The Wild West of Professions – Why Isn’t Sales Standardized or Credentialed?

Sales credentials don’t exist.

“Ask 10 sales leaders what makes a good seller, and you will likely get 10 wrong answers.” 

This simple statement highlights a fundamental truth about the sales profession: for far too long, what is considered a successful salesperson has resided in the realm of sales folklore and myth. The charismatic extrovert, the smooth talker, the effortlessly likable persuader…these are the archetypes many still conjure when picturing a top performer.

When we strip away the anecdotes and assumptions, the reality is that much of sales practice operates on a foundation of guesswork.

Yet, in an era where business sustainability hinges on predictable revenue, relying on these outdated notions is a dangerous gamble. Companies need “talent density” in their sales organizations to create a reliable and sustainable revenue engine. How can any company achieve this without any baseline validation of sales credentials? Without any guide of standards? Without even knowing what competencies to evaluate for? 

A Profession Without a Baseline: The Non-Credentialed Reality

Consider the other crucial roles within your organization. When you hire a lawyer, you possess a reasonable expectation of a certain level of legal knowledge, assured by the rigorous bar exam. The same holds true across various professions. Your Certified Public Accountant (CPA) carries a recognized certification that signifies a defined level of expertise. Your engineers graduate from well-standardized academic programs, equipped with a common body of knowledge. Even your real estate agent is required to obtain and maintain a license, ensuring a basic understanding of regulations and ethical practices.

But what about your sales professionals? 

The very individuals entrusted with driving your revenue generation, at every level of the organization, operate based on tribal knowledge. Here is the kicker about tribal knowledge: a lot of it is just plain wrong. So much of the tribal knowledge is deeply ingrained and detrimental practices, sabotaging sales efforts and hindering growth.

Practices like: 

• One-Size-Fits-All Motivation: Sales leaders often assume that money is the ultimate motivator.
• Relying on Charm Over Consultative Selling: Many still believe that being likable is the key to sales success.
• Focusing Solely on Activity, Not Strategy: Sales leaders can get caught up in managing activity (calls made, meetings booked) rather than focusing on strategic thinking and process. 
• Neglecting Continuous Coaching: Coaching is often seen as an occasional intervention, not a consistent discipline. 

This wild west of tribal knowledge leaves companies vulnerable to unpredictable revenue performance and missed opportunities.

Potential for the Future Sales Credentials: The Emerging Stage of Sales Academia

While glimmers of change are appearing on the academic horizon with the introduction of new sales programs in universities, these initiatives are still very much in their infancy, and the establishment of clear standards remains a subject of ongoing debate. 

Shockingly, many of these emerging programs still heavily rely on outdated methodologies like the SPIN selling model from the 1980s. While progress is being made with the recent formation of a standards committee, the evaluation and implementation of a unified curriculum are still in the early stages. This leaves a significant gap in providing a consistent, academically grounded foundation for aspiring sales professionals.

While this shows a promising future for companies to make better and more informed decisions around hiring in sales, it still has a long road ahead. 

DNA Disruption: Hacking Sales Success (The New Sales Credentials Baseline)

Here’s the good news: we’re witnessing a DNA Disruption in sales. The Sales DNA Test has cracked the code, giving organizations the tools to hack sales success. This test throws a spotlight on the core competencies that actually drive revenue, moving us towards a new baseline of predictability. 

Finally, companies can ditch relying on hunches. While sales professionals may not have benefited from standardized academic pathways or formal sales credentialing in the past, companies can now leverage this assessment to gain a clear, objective measure of a seller’s current strengths and weaknesses against a proven benchmark, comprising of over 2.5 million sales professionals. This allows organizations to move beyond guesswork and tribal knowledge, providing a data-driven understanding of their sales talent and informing targeted development efforts.

The implications are huge. As businesses increasingly rely on effective revenue generation for survival and growth, the need for a more professionalized and standardized approach to sales becomes undeniable. It’s time to move beyond the myths and embrace a more rigorous, data-driven approach to building high-performing sales teams.

Get Sales DNA For Your Team

Beyond the Obvious: Unearthing the Surprising Sales Competencies

While the Sales DNA’s contain over 25 core competencies across each role category, the Sales DNA assessments reveal a set of surprising competencies that are frequently overlooked. These “hidden” competencies offer a more nuanced understanding of what truly drives performance across different sales roles.

Here are a few of the surprising sales competencies you are likely not considering in your hiring evaluations: 

For the Front-Line Sellers:

• Sales DNA: The Power of Mindset
  It’s easy to focus on what a salesperson does, but the Sales DNA assessment emphasizes the critical role of how they think. Competencies like “Doesn’t Need Approval” and the ability to handle rejection are fundamental to sales success. 
• Supportive Buy Cycle: The Mirror Effect
  One of the most surprising findings is the impact of a salesperson’s own buying habits on their selling effectiveness. For instance, if a salesperson is prone to price shopping or easily swayed by objections as a buyer, they’ll likely mirror those behaviors when selling. This “Supportive Buy Cycle” competency reveals hidden bias that can undermine even the most experienced seller. 
• Will and Skill: The Engine to Solve
  A salesperson’s “Will to Sell” extends beyond simply wanting to close deals; it’s deeply connected to their drive to solve problems and achieve results. Will to Sell looks at the desire for success, commitment to overcome obstacles and problem-solving skill fueled by what we call a “Figure-It-Out-Factor” – a powerful combination

For the Sales Manager:

• Coaching: Beyond the Ad Hoc
  Many sales managers believe that “coaching” means answering questions, heroing deals, or simply being a strong seller that others can “watch and repeat.” However, true coaching is a structured, ongoing process that involves actual coaching skills required to be an effective manager.
• Motivating: The Individual Approach
  Motivation is NOT one-size-fits-all. When hiring a sales manager, a core-competency for success resides in understanding what individually motivates each salesperson. Effective sales managers tailor their motivational strategies to resonate with each team member.
• Pipeline Management: A Coaching Tool
  Pipeline management is often seen as an administrative task for forecasting. By regularly reviewing the pipeline with salespeople, managers can identify roadblocks, provide guidance, and ensure that opportunities are progressing effectively. Are you evaluating this core-competency in your managers? 

For the Sales Leader:

• Strategic Thinking: The Visionary Role
  Strategic thinking is a core competency for sales leaders. Are you looking at your sales leader’s ability to see the big picture, plan for the future, or develop sales strategies?
• Developing Strong Relationships: The Leadership Foundation
  Sales leaders must build strong relationships not only with the sales team but also with other departments, executives, and stakeholders. Many companies look at the sales leader’s ability to build relationships with clients and skip that leader’s ability to drive change internally.
• Personal Drive: Leading by Example
  The assessment underscores the importance of a sales leader’s own drive, passion, and commitment. Leaders who exhibit a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a relentless pursuit of goals inspire their teams to do the same.

By acknowledging and assessing these surprising yet critical competencies, organizations can move beyond a superficial understanding of sales talent and unlock the true potential of their teams.

Bringing It All Together: From Competencies to Credentialing the Future of Sales

The persistent lack of standardization and credentialing in the sales profession has far-reaching consequences for business sustainability. Revenue cannot be founded on guesswork and outdated myths. It is the lifeblood of a business to operate in a stable, sustainable, and predictable manner. 

The inherent risk in relying on inconsistent sales practices is substantial: customer relationships are jeopardized, sales forecasts become unreliable, investment decisions are hindered, and overall business growth is stunted by the inability to replicate success. 

Establishing talent density in the sales organization using Sales DNA competency assessments provides a first layer of protection for reliable and predictable revenue stream, reducing risk and fostering sustainable growth.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Sales DNA assessments and how The Sales Collective leverages these insights to help companies hire top performing sales candidates or accurately train sales teams on their unique skills gaps, reach out to us below.