How to be a great salesperson

We asked a number of sales managers, experts,
influencers, and representatives a single question:
Which qualities and habits define a great sales rep?
Thursday, August 8, 13

We recorded the best of their responses:

I've hired and trained thousands of salespeople.
Contrary to popular opinion, great salespeople
come in all personality types. But to me there
are two qualities that all the great ones have in
common. The first is persistence: they have to
know how to be winningly aggressive; that is,
they have to be aggressive without appearing
pushy. Second, they need empathy: they have to
be able to see the world through their
prospect's eyes, and empathize with that
position. I've seldom known anyone with both
those traits to fail at sales.
barry maher, barry maher & associates

Prospects have access to all the data they
want, thanks to the Internet. They’re looking to
do business with someone they trust. The
most effective sales reps can establish
personal connections and trust very quickly,
while providing value to the prospect over a
period of time. When prospects are ready to
buy, they will seek out the people they trust
most (the best sales reps) to solve their
issues.
matt kress, relate.ly

In my research across hundreds of sales
organizations the single thing that
differentiated top tier sales people was was
their sense of noble purpose. The sales people
who sold with noble purpose, who earnestly
and factually wanted to make a difference to
their customers, consistently outsold the
sales people who were focused on targets and
quotas.
lisa earle mcleod, mcleod & more, inc.

My most successful sales reps are attentive
and supportive without being overbearing and
pushy, and they avoid gimmicks at all costs.
audrey mclaughlin, mclaughlin sales group

The most successful sales reps take personal
responsibility and can control their emotions.
Reps who are always blaming are never
learning, and reps who take everything a
prospect says personally do a lot more
defending then selling when they get offended
at negative feedback.
greta shulz, schulz business

Can you write a good subject line? Good sales
people understand the importance of email and
other forms of text communication. A good sales
person knows how to write a good subject line. The
first step to opening a dialog with a prospect is
being heard.
john robb, watserv

1) Are enthusiastic about the product/service they
sell and truly believe it is of value to their
prospects/customers
2) Have a sales process that they follow
3) Prospect consistently
4) Use technology to their advantage without
letting it bog them down
5) Have a burning desire to make a lot of money
6) Truly enjoy helping others
7) Are completely honest with their prospects/
customers
jeff goldberg, jeff goldberg & associates
The Best Reps:

It’s so deceptively simple:
The quality that defines the best sales reps is the
desire to be genuinely helpful.
The best salespeople understand customers want
solutions to their problems, and they're paid well
to solve issues, not close deals.
Zig Ziglar said it best: "If you help enough people
get what they want, you'll get what you want."
michael bremmer, telecom quotes

Research indicates that 99% of all sales people
can explain the features and benefits of a
product equally well (Forum Co. Boston, 2009).
What separates the top 1% from the other
99% is their ability to develop the trust of their
prospects and clients. Are you doing something
to the client or for the client? That difference
between manipulation vs facilitation goes a
long way towards building trust.
john brubaker, the coach approach

These days a good sales rep has to know and
understand his customers’ business. Clients
expect more than just empathy these days.
tony scalzitti, softpath system

There are a seemingly infinite number of
software and services that bridge the gap
between a good sales rep and a great sales rep
– and I offer one of them – but there is no
substitute for authenticity and understanding.
art harrison, sellingly

Sellers today need to differentiate by showing
they know their business as well as the customer’s
business. That combination puts them in a position
where they can actually help the end client.
Knowing the larger complex landscape, their
product set and the client’s business puts them in
the cross hairs for success.
mike rosner, dgit

A high achieving sales rep must be assertive with
attracting leads, must stay committed to their job
and clients, and must remain confident in their
abilities when they receive push back from
vendors.
shreyans parekh, koyal wholesale

The best sales reps is someone who has a passion
to sell and knows how to do it offline and online.
Someone who wants to be in touch with clients,
knows how to make a difference (what the client
cares about), knows how to deliver that message
(and how to deliver it efficiently), has a passion for
excellence; is smarter than the average bear and
has some business acumen.
In today's environment, you need to be organized,
self-managed, offer boundless energy and take the
initiative.
stephanie woods, huthwaite

• Don't be afraid to tell customers, "this is not for
you.” You'll earn karma points for keeping it real
and it will come back to you eventually. Your
reputation is way more important than any one
sale you make.
• If you don't know the answer, tell the customer
you don't know instead of making stuff up on the
spot (sales people are famous for this). Go find
out the answer and then come back – your
prospect will love that.
jeff zelaya, vocus
To be a successful sales rep, you
have to be honest. All the time.

The most successful salespeople know how to
get along with and enjoy meeting and talking to
a wide variety of people. They also tend to be
comfortable and confident in social settings.
peter leighton, combined insurance

My most successful sales reps are attentive
and supportive without being overbearing and
pushy, and they avoid gimmicks at all costs.
matthew murray, sales higher

The best way to understand and navigate the
balance between art and science is to leverage
science and apply it to the business of selling.
The scientific analytics used with sales reps
today helps keep the human element in the
forefront of exceptional sales. The more
competitive your market and the more your
product becomes a commodity, the more
critical the human element becomes. Science
ties the two together. For example, let’s say
there are very few differences between your
product and your competitor’s – the human
element becomes the primary differentiator.
nancy martini, pi worldwide

The most important quality that a good sales
rep must have is the ability to listen. Listening
starts the moment you identify a lead – before
you even talk to the lead. By listening, I mean
doing research on the person and their
company, figuring out their challenges, and
making sure that your product will solve their
problem. Nowadays, there are so many social
media tools that can help you do research and
separate good leads from bad ones – why
wouldn’t you use them to your advantage?
rasheen carbin, mba project search

1. Hungry fighter: high energy and strong work ethic.
2. Positive attitude.
3. Great listener.
4. Sense of humor.
5. Customer centricity: *A Customer Whisperer*
6. Authoritative: know products and/or services inside out.
7. Prepared.
8. Has a great reputation.
9. Good first impression and is likable.
10. Sets goals, and measures them.
george schildge, matrix marketing group
The 10 Qualities of Top Performers

A good salesperson serves as a consultant. He listens,
listens, and listens.
A better salesperson may even recommend a competitor if
the product or service is a better fit for the customer.
The best salesperson has transcended the title of sales
rep, and has become a trusted friend.
mark lupton, the houstonian hotel, club & spa

The best sales rep is someone who knows his
product, truly believes in and stands with his
product, AND sincerely likes the people to
whom he is trying to sell.
natalie marino, marino gallery

The best sales reps:
•Are committed to the client
•Don't oversell to get the deal
•Know when to shut up
•Arrive early
•Possess confidence
•Qualify leads quickly
•Manage time well
•Know when to ask for help from others
•Know how to leverage technology
donna krizik, crestwood associates

The best salesperson is someone who the
customer believes brings them opportunities or
solutions, rather than someone who introduces
new problems.
gordon veniard, training consultant & author

matt suggs, mediafly
Customers appreciate sales reps that understand
their business and help them achieve their goals. In
the end, people buy from people they like, so
qualities that are important to customers build the
foundations for successful sales reps.

I have often used a term I call Character
Chameleon. The best sellers I have been around
have an uncanny ability to read their clients
personalities and styles very quickly in order to
adapt their approach accordingly. Some clients
want small talk, others want to get straight to
the point. Some like to laugh, others are all
business. Figuring this out quickly and being
able to adapt is key to earning respect and
trust. Sometimes it's as simple as asking the
client how they like to be sold to.
todd brown, cima solutions group

What are the 10 most common traits and habits of successful sales reps?

About Radius
Radius is building the system of record for business
information. Our sales prospecting application normalizes
data from 30,000+ sources to make sense of constantly
changing business data. Sales and marketing teams that
sell to small-and-medium-sized businesses in the U.S. use
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How to be a great salesperson

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How to be a great salesperson