I think it is safe to say that we have learned that you do not have to be a “naturally born salesperson” to make a mark in the world of sales. I was reading an article that supports this statement, but it also suggests that the most successful salespeople exhibit 15 qualities that help them excel. I thought it would be interesting to share them and see what you all think.
1. Conscientiousness
Someone who is organized, takes pride in his work, and works efficiently.
2. Respectful
Someone who “treats others like gold.”
3. Initiative
Someone who is a go-getter and likes to connect with others.
4. Listener
Someone who finds out what the client needs and finds a way to make it happen.
5. Persistent
Someone who is comfortable getting a “no” and does not give up on sales.
6. Coachable
Someone who can take suggestions and is willing to learn.
7. Positive
Someone who carries a positive attitude and leaves their other non-work related issues at the door.
8. Resourceful
Someone who is able to shift gears when a situation is not going as planned.
9. Passionate
Someone who loves their job and their brand’s message.
10. Questioning
Someone who asks questions in order to understand the implications and make connections with others.
11. Independent
Someone who is a self-motivator.
12. Time Managers
Someone who finds the most efficient method of doing something in order to have more time to devote to sales.
13. Overachiever
Someone who is always pushing for more and is willing to go above and beyond.
14. Personable
Someone who enjoys meeting new people and gets along well with others.
15. Alert
Someone who is always prepared for the curve balls that life will inevitably throw.
Do you possess any of these characteristics, or know anyone in sales that does? I definitely think that having some of these qualities would be a plus in sales, but I do not think you need to have all 15 of them in order to do your best work. What do you think?
testacr22
Interesting article! I think that a lot of these are true, however, they aren’t necessarily characteristics but traits that people can learn. (For example, I am naturally a terrible listener, but I’ve been learning how to listen better and now people think of me as a listener because of that!)
These are great! It is definitely important try and learn to gain these characteristics. Good listener and to be coachable are ones that always stand out to me because if you can have both of these in your pocket, you will learn a lot about people and form strong relationships, and you will learn many new skills through mentorship and coaching.
I’d like to say I’m great at all of these, however, this isn’t always true. These are a great reminder of what a characteristics a great salesperson has. If you have all of these, you can succeed.
I agree with your your last three characteristics. Because salespeople will face rejection on a daily basis, they need to be overachievers so they do not fault to failure. Additionally, they need to be friendly to further engage their prospect. Lastly, they need to be alert. During my sales pitch, Professor Sweet told me he didn’t have a budget for my product. Because I was alert and ready, I was able to address this dilemma in a timely manner.
This gives a good spread of characteristics one needs to be successful in sales. The best part is that, to some degree, these skills can be learned and acquired over time. Great post!
All of these are gold! This is a great comprehensive list to keep in mind. Coachable and questioning especially are characteristics I want to work on more in myself. It’s so important in sales to be flexible and open to changing based on your surroundings, and those two traits play a big role in that.