Is It Time to Purge Your Client List?

The Sales Team Secret? Creativity

Here’s a one-question quiz: What makes a successful salesperson?

A. Competitiveness and confidence B. Resilience and adaptability C. Communicating and networking D. Tenacity and charm E. All of the above

Wait a minute. What about creativity?

It might not make the list, and it might not be in the job description, but creativity might just be the differentiating trait between an average salesperson and an exceptional salesperson.

A creative salesperson would not necessarily be the shining star whose grit and grind goes above and beyond. That salesperson might not be the one with an impressive number of outbound calls or a constant flow of new customers. But that person could well be the best kept secret on your sales team.

Creative salespeople don’t think outside of the box. They craft a new box. They are not your “the sky is the limit” minds. They are your “there are no limits” minds.

Maybe this description sounds like a colleague, or maybe it resonates with you. If you don’t see that person on your sales team, look again: There are many types of creative genius, and it’s not exclusive to musicians and artists. Salespeople can be creative geniuses, and creativity works for the sales team just as well as the marketing team. It’s often considered to be an innate trait, but it can be developed just like any other skill.

The goal is to find and foster creativity within yourself — and your team. Here are some tips to foster creativity and harness its power: • Find new ways of encouraging team members to communicate their thoughts – try relaying stories and examples from outside of the insurance industry. • Don’t just bring your skills to the table, bring a sense of wonder and big ideas. • Try new tactics within your daily routines, for example, try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand. Subtle adjustments can lead to inspiring ideas. • Consider how you could reinvent and rejuvenate your individual sales process without making bigger changes.

Then, when you see what ideas work, bring them to the team with evidence. • Tune in to your clients’ sales processes, and the operation of other departments you work with. Try adopting some of the concepts you observe.

Creativity can directly impact your success as a salesperson. With a focus on personalizing each part of your conversation to each customer, you’ll become a problem solver who impresses a customer with intentional listening and a genuine response.

Your creative thought process will not only impact your own success, but it can also energize your entire sales team. It’s because the capacity for innovation on your team starts with the acknowledgement of creativity within each salesperson. It grows with encouragement of new ideas and flows with a team that has an attitude that accepts change and growth. The secrets of innovation and creativity are buried under the bigger picture of sales, so while it may take some time to find them, know they exist and serve as tools for success for both individuals and teams.