Good Salespeople Are Hard To Find
Many sales managers state that they find it incredibly difficult to recruit truly good salespeople. Retention within sales fields is also very low, which raises further difficulties. Improving the quality of a sales team, and the results that they produce, seems to be a common struggle throughout organizations across the world.
On average, 80% of sales in any company are made by just 20% of the people who work within that team. This means there is a huge potential for improvement as well. Hiring the right salespeople is down to recognizing the qualities to look for in these people. But what are these qualities?
Building a Business
A truly good salesperson focuses not just on making a sale. Instead, their goal is to fully grow a business.
“When you think beyond a sale, you’re going to get other people’s attention much more easily. They’re going to be more interested in what you have to say.” 20 Qualities That Make A Great Salesperson
This means that the recruitment process should search for someone who is able to truly get behind the company as a whole. They should believe in the overall goals and strategy of that company, rather than focus solely on their own paycheck at the end of the month. In order to recruit these people, however, a company has to have their own vision and strategies in order, so that new recruits are able to actually sign up to that.
Being Passionate
At the same time, however, a good salesperson has a true passion for the product itself.
“As a salesperson, you are up against a lot of no’s, a lot of reasons people can’t take the product, and you have to convince them.” What Makes a Great Salesperson?
The only way to convince someone that they need the product you want to sell them is by believing in it yourself. This means that an organization also has to make the product available to their staff as well. Too many companies hire salespeople who don’t understand what they are trying to sell and this means they will struggle to convince someone else that they need the product, too.
A Smile and A Positive Attitude
It is also very important for a salesperson to have a positive attitude toward everything they do. Whether your organization is involved in door to door sales or never has any face to face contact with customers, your salespeople have to be able to smile.
“You may not realize this, but a simple smile acts as an attractor. Smiling immediately warms up the environment, and since smiling creates an involuntary reflex, it forces sales prospects and customers to smile too.” 12 Tips: What Makes Good Salespeople Great Salespeople
Psychological research has demonstrated that people can sense whether someone is smiling even if they are unable to see that person. So, even if your salespeople work over the telephone, they should still smile. Naturally, this has to be a genuine smile, which is why having a positive attitude is so important.
Parting Thoughts
The qualities for success in a salesperson are clear. First, they must have empathy in order to deal with customers appropriately. Second, they should be able to stay focused on the job at hand, even if the people they are speaking to end up drifting towards irrelevant subjects. Next, they should take responsibility for their own actions and their own work.
Furthermore, they should be optimistic, even if they get turned down again and again, which is something that will happen very regularly within a sales position. Finally, they should have an ego-drive. This means that they are persistent and take particular pride in achieving results through their own work. This is generally found in people who are competitive as well.
About Steve Giles
Co-owner/Co-founder of Intesi! Resources. Educated as an architect I transitioned to technology during my career in architecture. Intesi! Resources was founded in 2004 and my focus is everything Web/eCommerce related from the design and development of our site to all the marketing activities involved. I also provide significant support for our clients on all our products and how they are used to deliver assessment-driven learning solutions that develop self-awareness and interpersonal skills.
