Is your DNA truly capable of influencing your sales effectiveness?
A research project conducted by Juanjuan Zhang and her team at MIT Sloan suggests that it might be. They monitored 117 sales personnel at a telemarketing firm in Asia for a duration of 13 months, evaluating the relationship between DNA and sales success through parameters such as revenue generation, opportunity recognition, and exerted effort.
The conclusion? Some individuals might inherently possess a talent for sales.
This investigation was among the pioneers to connect molecular genetics with marketing, revealing that specific genetic characteristics can serve as indicators of sales achievement. Moreover, it indicated that genetic factors often take precedence over personality attributes in determining sales effectiveness.
One of the most fascinating findings of this research is that this “sales gene” appears to enhance adaptive learning—referring to the capability to swiftly discern new customers and identify sales opportunities in real-time. For instance, certain sales representatives intuitively understood a customer’s needs from an initial dialogue, without needing explicit cues. Furthermore, even though these individuals worked an average of 11 minutes less per day, their productivity levels were on par with, if not superior to, their counterparts.
Darian Shimy, the founder and CEO of FutureFund—a platform enhancing fundraising and volunteer efforts for K-12 schools—emphasizes that adaptive learning is essential for excelling in sales. This learning approach enables you to modify your strategies based on customer feedback and evolving requirements.
If you lack the so-called “sales gene,” does that mean you’re at a disadvantage? Not at all—adaptive learning is a skill you can cultivate. Here’s how:
1. Customize your approach for each potential client
Successful selling goes beyond delivering an impressive pitch; it also involves understanding your clients’ purchasing processes. Many clients will not immediately agree to a purchase, despite how exceptional your offer may be. They might need to assess their finances, evaluate competitors, or seek approval from higher authorities.
“Quickly adapting your sales techniques is fundamentally about prioritizing the customer and demonstrating that your goal is to address their unique needs rather than merely selling a product,” Shimy remarks. “This customer-centric approach has substantially contributed to our success in helping schools generate significant funds and streamline their operations.”
To enhance this capability, Shimy recommends honing your ability to “read between the lines,” or discern subtle hints, and pose probing questions to grasp unspoken needs. “For success, a deep understanding of your product or service is vital, along with the ability to modulate your communication to align with each potential client’s needs,” he adds.
2. Implement a sales debrief
A recent report from Quotapath, which specializes in sales compensation and commission monitoring, indicated that 91% of the surveyed companies struggle to get even 80% of their sales representatives to meet quotas. Strikingly, fewer than a third of executives attributed this issue to “unrealistic quotas,” with the primary causes being misaligned sales activities (35%) and a lack of motivation (32%).
Regularly conducting a sales debrief after client interactions can help address this challenge. “We have established rapid feedback cycles in addition to standard performance assessments,” explains Kevin Shahnazari, the founder and CEO of FinlyWealth, a platform for credit card recommendations. “These sessions are more informal and frequent, enabling team members to receive input on specific customer interactions or strategies, typically within hours or a day post-engagement.”
This quick feedback process keeps learning relevant and timely. “We facilitate a two-way feedback mechanism, enabling sales reps to share insights about customers’ preferences and the obstacles they encounter, which, in turn, informs training and strategies,” he elaborates.
3. Enhance your abilities via practice and experimentation
Adaptive learning focuses on client experience and maintaining flexibility. A rigid, uniform method may overlook opportunities, whereas adaptability can lead to improved outcomes. The key to a flexible strategy is practicing diverse scenarios.
“Sales experimentation typically involves trying new techniques to ascertain effectiveness, whether that’s conducting A/B tests on email subject lines or varying closing strategies during presentations,” Shahnazari observes. “We urge our sales team to experiment with different product features or value propositions based on the prospective client.”
For example, some team members focused on emphasizing security aspects when addressing clients in industries sensitive to data privacy. “Though diverging from the conventional sales approach was risky, it led to better engagement rates among those prospects,” he comments.
Role-playing is another excellent way to sharpen your sales acumen. Practicing with a trusted colleague or supervisor can help identify effective strategies and areas for adjustment. For an additional challenge, present to someone outside your field—their inquiries may compel you to simplify and clarify your pitch.
4. Utilize data analytics to guide your decision-making
FinlyWealth achieved a “35% uptick in conversion rates within six months” by employing AI-driven analytics to monitor client interactions and identify patterns, as Shahnazari clarifies.
In one noteworthy example, the company scrutinized client interaction data to uncover a trend in credit card preferences linked to income levels. “Initially, our sales team believed that customers with higher incomes preferred luxury credit cards,” Shahnazari shares. “However, our data analysis revealed a stronger inclination towards cards offering travel rewards.”
FinlyWealth adjusted its sales strategy accordingly and “experienced a 25% boost in sales among high-income clients” as a result. “Data empowered us to challenge preconceived notions and make better-informed choices,” Shahnazari adds.
Yet, merely knowing the data is insufficient—you must act on it. Exceptional salespeople take the insights derived from data and translate them into actions. Whether that means tweaking your approach, adjusting your timing, or completely overhauling your pitch, the essential factor is using the data to drive tangible improvements that make a difference.
5. Prioritize continual training and mentorship
Ongoing investment in adaptable training is crucial, both for individuals and organizations. Instead of employing a generic, one-size-fits-all framework, seek tailored learning pathways that address the unique challenges faced by you and your team.
“I wholeheartedly adhere to the concept of entropy,” states Henry Criss, CEO of Fraum Center for Restorative Health. “Things are either in a state of decline or advancing. There’s no such thing as standing still. No plateaus.” He continues, “The question isn’t, ‘Do I want to maintain my current state or improve?’ Instead, it’s, ‘Do I wish to progress or regress?’” Setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals and consistently evaluating your progress against these objectives is one way to achieve this growth.
For Shahnazari, the emphasis has been on providing continuous training regarding sales methods, market trends, and consumer psychology to keep his team ahead of the curve. FinlyWealth also conducts regular “post-mortems” on both successful and unsuccessful sales campaigns to ascertain effective strategies and areas for improvement, encouraging everyone in the organization to contribute ideas and celebrate small victories.
“It’s about cultivating a mindset that thrives on adaptability and curiosity,” Shahnazari states. “In the speedy sales landscape of today, the individuals who are open to learning, eager to experiment, and capable of quickly adapting are the ones who maintain their competitive edge. At FinlyWealth, this approach is indispensable for long-term achievement—not just in sales but across all business operations.”
