Top 10 Outstanding Traits of Successful Salespeople

Not only for sales but for any other profession, it would be meaningless if you lack passion or love for the work you are doing. Without passion, every day may feel purposeless, and you may go through the motions, leading to low work performance.

However, if, on the contrary, you are truly passionate and enthusiastic about your job, working with your whole heart and mind, then you will undoubtedly have the motivation to unleash your full potential to continuously improve your work, no matter how challenging or tiring it may be.

Customers always want to be part of the solution, meaning the seller must work with them to develop solutions that can achieve common goals. In the car-buying example above, you wouldn't withhold information about larger, more expensive cars just because you think it's not useful.

You have learned more about their needs, the purpose of the car, as well as their plans for the next few years. Then, you can ask them about issues like, “if you're planning to start a family next year, what do you think about a midsize SUV? The brand you are considering offers a product that meets your needs and still fits your budget. Collaborate with the buyer's needs instead of presenting your own opinions and ideas to make the sale easier.

Sellers' job is not just about selling products; they should also broaden their horizons and provide buyers with new ideas that can change their thinking. RAIN's research shows that successful salespeople have “educated” buyers with new perspectives and ideas 2.9 times more than other sellers.

For example, if you are a car salesperson, you know that buyers will research the models, styles, and even the colors of the cars they want. They have analyzed competitive prices in the market and are likely to know about the features they are willing to pay for. Your job becomes easier because you don't need to repeat what the customer already knows. If you do that, they might get bored and look elsewhere for shopping - even online.

Your job is to bring customers things they can't find on the internet. It could be informing them about the features of next year's models, sharing case studies of other customers' usage and their feedback, and showing them similar models from different brands to enhance diversity. By educating buyers instead of rehashing information, you are providing valuable information they can't get elsewhere.

Although today's buyers are very sophisticated and skilled at predicting their own needs, salespeople still need to prove that they can close the sale by understanding the goals, desires, and pains of potential customers.

When you apply the mindset of “always ready to help,” it's important to ask questions that can help you move towards that goal. Here are some questions to help you get started more easily:

• “Tell me more about your company”
  
• “What is your role, and what do you do every day?”
• “Do you have any responsibilities for compiling any data?”
• “Tell me more about your goals (financial, operational, customer information)”
• “When do you need to achieve these goals?”

When addressing these questions, pay attention to the following:

• Start broadly and gather specific information
• Build on previous feedback
• Never use “yes” or “no” questions

To build trust and establish more valuable relationships with customers, you must listen to your buyers by asking interactive questions and observing their expressions of understanding. Apply the magical phrase “Always be ready to help” - a cornerstone in the inbound sales approach. In this, salespeople will:

• Prioritize buyers actively engaged in the buying journey
• Build trust by engaging in online conversations with buyers, providing personalized advice and messages
• Shift to an exploratory mode when buyers show interest
• Personalize and tailor the sales process to each customer segment

Each of these steps demands that you listen to your customers. Without pausing to think and respond carefully, transitioning to the inbound sales process can become challenging.

Sellers should show their potential customers how their solution will achieve the desired results. You need to persuade your customers. Remember, the solution should not be a matter of discounting the product or service. If that's how you solve it for customers, you will struggle in sales and devalue your offers.

Collect answers from your conversations with customers to provide a personalized proposal. If your potential customer requests a discount, instead of saying “Let me see how much I can cut?” and presenting it to your sales manager, ask “what do you need in a product for the price we offer to meet your needs? This reveals the remaining weaknesses in your argument and indicates where you need to dig deeper to provide value to your potential customers.

Sellers should be honest with buyers about potential pitfalls that can occur both before and after they make a purchase - and how to help potential customers avoid those pitfalls. If, after asking questions and listening, you don't believe you can help the potential customer - or they don't have the budget and resources to buy your solution right now, it's best to end things on a friendly note.

You can always re-engage with businesses not ready in the next 6 months. But knowing when to throw in an extra lever can give you time and freedom to close deals that are ready.

People tend to buy from those they like. Therefore, salespeople need to establish personal connections with buyers to maintain and strengthen their business relationships. HubSpot's Sales Director, Dan Tyre, emphasized that building relationships is crucial but knowing when to transition a sales conversation is equally important. “Building a relationship doesn't mean a sales relationship,”

So, Tyre offered advice on maintaining balance while connecting with potential customers: “I typically spend 6 minutes building a relationship, but with some people and in some markets, I spend double that time. When you resonate with what your potential customer is saying, Tyre said you'll know when it's the right time to dive in or wrap up - whether it's a discovery call or about their business.

Without setting goals and addressing the needs of the buyer, building trust with customers becomes challenging. According to RAIN's survey, 66.7% of successful sellers reported accurately describing the buying process to their potential customers. Aligning with the 'always ready to assist' criteria, salespeople will help their potential customers by telling them the truth about what they will receive when purchasing a product/service from you.

If you talk to customers about features and services that your team cannot deliver after the purchase - it could lead to the risk of business closure. Worse yet, you may face dissatisfaction from both new and existing customers, resulting in damage and a decline in the business's reputation.

While the seller's profession may not demand excessively high skills or exceptional experience, don't underestimate the importance of enhancing professional knowledge and acquiring essential skills for yourself.

Because it's not only a factor that can help you perform your tasks well, but it's also a foundation for your future steps and development. Therefore, in all work activities, create a solid strategy for yourself. Explore the job description of a salesperson to understand what you need and improve to serve your job better.