8 key traits of top sales professionals

8 key traits of top sales professionals

Earlier this week, I posted a list of the “Greatest Salespeople of All Time”. With that in mind, I thought it might be helpful to list the character traits I see consistently, not only in these people, but also in almost the best sales professionals I have. met.

According to two of my favorite experts (see below), there are eight:

1. Clarity of objectives. The best sales professionals have clear, specific, written statements about what they want to accomplish.
2. Monitoring. The best sales professionals do whatever it takes to make the deal a reality and keep the customer happy.
3. Self-awareness. The best sales professionals have the ability to understand and control their own emotions, no matter what.
4. Social capacity. The best sales professionals can build relationships and develop long-term relationships with a wide variety of people.
5. Optimism. The best sales professionals tend to view the world in terms of possibilities and opportunities, not dangers and risks.
6. Problem solving. The best sales professionals love the challenge of discovering new problems and solving them.
7. Competitiveness. The best sales professionals are enthusiastic and motivated when faced with a worthy competitor.
8. Perspective. The best sales professionals know that success in life isn’t the money you make, it’s the relationships you build.

Please note that some of these characteristics are personality traits – you either have them or you don’t. But all of them can be developed and grown from even relatively unpromising seeds.

Beyond these character traits, there are sales skills, such as presentation, closing, prospecting, competitive positioning, qualification, planning, resource management, objection management, listening. , etc.