The 7 Traits of a Successful Salesperson

Success is not an exquisite dish reserved for a few.

To be successful you don't have to belong to any class, creed or sex. The only criteria you need is a burning passion to be up there among the best.

Out of the hundreds and thousands of sales reps out there, only a few can boast about being the best in the world. In this post we are going to look at 7 qualities that make the world’s best salespeople stand out.

1. Be honest with yourself and your customers 

People are generally wary of salespeople. You cannot get them to trust you unless you believe in what you’re selling. If, for some reason,  you are stuck selling something that you don't believe in, try and look at the positives of the product and play on those points. Do not try to convince the customer unless you can convince yourself.

“With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.”
-Zig Ziglar


2. Speak the language your customers use
“Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.” - David Ogilvy

Often sales reps can scare their prospects with the use of highly sophisticated jargon. Reason? The prospects are unsure of what the rep is talking about and as a result choose to do business with someone they can talk to without feeling stupid. In your face to face conversations with prospects or written communication, keep the jargon locked away.

3. Persistence
These words by Dale Carnegie are enough to explain the importance of persistence.

“Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.”

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”

4. Be customer oriented, not target oriented
"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life." – Mary Kay Ash

Mary Kay couldn’t be more correct with this one. “Target oriented sales reps” are the bane of the sales world. Not just does it make you mechanical, but it takes away the core element of all selling: catering to your customer’s needs.

5. Be confident
A sales rep must be the most confident person in the room. The slightest hesitation or self-consciousness on your end can give your prospects the wrong notion. Do not be afraid to believe in yourself. Do your homework well and reassure yourself time and again that everything’s going to be alright. This self-reassurance will boost your confidence and your prospects will find you more believable.
"If you don't see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner." -Zig Ziglar

“Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” - Mary Kay Ash

6. Time manager
An efficient sales person is an achiever who has understood the nuances of harnessing time. Orderly distribution and management of your time can help you achieve much more as opposed to working haphazardly. Schedule your prospect meetings and your sales calendar in a way that you can make the most of every minute. Employ tools like automation systems and sales playbooks to help you.

“When it comes to time management, if you are not in control of your time then, simply put, someone or something else is in control of you.”- Bobby L. Butler

7. Be a listener
Unlike what most people assume, sales is more about listening to your clients than you talking to them. Give your prospects the impression that you are there to listen and solve their problems. During your meetings with a prospect, your goal should be to understand them, their business and their challenges. This involves asking your prospects a lot of questions and listening for answers. Even if you know exactly what challenges your prospect is facing and how you can help resolve them,  hearing out your prospects completely will convince them that you truly “get it”.

“Most people think "selling" is the same as "talking". But the most effective salespeople know that listening is the most important part of their job.” – Roy Bartell

“A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something.” – Wilson Mizner

 Keep these 7 ideas in mind, but if you can only remember one, remember the last one and listen.