Problem-Solving Skills

Michelle Beattle 111 Millennial Parkway Chicago, IL 60007 (555) 987-6543 [email protected] Professional Summary Qualified Customer Services Representative with 3 years in a high-pressure customer service environment. Professional, personable, and a true problem solver. Work History ABC Store — Customer Service Representative 01/2015 — 12/2017 Managed in-person and phone relations with customers coming in to pick up purchases, return purchased products, helped find and order items not on store shelves, and explained details and care of merchandise. Became a key player in the customer service department and was promoted to team lead. XYZ Store — Customer Service Representative/Night Manager 01/2018 — 03/2020, released due to Covid-19 layoffs Worked as the night manager of the customer service department and filled in daytime hours when needed. Streamlined a process of moving customers to the right department through an app to ease the burden on the phone lines and reduce customer wait time by 50%. Was working on additional wait time problems when the Covid-19 pandemic caused our stores to close permanently. Education Chicago Tech 2014-2016 Earned an Associate’s Degree in Principles of Customer Care Skills Strong customer service skills Excellent customer complaint resolution Stock record management Order fulfillment New product information Cash register skills and proficiency Leader in problem solving initiatives

You can see how the resume gives you a chance to point out your problem-solving skills and to show where you used them a few times. Your cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself and list a few things that make you stand out from the crowd.

Michelle Beattle 111 Millennial Parkway Chicago, IL 60007 (555) 987-6543 [email protected] Dear Mary McDonald, I am writing in response to your ad on Zippia for a Customer Service Representative . Thank you for taking the time to consider me for this position. Many people believe that a job in customer service is simply listening to people complain all day. I see the job as much more than that. It’s an opportunity to help people solve problems, make their experience with your company more enjoyable, and turn them into life-long advocates of your brand. Through my years of experience and my educational background at Chicago Tech, where I earned an Associate’s Degree in the Principles of Customer Care, I have learned that the customers are the lifeline of the business and without good customer service representatives, a business will falter. I see it as my mission to make each and every customer I come in contact with a fan. I have more than five years of experience in the Customer Services industry and had advanced my role at my last job to Night Manager. I am eager to again prove myself as a hard worker, a dedicated people person, and a problem solver that can be relied upon. I have built a professional reputation as an employee that respects all other employees and customers, as a manager who gets the job done and finds solutions when necessary, and a worker who dives in to learn all she can about the business. Most of my customers have been very satisfied with my resolution ideas and have returned to do business with us again. I believe my expertise would make me a great match for LMNO Store. I have enclosed my resume for your review, and I would appreciate having the opportunity to meet with you to further discuss my qualifications. Thank you again for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Michelle Beattle

More About Problem-Solving Skills

You’ve no doubt noticed that many of the skills listed in the problem-solving process are repeated. This is because having these abilities or talents is so important to the entire course of getting a problem solved.

In fact, they’re worthy of a little more attention. Many of them are similar, so we’ll pull them together and discuss how they’re important and how they work together.

Communication, active listening, and customer service skills. No matter where you are in the process of problem-solving, you need to be able to show that you’re listening and engaged and really hearing what the problem is or what a solution may be.

Obviously, the other part of this is being able to communicate effectively so people understand what you’re saying without confusion. Rolled into this are customer service skills , which really are all about listening and responding appropriately — it’s the ultimate in interpersonal communications.

Analysis (data and historical), research, and topic knowledge/understanding. This is how you intellectually grasp the issue and approach it. This can come from studying the topic and the process or it can come from knowledge you’ve gained after years in the business. But the best solutions come from people who thoroughly understand the problem.

Creativity, brainstorming, troubleshooting, and flexibility. All of you creative thinkers will like this area because it’s when your brain is at its best.

Coming up with ideas, collaborating with others, leaping over hurdles, and then being able to change courses immediately, if need be, are all essential. If you’re not creative by nature, then having a team of diverse thinkers can help you in this area.

Dependability, believability, trustworthiness, and follow-through. Think about it, these are all traits a person needs to have to make change happen and to make you comfortable taking that next step with them. Someone who is shifty and shady and never follows through, well, you’re simply not going to do what they ask, are you?

Leadership, teambuilding, decision-making, and project management. These are the skills that someone who is in charge is brimming with. These are the leaders you enjoy working for because you know they’re doing what they can to keep everything in working order. These skills can be learned but they’re often innate.

Prioritizing, prediction, forecasting, evaluating and weighing, and process flow. If you love flow charts, data analysis, prediction modeling, and all of that part of the equation, then you might have some great problem-solving abilities.

These are all great skills because they can help you weed out bad ideas, see flaws, and save massive amounts of time in trial and error.

Problem Solving Skills FAQs

What is a good example of problem-solving skills?

Good examples of porblem-solving skills include research, analysis, creativity, communciation, and decision-making. Each of these skills build off one another to contribute to the problem solving process. Research and analysis allow you to identify a problem.

Creativity and analysis help you consider different solutions. Meanwhile, communication and decision-making are key to working with others to solve a problem on a large scale.

What are 3 key attributes of a good problem solver?

3 key attributes of a good problem solver are persistence, intellegince, and empathy. Persistence is crucial to remain motivated to work through challenges. Inellegince is needed to make smart, informed choices. Empathy is crucial to maintain positive relationships with others as well as yourself.

What can I say instead of problem-solving skills?

Instead of saying problem-solving skills, you can say the following:

Critical thinker

Solutions-oriented

Engineering

Using different words is helpful, especially when writing your resume and cover letter.

What is problem-solving in the workplace?

Problem-solving in the workplace is the ability to work through any sort of challenge, conflict, or unexpected situation and still achieve business goals. Though it varies by profession, roblem-solving in the workplace is very important for almost any job, because probelms are inevitable. You need to have the appropriate level of problem-solving skills if you want to succeed in your career, whatever it may be.

Department of Labor – Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

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Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.

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Culture Development

Workplace problem-solving examples: real scenarios, practical solutions.

• March 11, 2024

From conflicts among employees to high levels of stress, workplace problems can significantly impact productivity and overall well-being. However, by developing the art of problem-solving and implementing practical solutions, organizations can effectively tackle these challenges and foster a positive work culture.

In this article, we will delve into various workplace problem scenarios and explore strategies for resolution. By understanding common workplace problems and acquiring essential problem-solving skills, individuals and organizations can navigate these challenges with confidence and success.

Understanding Workplace Problems

Before we can effectively solve workplace problems , it is essential to gain a clear understanding of the issues at hand. Identifying common workplace problems is the first step toward finding practical solutions. By recognizing these challenges, organizations can develop targeted strategies and initiatives to address them.

Identifying Common Workplace Problems

One of the most common workplace problems is conflict. Whether it stems from differences in opinions, miscommunication, or personality clashes, conflict among colleagues can disrupt collaboration and hinder productivity. It is important to note that conflict is a natural part of any workplace, as individuals with different backgrounds and perspectives come together to work towards a common goal. However, when conflict is not managed effectively, it can escalate and create a toxic work environment.

In addition to conflict, workplace stress and burnout pose significant challenges. High workloads, tight deadlines, and a lack of work-life balance can all contribute to employee stress and dissatisfaction. When employees are overwhelmed and exhausted, their performance and overall well-being are compromised. This not only affects the individuals directly, but it also has a ripple effect on the entire organization.

Another common workplace problem is poor communication. Ineffective communication can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and errors. It can also create a sense of confusion and frustration among employees. Clear and open communication is vital for successful collaboration and the smooth functioning of any organization.

The Impact of Workplace Problems on Productivity

Workplace problems can have a detrimental effect on productivity levels. When conflicts are left unresolved, they can create a tense work environment, leading to decreased employee motivation and engagement. The negative energy generated by unresolved conflicts can spread throughout the organization, affecting team dynamics and overall performance.

Similarly, high levels of stress and burnout can result in decreased productivity, as individuals may struggle to focus and perform optimally. When employees are constantly under pressure and overwhelmed, their ability to think creatively and problem-solve diminishes. This can lead to a decline in the quality of work produced and an increase in errors and inefficiencies.

Poor communication also hampers productivity. When information is not effectively shared or understood, it can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and rework. This not only wastes time and resources but also creates frustration and demotivation among employees.

Furthermore, workplace problems can negatively impact employee morale and job satisfaction. When individuals are constantly dealing with conflicts, stress, and poor communication, their overall job satisfaction and engagement suffer. This can result in higher turnover rates , as employees seek a healthier and more supportive work environment.

Workplace problems such as conflict, stress, burnout, and poor communication can significantly hinder productivity and employee well-being. Organizations must address these issues promptly and proactively to create a positive and productive work atmosphere. By fostering open communication, providing support for stress management, and promoting conflict resolution strategies, organizations can create a work environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and employee satisfaction.

The Art of Problem Solving in the Workplace

Now that we have a clear understanding of workplace problems, let’s explore the essential skills necessary for effective problem-solving in the workplace. By developing these skills and adopting a proactive approach, individuals can tackle problems head-on and find practical solutions.

Problem-solving in the workplace is a complex and multifaceted skill that requires a combination of analytical thinking, creativity, and effective communication. It goes beyond simply identifying problems and extends to finding innovative solutions that address the root causes.

Essential Problem-Solving Skills for the Workplace

To effectively solve workplace problems, individuals should possess a range of skills. These include strong analytical and critical thinking abilities, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to collaborate and work well in a team, and the capacity to adapt to change. By honing these skills, individuals can approach workplace problems with confidence and creativity.

Analytical and critical thinking skills are essential for problem-solving in the workplace. They involve the ability to gather and analyze relevant information, identify patterns and trends, and make logical connections. These skills enable individuals to break down complex problems into manageable components and develop effective strategies to solve them.

Effective communication and interpersonal skills are also crucial for problem-solving in the workplace. These skills enable individuals to clearly articulate their thoughts and ideas, actively listen to others, and collaborate effectively with colleagues. By fostering open and honest communication channels, individuals can better understand the root causes of problems and work towards finding practical solutions.

Collaboration and teamwork are essential for problem-solving in the workplace. By working together, individuals can leverage their diverse skills, knowledge, and perspectives to generate innovative solutions. Collaboration fosters a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone’s ideas are valued, leading to more effective problem-solving outcomes.

The ability to adapt to change is another important skill for problem-solving in the workplace. In today’s dynamic work environment, problems often arise due to changes in technology, processes, or market conditions. Individuals who can embrace change and adapt quickly are better equipped to find solutions that address the evolving needs of the organization.

The Role of Communication in Problem Solving

Communication is a key component of effective problem-solving in the workplace. By fostering open and honest communication channels, individuals can better understand the root causes of problems and work towards finding practical solutions. Active listening, clear and concise articulation of thoughts and ideas, and the ability to empathize are all valuable communication skills that facilitate problem-solving.

Active listening involves fully engaging with the speaker, paying attention to both verbal and non-verbal cues, and seeking clarification when necessary. By actively listening, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of the problem at hand and the perspectives of others involved. This understanding is crucial for developing comprehensive and effective solutions.

Clear and concise articulation of thoughts and ideas is essential for effective problem-solving communication. By expressing oneself clearly, individuals can ensure that their ideas are understood by others. This clarity helps to avoid misunderstandings and promotes effective collaboration.

Empathy is a valuable communication skill that plays a significant role in problem-solving. By putting oneself in the shoes of others and understanding their emotions and perspectives, individuals can build trust and rapport. This empathetic connection fosters a supportive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute to finding solutions.

Problem-solving in the workplace requires a combination of essential skills such as analytical thinking, effective communication, collaboration, and adaptability. By honing these skills and fostering open communication channels, individuals can approach workplace problems with confidence and creativity, leading to practical and innovative solutions.

Real Scenarios of Workplace Problems

Now, let’s explore some real scenarios of workplace problems and delve into strategies for resolution. By examining these practical examples, individuals can develop a deeper understanding of how to approach and solve workplace problems.

Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

Imagine a scenario where two team members have conflicting ideas on how to approach a project. The disagreement becomes heated, leading to a tense work environment. To resolve this conflict, it is crucial to encourage open dialogue between the team members. Facilitating a calm and respectful conversation can help uncover underlying concerns and find common ground. Collaboration and compromise are key in reaching a resolution that satisfies all parties involved.

In this particular scenario, let’s dive deeper into the dynamics between the team members. One team member, let’s call her Sarah, strongly believes that a more conservative and traditional approach is necessary for the project’s success. On the other hand, her colleague, John, advocates for a more innovative and out-of-the-box strategy. The clash between their perspectives arises from their different backgrounds and experiences.

As the conflict escalates, it is essential for a neutral party, such as a team leader or a mediator, to step in and facilitate the conversation. This person should create a safe space for both Sarah and John to express their ideas and concerns without fear of judgment or retribution. By actively listening to each other, they can gain a better understanding of the underlying motivations behind their respective approaches.

During the conversation, it may become apparent that Sarah’s conservative approach stems from a fear of taking risks and a desire for stability. On the other hand, John’s innovative mindset is driven by a passion for pushing boundaries and finding creative solutions. Recognizing these underlying motivations can help foster empathy and create a foundation for collaboration.

As the dialogue progresses, Sarah and John can begin to identify areas of overlap and potential compromise. They may realize that while Sarah’s conservative approach provides stability, John’s innovative ideas can inject fresh perspectives into the project. By combining their strengths and finding a middle ground, they can develop a hybrid strategy that incorporates both stability and innovation.

Ultimately, conflict resolution in the workplace requires effective communication, active listening, empathy, and a willingness to find common ground. By addressing conflicts head-on and fostering a collaborative environment, teams can overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

Dealing with Workplace Stress and Burnout

Workplace stress and burnout can be debilitating for individuals and organizations alike. In this scenario, an employee is consistently overwhelmed by their workload and experiencing signs of burnout. To address this issue, organizations should promote a healthy work-life balance and provide resources to manage stress effectively. Encouraging employees to take breaks, providing access to mental health support, and fostering a supportive work culture are all practical solutions to alleviate workplace stress.

In this particular scenario, let’s imagine that the employee facing stress and burnout is named Alex. Alex has been working long hours, often sacrificing personal time and rest to meet tight deadlines and demanding expectations. As a result, Alex is experiencing physical and mental exhaustion, reduced productivity, and a sense of detachment from work.

Recognizing the signs of burnout, Alex’s organization takes proactive measures to address the issue. They understand that employee well-being is crucial for maintaining a healthy and productive workforce. To promote a healthy work-life balance, the organization encourages employees to take regular breaks and prioritize self-care. They emphasize the importance of disconnecting from work during non-working hours and encourage employees to engage in activities that promote relaxation and rejuvenation.

Additionally, the organization provides access to mental health support services, such as counseling or therapy sessions. They recognize that stress and burnout can have a significant impact on an individual’s mental well-being and offer resources to help employees manage their stress effectively. By destigmatizing mental health and providing confidential support, the organization creates an environment where employees feel comfortable seeking help when needed.

Furthermore, the organization fosters a supportive work culture by promoting open communication and empathy. They encourage managers and colleagues to check in with each other regularly, offering support and understanding. Team members are encouraged to collaborate and share the workload, ensuring that no one person is overwhelmed with excessive responsibilities.

By implementing these strategies, Alex’s organization aims to alleviate workplace stress and prevent burnout. They understand that a healthy and balanced workforce is more likely to be engaged, productive, and satisfied. Through a combination of promoting work-life balance, providing mental health support, and fostering a supportive work culture, organizations can effectively address workplace stress and create an environment conducive to employee well-being.

Practical Solutions to Workplace Problems

Now that we have explored real examples of workplace conflict scenarios, let’s discuss practical solutions that organizations can implement to address workplace problems. By adopting proactive strategies and establishing effective policies, organizations can create a positive work environment conducive to problem-solving and productivity.

Implementing Effective Policies for Problem Resolution

Organizations should have clear and well-defined policies in place to address workplace problems. These policies should outline procedures for conflict resolution, channels for reporting problems, and accountability measures. By ensuring that employees are aware of these policies and have easy access to them, organizations can facilitate problem-solving and prevent issues from escalating.

Promoting a Positive Workplace Culture

A positive workplace culture is vital for problem-solving. By fostering an environment of respect, collaboration, and open communication, organizations can create a space where individuals feel empowered to address and solve problems. Encouraging teamwork, recognizing and appreciating employees’ contributions, and promoting a healthy work-life balance are all ways to cultivate a positive workplace culture.

The Role of Leadership in Problem Solving in the Workplace

Leadership plays a crucial role in facilitating effective problem-solving within organizations. Different leadership styles can impact how problems are approached and resolved.

Leadership Styles and Their Impact on Problem-Solving

Leaders who adopt an autocratic leadership style may make decisions independently, potentially leaving their team members feeling excluded and undervalued. On the other hand, leaders who adopt a democratic leadership style involve their team members in the problem-solving process, fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment. By encouraging employee participation, organizations can leverage the diverse perspectives and expertise of their workforce to find innovative solutions to workplace problems.

Encouraging Employee Participation in Problem Solving

To harness an organization’s collective problem-solving abilities, it is crucial to encourage employee participation. Leaders can create opportunities for employees to contribute their ideas and perspectives through brainstorming sessions, team meetings, and collaborative projects. By valuing employee input and involving them in decision-making processes, organizations can foster a culture of inclusivity and drive innovative problem-solving efforts.

Workplace problems are unavoidable. However, by understanding common workplace problems, developing essential problem-solving skills, and implementing practical solutions, individuals and organizations can navigate these challenges effectively. By fostering a positive work culture, implementing effective policies, and encouraging employee participation, organizations can create an environment conducive to problem-solving and productivity. With proactive problem-solving strategies in place, organizations can thrive and overcome obstacles, ensuring long-term success and growth.

Contact us today to learn how culture can transform your business.

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8 Essential Sales Negotiation Skills

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett is one of the world’s most successful investors, with a net worth of $135 billion. He’s also earned a reputation as one of the world’s most skilled negotiators.

Buffet is known for doing his research and preparing for negotiations with meticulous detail. Successful sales professionals must be able to negotiate like Buffett, particularly in complex B2B sales environments.

Sales professionals in every industry face intense competition, changing customer demands, and pricing pressures. Here are eight sales negotiations skills to help your sales team identify value, negotiate favorable terms, and build strong relationships.

What’s the Difference Between Sales Negotiation and Overcoming Objections?

First, a quick overview of the difference between negotiation and overcoming objections . While overcoming objections and negotiating are related, they serve distinct purposes and involve separate approaches.

Overcoming objections is a critical step in moving the sales process forward and gaining the customer’s commitment. The goal is to provide clarification, counter misconceptions, and alleviate the customer’s objections or hesitations.

Objection handling involves addressing and resolving specific concerns, doubts, or reservations raised by the customer regarding the product, service, pricing, terms, or other aspects of the offering. It occurs throughout the sales cycle, from the initial prospecting stage to the final decision-making phase.

Negotiating is a back-and-forth dialogue between the sales professional and the customer, where both parties aim to reach an agreement that meets their needs and interests. The goal is to find a mutually acceptable compromise or solution that satisfies each side’s objectives.

Negotiation often focuses on specific terms such as pricing, delivery timelines, payment terms, or additional services or warranties. It typically happens toward the end of the sales cycle, once the customer has shown interest and is considering the final terms of the deal.

The main differences are:

• Timing: Objections can arise at any point during the sales process, while negotiations usually occur near the final stages.
• Focus: Overcoming objections addresses specific concerns or doubts, while negotiating involves bargaining and finding compromises on deal terms.
• Approach: Overcoming objections often involves providing information, clarifying, and addressing misunderstandings, while negotiating involves a give-and-take process of finding common ground.
• Outcome: Overcoming objections aims to alleviate concerns and move the sales process forward, while negotiating aims to reach a final agreement on the deal terms.

It’s important to note that, while these are distinct activities, they are interconnected.

Effectively overcoming objections throughout the sales process can set the stage for more successful negotiations by building trust, addressing concerns, and demonstrating value. Conversely, strong negotiation skills can help overcome objections related to specific deal terms or conditions.

Top Sales Negotiation Skills to Drive Growth

The most effective negotiation skills in sales are based on a value selling approach. Value-based selling focuses on the benefits of a product or service to a potential customer, or prospect, throughout the sales process. It’s also known as value-added selling or consultative selling.

By embracing a value-based selling approach and incorporating these negotiation strategies into your sales training , your team will be able to position themselves as trusted advisors, differentiate their offerings, and achieve win-win outcomes that drive customer success and long-term business growth, just like Warren Buffett.

1. Define the Value Proposition

Before entering a negotiation, clearly define the unique value proposition your product or solution offers to the customer. Understand their specific pain points, objectives, and desired outcomes. Quantify the potential benefits—such as increased productivity, cost savings, or competitive advantages—to build a strong case for your offering’s value.

2. Believe in Your Value

Conviction in the value you bring is essential. If you don’t truly believe in the worth of your offering, you won’t be able to negotiate effectively. Conduct thorough research, gather customer success stories, and build confidence in your ability to deliver tangible results for the customer.

3. Understand the Customer’s Behavior Style

Leverage tools like DISC assessments to understand the customer’s behavior patterns, communication preferences, and decision-making styles. Tailor your approach accordingly, whether you’re dealing with a dominant, analytical, or steady personality type.

4. Anticipate and Prepare for Buyer Tactics

Be ready to respond to common buyer tactics, such as comparisons to competitors, threats, or quick compromises. Understand the customer’s budget constraints and decision-making dynamics to counter these tactics effectively.

5. Ask Probing Questions

Steer the negotiation by asking insightful consultative sales questions that uncover the customer’s underlying needs, motivations, and decision criteria. This allows you to position your value proposition more effectively and potentially uncover additional opportunities for value creation.

6. Listen Actively

Practice active listening during the negotiation. Summarize the customer’s key points to ensure understanding and demonstrate your commitment to addressing their concerns. This can also help the customer recognize if their requests are unreasonable.

7. Define a Successful Outcome

Understand what constitutes a “good deal” from the customer’s perspective. Align your negotiation strategy to ensure the customer feels satisfied with the outcome—fostering a long-term relationship based on trust and mutual success.

8. Know When to Walk Away

While maintaining a strong sales pipeline is important, be prepared to walk away from a deal if it’s not mutually beneficial. This demonstrates your commitment to value creation and prevents you from compromising on terms that could undermine your profitability or long-term success.

Sales Negotiation Skills Training from The Brooks Group

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Written By Dan Markin

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Module 5: Thinking and Analysis

Problem-solving with critical thinking, learning outcomes.

• Describe how critical thinking skills can be used in problem-solving

Most of us face problems that we must solve every day. While some problems are more complex than others, we can apply critical thinking skills to every problem by asking questions like, what information am I missing? Why and how is it important? What are the contributing factors that lead to the problem? What resources are available to solve the problem? These questions are just the start of being able to think of innovative and effective solutions. Read through the following critical thinking, problem-solving process to identify steps you are already familiar with as well as opportunities to build a more critical approach to solving problems.

Problem-Solving Process

Step 1: define the problem.

Albert Einstein once said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.”

Often, when we first hear of or learn about a problem, we do not have all the information. If we immediately try to find a solution without having a thorough understanding of the problem, then we may only be solving a part of the problem.  This is called a “band-aid fix,” or when a symptom is addressed, but not the actual problem. While these band-aid fixes may provide temporary relief, if the actual problem is not addressed soon, then the problem will continue and likely get worse. Therefore, the first step when using critical thinking to solve problems is to identify the problem. The goal during this step is to gather enough research to determine how widespread the problem is, its nature, and its importance.

Step 2: Analyze the Causes

This step is used to uncover assumptions and underlying problems that are at the root of the problem. This step is important since you will need to ensure that whatever solution is chosen addresses the actual cause, or causes, of the problem.

Asking “why” questions to uncover root causes

A common way to uncover root causes is by asking why questions. When we are given an answer to a why question, we will often need to question that answer itself. Thus the process of asking “why” is an  iterative process —meaning that it is a process that we can repeatedly apply. When we stop asking why questions depends on what information we need and that can differ depending on what the goals are. For a better understanding, see the example below:

Problem: The lamp does not turn on.

• Why doesn’t the lamp turn on? The fuse is blown.
• Why is the fuse blown? There was overloaded circuit.
• Why was the circuit overloaded? The hair dryer was on.

If one is simply a homeowner or tenant, then it might be enough to simply know that if the hair dryer is on, the circuit will overload and turn off.  However, one can always ask further why questions, depending on what the goal is. For example, suppose someone wants to know if all hair dryers overload circuits or just this one. We might continue thus:

• Why did this hair dryer overload the circuit? Because hair dryers in general require a lot of electricity.

But now suppose we are an electrical engineer and are interested in designing a more environmentally friendly hair dryer. In that case, we might ask further:

• Why do hair dryers require so much energy?

As you can see from this example, what counts as a root cause depends on context and interests. The homeowner will not necessarily be interested in asking the further why questions whereas others might be.

Step 3: Generate Solutions

The goal of this step is to generate as many solutions as possible. In order to do so, brainstorm as many ideas as possible, no matter how outrageous or ineffective the idea might seem at the time. During your brainstorming session, it is important to generate solutions freely without editing or evaluating any of the ideas. The more solutions that you can generate, the more innovative and effective your ultimate solution might become upon later review.

You might find that setting a timer for fifteen to thirty minutes will help you to creatively push past the point when you think you are done. Another method might be to set a target for how many ideas you will generate. You might also consider using categories to trigger ideas. If you are brainstorming with a group, consider brainstorming individually for a while and then also brainstorming together as ideas can build from one idea to the next.

Step 4: Select a Solution

Once the brainstorming session is complete, then it is time to evaluate the solutions and select the more effective one.  Here you will consider how each solution will address the causes determined in step 2. It is also helpful to develop the criteria you will use when evaluating each solution, for instance, cost, time, difficulty level, resources needed, etc. Once your criteria for evaluation is established, then consider ranking each criterion by importance since some solutions might meet all criteria, but not to equally effective degrees.

In addition to evaluating by criteria, ensure that you consider possibilities and consequences of all serious contenders to address any drawbacks to a solution. Lastly, ensure that the solutions are actually feasible.

Step 6: Put Solution into Action

While many problem-solving models stop at simply selecting a solution, in order to actually solve a problem, the solution must be put into action. Here, you take responsibility to create, communicate, and execute the plan with detailed organizational logistics by addressing who will be responsible for what, when, and how.

Step 7: Evaluate progress

The final step when employing critical thinking to problem-solving is to evaluate the progress of the solution. Since critical thinking demands open-mindedness, analysis, and a willingness to change one’s mind, it is important to monitor how well the solution has actually solved the problem in order to determine if any course correction is needed.

While we solve problems every day, following the process to apply more critical thinking approaches in each step by considering what information might be missing; analyzing the problem and causes; remaining open-minded while brainstorming solutions; and providing criteria for, evaluating, and monitoring solutions can help you to become a better problem-solver and strengthen your critical thinking skills.

iterative process: one that can be repeatedly applied

• Problem solving. Authored by : Anne Fleischer. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• College Success. Authored by : Matthew Van Cleave. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• wocintech stock - 178. Authored by : WOCinTech Chat. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/FiGVWt . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Five whys. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_whys . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

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Brain Teasers For Grown-Ups: 20 Riddles To Keep You Sharp

Updated August 23, 2024

Whether you’re looking to challenge your mind, entertain friends, or just enjoy a fun mental workout , riddles are a fantastic way to do it. While we often associate riddles with children’s games , some of the best ones are designed to stump even the sharpest adults. We’ve compiled a list of 20 clever and tricky riddles for adults that will test your problem-solving skills and keep you thinking. Ready to see how many you can solve? Dive in and put your brainpower to the test!

Riddle: I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I? Answer: An echo. Riddle: I’m not alive, but I can grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air; I don’t have a mouth, and I can drown. What am I? Answer: Fire. Riddle: I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold me for much longer than a minute. What am I? Answer: Breath. Riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? Answer: Footsteps. Riddle: I have cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and rivers, but no water. What am I? Answer: A map. Riddle: What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years? Answer: The letter “M”. Riddle: I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter, but you can’t go outside. What am I? Answer: A keyboard. Riddle: I am always hungry and will die if not fed, but whatever I touch will soon turn red. What am I? Answer: Fire. Riddle: I can fly without wings. I can cry without eyes. Wherever I go, darkness flies. What am I? Answer: A cloud. Riddle: I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I? Answer: A joke. Riddle: I’m found in socks, scarves, and mittens ; and often in the paws of playful kittens. What am I? Answer: Yarn. Riddle: I can be long or short; I can be grown or bought; I can be painted or left bare; I can be round or square. What am I? Answer: A nail. Riddle: I turn everything around, but I cannot move. What am I? Answer: A mirror. Riddle: I’m not a bird, but I can fly through the sky. I’m not a river, but I’m full of water. What am I? Answer: A cloud. Riddle: I go in hard, come out soft, and I am never the same. What am I? Answer: Chewing gum. Riddle: The more you have of me, the less you see. What am I? Answer: Darkness. Riddle: I have branches, but no fruit, trunk, or leaves. What am I? Answer: A bank. Riddle: I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I? Answer: A candle. Riddle: I can fill a room, but I take up no space. What am I? Answer: Light. Riddle: What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it? Answer: Silence.

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Add a method, remove a method, edit datasets, application of prompt learning models in identifying the collaborative problem solving skills in an online task.

17 Jul 2024  ·  Mengxiao Zhu , Xin Wang , Xiantao Wang , Zihang Chen , Wei Huang · Edit social preview

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) competence is considered one of the essential 21st-century skills. To facilitate the assessment and learning of CPS competence, researchers have proposed a series of frameworks to conceptualize CPS and explored ways to make sense of the complex processes involved in collaborative problem solving. However, encoding explicit behaviors into subskills within the frameworks of CPS skills is still a challenging task. Traditional studies have relied on manual coding to decipher behavioral data for CPS, but such coding methods can be very time-consuming and cannot support real-time analyses. Scholars have begun to explore approaches for constructing automatic coding models. Nevertheless, the existing models built using machine learning or deep learning techniques depend on a large amount of training data and have relatively low accuracy. To address these problems, this paper proposes a prompt-based learning pre-trained model. The model can achieve high performance even with limited training data. In this study, three experiments were conducted, and the results showed that our model not only produced the highest accuracy, macro F1 score, and kappa values on large training sets, but also performed the best on small training sets of the CPS behavioral data. The application of the proposed prompt-based learning pre-trained model contributes to the CPS skills coding task and can also be used for other CSCW coding tasks to replace manual coding.

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