Why Nerds Make Good Salespeople
by Shannon F.
The stereotype of the successful salesperson is changing. A few years ago, you may have imagined making your next B2B purchase from an avid golfer with a chiseled jaw and a firm handshake. Maybe he or she excelled at schmoozing, had a bit of an ego, and used too much cologne. But B2B sales is evolving. Gen X and Y decision-makers are savvier consumers who tend to do a ton of research before buying. They don’t care if you wined, dined, or played 18 holes with them—if you can’t offer your unique insight into their business development needs, you’re useless. That’s where nerds are coming into power.
Everyone wants to be a nerd.
Today’s new breed of super-nerd is nothing like the socially awkward, taped-glasses-wearing nerd of yesteryear. (We’re not going to get into the nerds vs. geeks debate—there’s just too many gray areas.) Urban Dictionary offers hundreds of definitions of this social classification, but here’s a couple.
Nerd:
“A person who gains pleasure from amassing large quantities of knowledge about subjects often too detailed or complicated for most other people to be bothered with.”
“A person with an inventive, intelligent, and or obsessive mind that strives to learn as much as they can about a subject(s) and becomes a leader in the study of it.”
“The sexiest social class of them all.”
Joking aside, it has become more desirable than ever to possess the skills and attributes of a nerd.
Nerds have Insight sales skills
You’re probably aware that companies are buying a little differently today. Using online resources, it’s easy for a company to find the product that best matches their needs, as well as the price that best suits their budget. In fact, many companies would prefer not to deal with salespeople at all—unless those salespeople are experts in their field who can contribute highly specific and relevant knowledge. Especially when it comes to technology, business owners are looking for a salesperson-consultant who can help them revolutionize their practices—not just feature-sell or give them a low price. Nerds are passionate about what they do and usually know the ins and outs of their favorite subject. They aren’t just good for parroting information; they excel at answering tough questions and coming up with innovative solutions.
Today, it’s proven that the most successful salespeople are those who approach prospects BEFORE they actually think about buying a product or service. Who better to do the job than a nerd, who is always ahead of the game when it comes to his or her areas of interest? Take a trigger event, like an office move. It’s a nerd who knows you should be thinking about modular cabling solutions or audiovisual devices early in the game, so you can effectively plan your new workspace. Nerds also know what pitfalls to avoid, so they often get in at a consultant level and end up having a positive impact on the client’s entire project.
Nerds adapt easily to today’s workplace
Because nerds never stop seeking knowledge, they are the first people to respond and adapt to changes in the workplace, like new technology, strategies, and solutions. That means only a nerd is more knowledgeable than the average savvy business owner, who does his or her own extensive research. Business owners don’t want to buy from salespeople who know and care less than they do—they quickly find ways to get off the phone with unknowledgeable/uninspired callers.
It’s obvious that nerds are the way to go when hiring sales reps to push your B2B product or service. Since there are as many different types of nerds as there are alien varietals on Dr. Who, how to attract and retain them is on you. But we have a feeling they will like InsightPRM, our innovative B2B lead management system.
