The 4 Stages of Competence in Sales | Entrepreneur

Becoming a master of sales is a journey and a process. And while you learn a lot about yourself and others on that journey … it is not one that everyone persists LONG enough to reach the highest level of competence.

At that level, even sales calls with the most “difficult” prospects become a powerful opportunity for connection, transformation and value transference.

As you progress through the four different stages of competence in sales, each stage will bring its own challenges and opportunities for growth.

This article can help guide your journey toward sales mastery and significantly reduce the time it would take you if you were left to learn every lesson the hard way.

Related: 5 Ways to Master Sales

Stage 1: Unconscious incompetence

Think back to when you first learned how to do something — something that you are now great at!

In this initial stage, we find ourselves in a state of “unconscious incompetence.” We are unaware of just how bad we are at something.

In sales, being at this stage means that while you may have a general understanding of the sales, you likely are “winging it” and have no idea why you close some deals but lose many others. OR you may be stuck in analysis paralysis, unsure of what action to take, so instead you are at a standstill.

Here is where we stay broke and unaware! The first step is to accept that there is room for improvement and that it is important to you (and your business) that you seek that growth.

Stage 2: Conscious incompetence

The second stage is where we become painfully aware of the blind spots we were previously unaware of in stage 1. Stages 1 and 2 are really where the majority of entrepreneurs reside.

During this stage, most experience a sense of frustration or even disappointment in themselves. It really does feel like an uphill battle without guidance, feedback and support. It feels like nothing we do seems to improve.

In this stage, your attitude makes ALL the difference.

Be kind but honest with yourself. Challenge yourself to step up to the plate, stretch the limits of your comfort zone, and commit to taking action — more specifically, messy action! Messy action is better than no action.

Over time, you’ll start to realize that sales is not just about charisma or persuasion; it’s a strategic process that can be learned, practiced and mastered with the right mindset, experience and training.

Without practice, improvement and adjustments (ideally through proven strategies like working with a sales coach), it is not possible to progress to the third stage.

Related: 6 Simple, Proven Methods to Improve Your Sales Skills

Stage 3: Conscious competence

At this stage, you are taking enough action to start getting the feedback to be able to discern what works and what doesn’t work. It looks and feels like a mental and physical to-do list until you reach stage 4.

During this stage, you’ll notice that you can navigate the sales process with intention and clarity. However … you still have to actively think about the steps you must take your prospect through, the questions you must ask and how you respond to objections.

There is still a lot of mental analysis and conscious adjustments needed here.

Stage 4: Unconscious competence

The final stage is unconscious competence — the realm of mastery.

After investing time, effort and countless hours of practice, you’ll reach a point where selling becomes second nature. The well-known 10k hours is the golden rule. However, with training and mentorship, it is easy to cut down this time significantly!

In the zone of mastery, we no longer need to consciously think about every step or technique. Sales becomes intuitive, and you’ll effortlessly adapt to different types of people, handle all sorts of objections and close deals with ease.

In this stage, it’s inevitable to feel excited and energized while speaking to prospects and converting leads into sales.

There is, however, no ceiling to your ability to continue to learn, grow and refine. If you want to actualize yourself more fully in any area of life, it’s largely about embracing a growth mindset to consistently seek feedback and to take action on that feedback.

At this stage, though, sales feels easy, seamless and effortless — because the effort you put in to get to this stage has compounded and is paying interest.

Related: 8 Simple Keys to Becoming a Better Salesperson

The power of action and feedback as you move toward mastery

Action is crucial — to progress through the stages of competence and ultimately achieve mastery in sales.

A lot of imperfect action will ALWAYS yield a bigger result than no action.

It’s essential to take consistent action, implement what you’ve learned and put yourself out there in the marketplace.

But action alone is not enough.

Feedback from a trained eye is equally crucial. Just like a GPS provides instant feedback, having a mentor or coach who understands sales can guide you along your journey.

They can help you navigate potential roadblocks and offer valuable insights that you will not be aware of until you hit that wall around the bend. They foresee the signs and recalculate your path within a blink of an eye.

The power of tapping into unseen potential

At each stage of sales competence, there are a few critical adjustments that, when implemented, can unlock your unseen potential and propel you to even greater heights.

It then becomes about working smarter, not harder.

Understanding the four stages of competence in sales and each skill set of sales provides valuable insight into your journey of growth as a sales professional or entrepreneur.

By recognizing where you are on this continuum, you can take deliberate steps to progress toward mastery. And remember, it’s essential to seek feedback, embrace continuous learning and take consistent action in each stage.

The journey to sales mastery may be challenging, but the rewards are well worth it. Embrace the adventure, and unleash your full sales potential!