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July 07, 2012 at 12:00 AM
There are dozens of selling skills that a good salesperson should have. Here are three more that are vitally important.
1. Presentation skills. “Um, I’d like to, uh, discuss how our service can, um, help you, uh, reduce employee turnover.” Not a very compelling way to begin a sales presentation, is it? Yet, this type of opening is not uncommon. There are two aspects of presentations you need to consider: content and verbal presentation.
Content: Too many salespeople include far too much information in their presentations and open them by talking about their company instead of the buyers’ situations. Discuss only the aspects of your offering that are critical for your prospect to know.
See also: 3 Essential Skills Every Salesperson Needs, Part 1
Verbal presentation: Consider your pace, timing and delivery. The more important a potential sale is for you, the more critical it is that you rehearse. Watch your body language, gestures and facial expressions.
The best way to improve your presentation skills is to videotape a presentation and watch it afterward. It can be painful to watch yourself in action, but it is the most effective way to see how you actually deliver a presentation.
2. Rapport-building. Developing a connection is still important in today’s sales environment even though we rely heavily on technology. People still buy from people. Creating rapport with someone means making a connection. This does not mean that you talk about a photo on the desk or an award on the wall. That approach is severely outdated. Instead, you need to be able to 
3. Objection handling. 