Kim Eyre, head of sales at software giant Sage’s small business division talks to SalesTarget about the importance of listening to the customer, becoming successful without having formal qualifications and why she stepped away from the hairdressing world.
1. What was the first thing you sold?
Newspapers. We lived in a really small village that had no shops, so when my brother took over the agency for Nottingham Evening Post, he put me to work selling newspaper deliveries to our neighbours. He made me put all the money into shares which ended up being really useful when I bought my first house.
2. Did you intend to go into sales when you started your career?
No, in fact I left school and became a hairdresser, running my own business at 18. Although I did manage to sell shampoo and the odd styling product.
3. What’s the single most important quality you need to succeed as a salesperson?
Integrity. If you want to turn your sales job into a long-term career you have be to honest and stick to your morals. Gone are the days of sell at all cost. If you work with your customers they will buy from you and your long term success is guaranteed.
4. What is the one thing you would love to sell?
Experiences of a lifetime - how great would it be to help someone make their dream come true?
5. What is the last thing you’d want to sell?
Something that the person didn’t need or want: it shows you have no integrity. Instead you need to work with your customers to identify their needs and find a solution.
6. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
To treat people how they want to be treated and not to assume, to ask questions and seek to understand.
7. What advice would you give to someone following in your footsteps?
To be true to yourself and treat each challenge as an opportunity to overcome. I have no degree or formal qualifications and have successfully run large sales operations in a number of industries. It is all about asking questions, really listening to the response and using this to inform the next steps.
8. What did you buy with your first bonus?
Whilst I always do something practical, like invest or take a holiday, I also allow myself one little treat, and much to my husband’s dismay I have a small addiction to shoes.
9. Who do you most admire in your industry?
Steve Jobs. I admire the courage of his convictions and his belief in recruiting people with the right behaviours.
10. How would you sell ice to an Eskimo?
I would talk with them to understand what they were looking to achieve and see how I could match that problem with a solution - after all you just never know when they might need an extension to their igloo.
11. How important is image for a salesperson?
Image is less important than behaviour – people buy from people and it is how you behave and interact that will drive your success. That said, people do often judge a book by its cover.
12. What is the single most important skill you need to close a sale?
The ability to really listen and understand what your customer is telling you. Only then can you really identify their needs and at that point, when you offer the solutions, they will want to buy without you needing to sell.
13. Has anything ever gone wrong, that in hindsight, has worked out well for you?
I believe that you learn from every mistake, and whilst the benefit of hindsight is a beautiful thing, learning from my mistakes will shape my future successes. In every mistake there is always a lesson, and rather than ignore this, take the time to learn from it so you won’t repeat it.
14. What’s been your biggest success?
Setting up a new sales centre. From the original concept to going live in eight weeks in a different country with differing legislative requirements.
15. If you were to pack up your desk and leave today, what would you like to be known for?
Integrity – for being true to my beliefs and trusting my people to be their best.
16. How has sales changed from when you started out?
Sales has changed tremendously since I started out. Initially it was all about selling at all costs with no concern for your customer. But over the years businesses have started to recognise that the customer is the most important element and, if you sell them something they don’t need you may lose them as a customer, which will shrink your business. Now it’s much more about meeting your customer’s needs.
17. What are the current challenges facing your industry?
We are facing similar challenges to a number of industries. Our customers’ requirements are becoming more diverse, in line with the challenges and opportunities they are facing in their industries.
There is a greater requirement to be able to access systems and information through a variety of channels from desktop to mobile to hosting, and we need to evolve to meet these needs.
We also need to be thinking about what the next evolution of our culture and environment will be to meet the needs of our future customers and help them to shape their businesses. We live in an age where information is king in enabling us to understand what is needed and in identifying ways to make it happen.
18. How has the digital age changed sales?
The digital age has enabled customers to have more control over what and how they buy, whether they purchase online or just research the options. Companies have to make sure that not only are the features of their product or service are clear, but also what the benefit to the customer is, what problem will it solve and what opportunity it will bring.
19. What will never change?
People buy things they trust, whether that is the person who is selling or the company itself. You have to earn this trust, listen to them, understand their needs and then provide a solution. Customers who come back time and time again are the lifeblood of your business, like good friends you need to treat them with respect.
20. Who is the best salesman ever, real or fictional?
My Dad, who always taught me to spend enough time to make sure that the customer buys from you rather than you selling it to them, it makes them more loyal.
Browse head of sales jobs.
