10 Key characteristics of successful salespeople

A sales department is an essential part of a business organization. And sales reps, the people that make up sales departments, must possess a set of unique talents. Not just anyone has the resilience, persuasiveness, and drive to be a successful salesperson. 

Recognizing the traits of a successful salesperson is vital for a sales manager, a hiring manager, and of course, a good sales representative trying to improve at their job. Whether you’re a manager or a budding sales professional, here are some of the top ten skills, characteristics, and habits of successful salespeople you should know. 

1. They care about customers

Being a successful sales representative means understanding the customer before trying to sell to them. Sales reps must learn about customers’ needs and understand the challenges they face. Having customers’ best interests at heart and caring more about the greater good than achieving high numbers will help gain their trust. Salespeople should be able to satisfy their clients’ needs by being rapt listeners, understanding the problem, and being able to offer a clear solution(s). 

2. They’re resilient

According to the Harvard Business Review, one of the most important predictors of sales success is resilience. Salespeople possess the ability to bounce back quickly when things don’t go as they had hoped, and this brings consistent results. Being able to succeed in the face of adversity is a quality that can benefit sales reps in their personal lives as well as their professional careers.

3. They’re goal-oriented

The best salespeople are the ones that set ambitious but achievable goals. They know exactly what they want to accomplish and follow that very direction until they are successful. Organizing large goals into smaller, more manageable goals is one way salespeople eventually hit their larger targets.

4. They’re tech-savvy

Technology is taking the digital world by storm — and that includes the sales universe, too. Automation tools, CRMs, and artificial intelligence have changed the ways sales processes are now conducted around the world. Staying updated about the latest market trends in technology and products leads to increased efficiency and productivity, especially when it comes to sales.

One such tool apt for sales reps is Kara. This app works to keep sales reps organized, helping them to track and prioritize their time so they can focus on the main goal: selling.

5. They possess top-notch communication skills

Success in sales is virtually impossible without having excellent verbal skills. These skills are essential when connecting directly to clients and selling goods or services. The best salespeople understand how to communicate with the customer (especially in this new, exceedingly virtual world we’re currently in) by avoiding jargon and making things simple and concise. 

6. They have high emotional intelligence

‘Emotional intelligence’, also known as EQ, is the ability to self-identify behaviors/tendencies and understand how they will impact interactions. Those with high EQs are able to adapt their behavior to any situation, making for positive outcomes. And in sales, positive outcomes means closing deals!

7. They’re extremely organized

Part of sales is constantly juggling various clients, CRM data, manager one-on-ones and of course, dealing with several accounts at once. In order to do all this well, proper organization is essential. Being organized will help with task management and prioritization, helping salespeople and therefore, their entire company to succeed. Plus, clients love an organized sales rep, too.

8. They’re competitive (but not too much)

Successful salespeople possess a certain level of competitiveness in order to succeed. This allows them to push themselves (and others) towards excellence. Having a competitive nature gives sales reps the willpower to set (and keep to) goals, exceed client expectations, and become a top performer. 

Competitiveness also allows salespeople to bounce back from their failures quickly and prepare for the next opportunity. However, successful salespeople also know when to back off and be team players, too. It’s all about balance.

9. They push for improvement

The best salespeople continually work to get better at what they do, no matter how successful they already are. No matter how advanced someone is, there’s always room to grow, learn new things, and improve skills.

10. They’re passionate about their jobs

Sales can be exhausting, frustrating, and overwhelming at times. But this is exactly why those who do it absolutely have to love their jobs. Without a true passion for sales, reps will find it difficult to succeed. 

A love for selling can instill a sense of trust and credibility in clients. Customers can tell when a salesperson is genuinely passionate about their job versus just trying to make a sale, and will place their confidence accordingly.

Bottom line

If you’re a manager hiring sales reps, make sure candidates exhibit most (if not all) of these characteristics that are the package for success. Salespeople, you should possess many of these skills and personality traits. If not, it may be time to rethink that career choice.

Featured image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay