What does it take to be not just a good salesperson, but a top-performer?
And what does it take to be that way not for a quarter or two, but year in and year out?
When I work with companies, I always ask their salespeople and management what they see are the top traits.
Below is a list of traits I’ve found that high-performers have across many industries in both B2B and B2C environments.
Take a look at the list and ask yourself how you stack up:
- Good Attitude
- Motivated
- Consistent
- Effective
- Efficient
- Knowledgable
- Driven
- Delivers
- Communicator
- Personable
- Trustworthy
- Assertive
Anything on the list surprise you?
As you look at the list, ask yourself these questions: Are any of them super-natural? Do any of them require years and years of training? Are any of them only found in people born with amazing genes?
The answer to each of those questions is a resounding “No.” Each one of the items listed above are normal, real and attainable. They are not super-natural.
Then what is it about the list of items that makes it special? I believe it’s the fact they’re all present in high-performers. As I take the list and compare it to the best salespeople, I know I can see each one of the attributes. Yes, there are some attributes I see more than others depending on the person, but I can see all of them.
This list is one each salesperson needs to review and take to heart. Ask yourself which items on the list do you do well and which ones do you need to develop more.
Success in sales comes two ways — either through luck or through consistency. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been lucky for any extended period of time.
This means if I want to be a best of class salesperson, I need to make sure I’m maximizing my potential with each one of the attributes listed above.
May you take the list and identify the one or two items you want to better leverage in your personal development. Don’t delay. Your success depends on it!
Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
