The success of any business lies in its ability to correctly market and sell its products. The company will fail without a proper selling strategy and qualified staff to undertake the task. The sales department is one of the most critical dockets of the business, and as such, it is vital that you invest in getting the proper sales reps.
Sales is an interpersonal activity that requires a unique set of traits for one to be massively successful. You might need to give your prospective sales employees a sales personality test so that you know whether they can thrive in the field.
A sales personality is vital if you want to make it in the sales game, so what personality traits will make you a top-performing sales representative?
Table of Contents
The 14 traits of successful salespeople
1. They care about the customer’s interests.
One of the attributes that will ensure you succeed in the sales industry is caring about the customer’s interests. Customers/prospects must believe you care about their greater good more than your profits. They have to know that you know about their needs/challenges and you have their best interests at heart with the solution you’re offering.
2. They’re confident.
For a customer to believe in your product, you first have to believe in the product. Know everything about the service or product you are offering to the customer that will help you confidently describe how it will help solve their problem. Confidence is one of the motivators that will draw consumers to you.
3. They’re always on.
Before heading out to deal with the customers, it’s important to understand the threshold of your disc model. One of the sales personalities you should have is being aware of your surroundings. You should always be on the lookout for how your service or product can help the environment you are in, and be prepared to make a sales pitch at a moment’s notice.
4. They’re subtle.
A slick salesperson never appears like they are selling anything. They talk to the customer and explain why they should believe in them and their product and purchase it from them. They do all this while being subtle about it, educating, and inculcating confidence and faith in the product/service.
5. They’re resilient.
To be a successful sales rep, you should be ready to deal with rejection. You need to be well equipped to handle adversity, overcome obstacles, and use the experience to perform better. Top achievers in sales don’t give up easily; they move on to the next customer if one rejects them and make sure they close a deal.
6. They’re extroverted.
By and large, extroverts get energized when they spend time talking to people, they love starting conversations, and it’s easy for them to make friends. An outgoing personality for a salesperson will help you connect to a customer since you can talk about a wide array of topics, including your product.
7. They’re good listeners.
Before selling your service or product, you must understand the customer’s problem. Essentially, your job is to sell a solution to the consumer, and you won’t be able to do that without first listening to their pain points. You must be a good listener, as everyone wants to feel heard.
8. They’re multitaskers.
Among the most important attributes a successful salesperson should have, is the ability to multitask. You will be handling potential leads, and you have sales to close while, at the same time, following up on other leads. All this will require you to be able to deal with multiple tasks simultaneously while keeping everything organized. This will lead to better performance and efficient operations.
9.They provide insight.
With the advent of technology and the internet, many consumers have information about a specific product or service before they reach out to the seller. The salesperson giving the basic specs and product data doesn’t cut it anymore. You need to be well informed about the customer’s needs and provide custom solutions.
10. They’re persistent.
To become a top-achieving salesperson, you should have persistence. You have to insist on getting a meeting, or a response, to sell your product, meaning you might have to get in touch with the customer over a dozen times. Still, remember to be respectful and kind about it and remind them that you are offering a solution to a problem.
11. They’re honest.
In a bid to seal more deals, some salespeople are tempted to be untruthful about their products or services. The rule of thumb is that you’d rather miss out on a deal and maintain your honesty and integrity. Nothing ruins your reputation faster than a product sold on a lie, which means you will lose the customer and all the potential customers you’d have gotten from their contacts.
12. They’re focused.
A successful salesperson knows what they need to do to become triumphant and sets actionable goals to achieve the plan. No success comes without being focused, and salespeople are not different. You should be purposeful with your work and not be distracted by office gossip or incoming messages when on the job.
13. They’re optimistic and upbeat.
Have you ever met a salesperson who is gloomy? Did you buy from them? Any successful sales rep has an optimistic and upbeat sales personality and radiates fun. They also have a great sense of humor which helps them connect better with customers. They are grounded in reality, know what to work on, and do all that with an aura of positivity around them.
14. They have a broad worldview and cultural understanding.
Among the essential disc attributes, a top salesperson should have the ability to understand different cultural ideas and comprehensive worldviews. This is especially important for international trades, where you have to empathize with the customer and be patient with them. Take note of the different time zones, know their financial justifications, and help them comply with the jurisdiction requirements and compliance issues. This will help you build a strong relationship with your customers.
Conclusion
At Ultimate Growth, we help you grow your sales by developing suitable strategies and giving you the best tools to achieve your sales goals. Becoming a thriving salesperson requires work and refining the qualities mentioned above. To know which ones you possess, we recommend taking a sales personality test to help you understand the areas you need to work on.
