With just this assignment and one final standing between me and my undergraduate degree, I am very excited to start my career at PNC Bank as a Financial Specialist. While this may sound very fancy and a position that requires certificates to even be considered an employee, my primary day-to-day activities will include selling financial packages and products to customers as well as making between 20 and 30 cold-calls each day to prospects that already have accounts or may be interested in opening an account with PNC. While I was initially disappointed that I was taking a sales class that included just a few of my peers in the class, I am very grateful that I took this class right before starting my upcoming sales job.
Through this class I have to major takeaways that I will use heavily in my job: always ask questions and the prospect should be talking more than listening (70:30).
As a financial specialist, my position hinges on whether I am able to detect and diagnose problems in people’s portfolios, mortgages, insurance plans, etc. From there, I will be able to provide a solution to these issues and satisfy my customers. The only way, though, that I am going to be able to identify these problems is if I ask questions. Rather than try to assume why they want to re-finance their house or purchase a specific stock, asking questions will put the client at ease by showing them that I am interested in their specific problem and that I am able to generate a unique solution to help them.
A second principle that I have taken from this class is the concept of listening more than talking. Daniel Pink describes a golden ratio of 70:30 to describe how much prospects should be talking as compared to their customers. Keeping this ratio in mine, I will be able to show my clients that I am interested and engaged in their problems or questions and that I am willing to listen to their opinion and suggestions. Overall, this will provide for a more fluid sales process.
I know that the concepts that I have learned in this class will help me to become a better saleswoman in my upcoming job at PNC Bank.
BoweryJE22