Women in Sales and the Six Feminine Powers

Recently, I spoke with a senior leader in a large organization about getting more women in sales roles. “Women don’t want to step out of the comfort zone and take risks,” he said. “ It is not fair to ask them to do what they are not prepared to do.”

A woman who had been in sales for a while in her early career admitted that it was difficult to build trust with customers- ‘You can’t be seen as too nice because they will not respect you then and at the same time, we can’t build rapport the way the men can do with male customers.”

I have been in sales in my early career stage, both as a Product Sales Manager in Citibank and as a General Manager with AchieveGlobal, responsible for generating revenues. I was good but not great! I can now see the blocks that kept me from being truly excellent in that role.

So, I thought about how the Six Feminine Powers can help women in sales and be a source of energy and guidance. Yes, sometimes there are external barriers and infrastructure issues, but there are women who have done very well in sales roles across industries despite these challenges.

In a way, all of us are in the business of selling even if we are not in a sales role.  As employees and entrepreneurs, we are selling ideas, solutions and getting buy-in from our stakeholders. Evoking and using the powers in the right way at the right time can make us more successful and help to sustain that success without stress.

We need all six powers to excel in the role- some powers are core, others are important but to truly excel, we need all.

The Veera Power– The one core power that all salespeople need is that of the achievement oriented, goal driven warrior. The Veera saleswoman is ambitious, can set stretch targets, take risks and be relentless in the pursuit of her targets. She loves the sense of achievement from cracking deals and meeting her numbers. She is a great closer. She will charge into unknown territories with the drive and passion to conquer.

She needs a good amount of the Veera energy but needs to watch out that she does not get derailed by fear of failure. She can become very aggressive, take short cuts and alienate others if she does not balance the Veera with other powers.

The Rani power- The Veera cannot succeed on a long term without the Rani. Sales is also about processes and planning. Whether you are in b2b or retail sales, you cannot go into the market without a sound plan. The Rani power is needed to follow some systems and discipline. Without the Rani, the Veera becomes a loose cannon without consistency. I know many Veera salespeople don’t like the reporting and analysis aspects of the job which they feel slows them down. But they need to develop this rigor and maintain their composure.

An abundance of the Rani power can cause the saleswoman to get stuck in planning and analysis rather than action. She will wait for the perfect deal that has a high probability of closure and lose out on other opportunities.

The Apsara Power- Have you ever heard of sales pitch that mesmerized you and had you saying Yes even before it was over. The salesperson was magnetic, charming, articulate and oozed confidence. She was probably an Apsara in her full power. The Apsara is the influential expressor who can engage in those conversations that result in conversions. She is not afraid of the spotlight, she knows the pulse of her customer and is able to communicate in a compelling way. She will create a great network and is able to leverage the relationships well. The Apsara truly enjoys the process of selling, the dance of the negotiation and the glory that a great deal brings.

But dazzle without discipline and drive won’t get you far. Apsaras need to guard against distraction and drama which can derail their efforts.

The Kanya Power- I know many women in sales who believe that they are not Kanyas. We are not the sweet docile good girls, they claim. This may cause them to miss out on the true powers of the Kanya which are also needed in sales. The Kanya power gives you an innate optimism, a sense of responsibility and the ability to build rapport. Liking is one of the Six principles of Influence in Cialdini’s model and the Kanya can use her likability and cheerful nature to win friends and persuade others. A goal-oriented Kanya who has a good boss to coach and guide her will make a great saleswoman.

The Kanya has to summon the Veera and Rani to get over her fear of rejection and need for validation which can come in the way of making that deal.

The Rishika Power- The dominant Rishika is usually not fond of selling, but the Rishika power is very helpful for the saleswoman, especially in long term non- transactional selling. The Rishika is able to see the big picture, solve complex problems and come up with innovative solutions for customer’s needs. Rishikas understand the pieces of the puzzle and put them together to create a solution that customers need. If the Rishika can connect to a larger purpose, she has the ability to summon her other powers to help her fulfill her mission through consultative selling.

It is important for the Rishika to use other powers to convince the customer and be goal oriented in selling the solution rather than creating it.

The Ma power – The Ma can be a great saleswoman as a farmer rather than a hunter. She will nourish long term relationships and invest in her customers. Her customers will see her as a trusted advisor who has their interests at heart. She has the patience for sales that have long gestation periods and the ability to stay connected without short term gains. She will work long and hard for her customers and they know they can depend on her.

The Ma can become dependent of a few loyal customers and stay in her comfort zone. She needs to overcome her power block of taking all the load on to herself and sometimes push back when demands become unreasonable.

By understanding their power profiles, women in sales can figure out their current powers and power blocks. They can then understand how to leverage their existing powers and evoke their latent powers so that they can not just meet targets but do it with joy and ease.