Emily McKee, MPH

Empathy, to me, is the most important aspect of sales. It's so important to understand the need and value of your clients' needs. When you understand the value and impact of their needs to become a dynamic problem solver. The ability to see where the gap is and provide the solution with your product is a key differentiator.

Data doesn't lie. Set goals and attempt to ambitiously surpass them. When you don't, have explanations about why. Explain yourself in success and in failure. Goals are driving forces and crucial to hit when wanting to move up or ahead, set yourself apart. Numbers, tracking, reporting, goals - no one tracks you better than you, write your story with data and paint it with accurate storytelling.

The greatest assets you collect as a salesperson are your connections (I'm not talking just LinkedIn here). Genuine connection, relationship development, and positive interaction/exchanges are key to setting yourself apart. Isn't this where we get the age-old adage, "it's not what you know, but who you know"? Taking time to foster and develop new and ongoing relationships at work and beyond are crucial to long-term success (and happiness!). Take time to network within your walls and at events, it's exceedingly beneficial.

Self reflection is the key to growth. Self reflection gives ownership in adaption. To stay relevant, you have to be willing and able to change.

To me the most crucial and integral part of communication is to listen wholeheartedly and empathetically. Giving others the floor will open doors. Communication is reciprocal. Consider when your input is truly needed and share space. By truly listening you can deeply understand others’ needs, making you more apt to help solve their problems.

You have to be open to being adjustable with a priority list. Priorities can change and rebalance, depending on many factors. Analyzing what task belongs where and when and being able to shift is key. For example, if you unexpectedly have an hour long meeting cancel, you have a shift in your daily tasks and can move a higher priority item that will not take long to complete up to today unexpectedly. The same process can be applied to reprioritization when an urgent request comes through. You constantly have to be open to reassessment and rebalancing of tasks to stay on top of priorities that provide the most value and complete in the most optimal way.