8 Traits of Successful Sales People
Uncover your sales personality – even if you believe you don’t have one! With these simple methodologies, you can be a successful sales person.
Successful sales people are highly effective in their sales activities and behaviours
Good sales people know that their most important asset is the time available to them. They use smart qualifying approaches to ensure that they are talking to the right people at the right times about the right things. They are not afraid to say “No” to unhelpful requests for their time.
They start a discussion easily and control it subtly
Good sales people understand the importance of putting clients at ease and using smart questions to subtly influence the direction and tone of any meeting. They always prepare thoroughly for client meetings.
They are focused on developing strong relationships with clients
The most important factor in any effective client relationship is trust. Good sales people recognise that being trusted is much more important than being liked and will always do what it takes to ensure that client trust remains strong (even if it means telling the client some bad news!)
Renowned sales expert Zig Ziglar provides worthwhile advice when he says:
“If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you.”
They help people identify real needs
Sales people want to help clients. Ineffective sales people clutch at any client expression of interest as something to work on. Good sales people use smart questions to identify the real client pain points so they can offer genuine value by helping them identify and address their real needs.
They help people identify real needs
Sales people want to help clients. Ineffective sales people clutch at any client expression of interest as something to work on. Good sales people use smart questions to identify the real client pain points so they can offer genuine value by helping them identify and address their real needs.
They ask great questions and listen effectively to the responses
Sales people have no more important skills than the ability to ask the right questions and then listen and respond effectively to the answers they receive. Good sales people understand questioning techniques (including open, closed and high gain styles) and prepare their core questions in advance of meetings.
They understand and can articulate what they have to offer
Far too many sales people forget to look at their benefits from the client viewpoint and consequently their value messages fail the ‘So What?’ test of client relevance. Good sales people make their value messages clear so that it is easy for clients to buy from them.
They have a process
Good sales people know that sales is not a black art…it is a science. As such they have and use a sales process that incorporates all the topics that have been addressed above. In addition they practice and reinforce the various steps until they achieve their desired level of competence.
They don’t look like they’re selling
Ask people what made a sales experience good for them and they will often tell you that they didn’t feel like they were being sold to.
Effective sales people spend the time to become comfortable with their sales process, their questioning skills and their value articulation. By doing this they appear natural and ‘not selling’. As a successful sales person, it’s when you master this that you are at your most effective.
If you’re not sure where to start…
Whether you’re an ‘accidental sales person’ or in a corporate environment, we can arm you with the practical skills, discipline and confidence needed for consistent sales success. Enable your teams to see things from a ‘customer’ point of view and help them identify and articulate the true value their business is offering.
Our sales expert Gordon Smith is a highly sort after sales trainer both in Australia and overseas. His training ideas and approaches are now successfully used by several thousand people around the world, including “passing the so what test” and the “6 magic words of benefit statements”.
Unpack the mystery around developing great sales habits through our Professional Sales Skills workshop by clicking here. Enjoy a short video sneak peak into our sessions here.
Participants who have engaged in our Professional Sales Skills workshops have so far reported and enjoyed a 72% improvement in “the ability to articulate my company’s offering and their value to the prospect or client”.
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