International Sales Best Practice – Brand Yourself

International Sales Best Practices

There is something  interesting about international branding – there is often a personal element to it.   Let’s continue Jeffrey Gitomer’s 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness and see how personal branding fits in with good cross-cultural communication to get more international sales.

International Sales Success

When you build your personal brand customers feel like they know you.  Customers can take that step in contacting you more easily because they feel they know you.

Your personal brand is always important in international sales.  There is often a strong personal connection between the salesperson and the customer.  Personal branding helps the salesperson make the connection needed.

Quote From Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Red Book Of Selling

Principle of Sales Greatness Build your personal brand and customers will call you.  Build your personal brand and customers will be loyal.

Last Month’s Cross-Cultural Communication Tip 16

Cultivate respect.  It is the balm for cross-cultural communication.

Personal Connections

In many cultures the sales connection does indeed become personal. Some cultures need to have a personal connection with the salesperson before a sale is made. Without one there will never be a sale.

Even cultures which usually do not need a real personal connection in domestic sales, often appreciate the extra connection in international sales.  The international dimension often creates a certain expectancy to get to know the other person more. Salespeople can easily appease the natural apprehension before an international sale with strong personal branding.

Respect – The Personal Branding Ingredient For International Sales

All of the seasoned international salespeople I have known carefully craft their own personal brand.

And I have noticed one very interesting detail:

• They all create their personal brand around RESPECT.

This respect does pair up with empathy, but the depth of respect seems to set them apart from the rest.

Branding Consistency

The integrity of their brand is consistent at all times and under all circumstances. This reinforces their personal brand even more.  It is easy to recognize a seasoned international salesperson when you run into him.

An interesting thing about respect is that this involves interaction with others.  We are all humans, so it would be very easy to be less consistent in our personal interactions.  Consistency here in all circumstances is what makes strong international skills.  People notice this.  They notice you.

So…

Who sees you? – Jeffrey Gitomer

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