The eight focus areas below define the profession of selling. These areas provide insight into the daily behaviors of highly-competent salespeople. By understanding each of the focus areas (defined in the Compendium of Professional Selling as Selling Ability Areas), allow salespeople and organizations to better manage sales competency and sales process. This unlocks results, efficiency, and effectiveness with potential buyers. All of the Selling Ability Areas below are defined in greater detail in our Compendium of Professional Selling. Note: In the currently published version of the CoPS, there are nine Selling Ability Areas. For the next release of the Compendium (2008), there are eight as outlined below.
Sales Cycle Management details the ability to initiate, plan, and execute a sales process in order for a solution to be assimilated into the buying organization.
Relationship Management outlines the ability to become a trusted advisor through communication and influencing others ethically through collaborative dialogue.
Expectation Management details the ability for salespeople to continue their relationship after the sale, manage resources, provide the right levels of service and properly set expectations throughout the sales process.
Technology Management outlines the ability for salespeople to properly identify and leverage technology in order to maximize personal and organizational effectiveness and facilitate buyer-focused relationships and strategies.
Communication Management details the ability for the salesperson
to understand their choices in selecting, delivering, and leveraging communications strategies and mediums in the most effective way.
Required Selling Knowledge.
The ability to sell and leverage the focus areas is often dependant on the underlying knowledge of salespeople. Therefore, knowledge and ability become the foundation of high competency
The 7-Roles of Highly Competent Salespeople.
The roles defined as the characteristic and expected selling behavior of a salesperson. Within the framework of the focus areas, these roles help determine our success -- or failure.
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