Regardless of what some people might think, no one is born an amazing salesperson. Learning how to negotiate with buyers and close deals takes time and experience. With that said, there are some traits most people who find success in the competitive world of sales generally share.
Confidence in Product and Self
Successful salespeople believe in the value of the products they are selling, but they also have confidence in themselves. Those who have plenty of knowledge about products but aren’t sure how to confidently explain how they work will be at a disadvantage in negotiations because experienced buyers notice things like that.
Taking a sales negotiation training course can help salespeople who are smart and knowledgeable gain the confidence needed to close deals more successfully.
Active Listening
Closing a deal usually requires acknowledging a customer’s pain points and explain clearly how a product or service will address them. Active listeners make excellent salespeople because they can read between the lines and identify what buyers want and need. As a result, they don’t just sell products, they sell solutions to customers’ problems.
Multitasking Abilities
Just about every sales environment requires some level of multitasking. Each representative is usually nurturing some leads while following up on others, all while trying to close key deals for the company. There are always emails to answer and potential leads that need follow-up calls. Good multitaskers keep everything organized.
They can keep track of each lead and never forget to follow up. Of course, a few well-chosen multitasking tools can also be helpful.
Honesty and Integrity
Good salespeople know that it’s better to miss out on a deal than it is to compromise honesty and integrity. Getting caught in a lie burns bridges with single leads and ruins the chances of profiting from that client’s extended network.
While a happy client who will refer others in the industry to the company is always ideal, it’s better to lose one lead than it is to poison the well across an entire local market segment.
Optimism and Positivity
While lying and deceit are never acceptable tools for closing a deal, salespeople should always be optimistic and upbeat, focusing on the positive about their products and radiating general positivity. Positive people stay on course, focusing on what they can control and achieve without letting minor setbacks get them down. This attitude makes it possible to communicate more effectively with and instill a greater sense of trust in leads.
Ability to Stay Focused
While it’s a good thing for a salesperson to be good at multitasking, the tasks at hand shouldn’t include things like social media and office gossip. Successful salespeople stay focused on the jobs at hand, setting goals and doing what it takes to meet them without worrying about irrelevant details or getting distracted by non-work-related stressors. This same focus is brought to bear in negotiations with leads.
Many of These Top Traits Can Be Learned
There are some people with brains that just seem wired for multi-tasking and others that don’t even have to think about staying focused on the tasks at hand. However, all of these skills and others required to become a better salesperson can be practiced or learned, so it’s worth taking a training course or skill development seminar.
