If you want to succeed at selling, it’s important to emulate the traits of those who came before you. These are some of the most important traits that successful salespeople share.
Sales abilities are essential to any commercial endeavours, whether you’re presenting a startup to investors or selling vehicles at a dealership. However, not everyone is suited for this area of employment, as many people who have tried their hand at sales will confirm.
You may assess your suitability for a career in sales by identifying the fundamental traits necessary for success in the field. Additionally, it may assist business owners in locating and selecting the sales prospects that will benefit their bottom lines the most.
Business News Daily talked to executives to learn the characteristics that the most successful and productive salespeople have in common. Discover more about the various sales personality types below by reading the opinions of these business executives. The three Cs of driving sales are connection, conviction, and collaboration.
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The 4 sales personality styles
The four personality types that pertain to sales are forceful (sometimes referred to as driver), affable, expressive, and analytic. Each of these categories may be divided into a group of descriptions that together provide a portrait of the subject:
Assertive:
Goal-oriented, aggressive, quick to make decisions, impatient, strict, and vocal; more likely to use sentences than questions while speaking.
Amiable:
Patient, amiable, open to new experiences, composed, and casual; frequently good listeners who ask lots of questions and seek out strong interpersonal bonds
Expressive:
People-pleasing, convinced, colourful, convincing, extroverted, creative, impulsive, intuitive, loyal, and passionate; also, prone to communicate in phrases rather than questions and seek for close friendships
Analytic:
Impersonal, fact-driven, formal, serious, patient, well-prepared; prone to ask a lot of questions and avoid forming personal connections with customers.
Business executives Business News Daily spoke with claim that successful salespeople frequently exhibit traits from all four sales personality types.
How to sell to each of the personality types
Sales personality types are crucial for more than simply determining if you’d make a successful salesperson; you’ll also want to adjust your selling techniques depending on the personality type of the customer. The four personality types will respond to various sales pitching techniques in their own unique ways. When selling to various personality types, experts advise using the following strategies:
Assertive
Shorten your sentences and get to the point.
- Be a businessperson.
- Arrive prepared.
- Ensure all of your responses are precise. In the absence of one, assure the person that you’ll look into it and get back to them.
- Get to the point swiftly and in brief phrases.
- Give instances of how your product is beneficial.
- Show how your product puts the person on an equal footing with their rivals.
- Utilize commercial metrics as opposed to arbitrary descriptors.
Amiable
- Don’t pitch a product, but a concept.
- Before launching into your sales presentation, establish rapport.
- Share case studies of past customers, their needs for your product, and how it solved them.
- Don’t overwhelm the person with information; instead, gently lead them through the sales process.
- Offer specific assurances, such refund procedures.
Expressive
- Display case studies and other material based on facts and figures.
- Build rapport while aiming for a solid, professional connection.
- Prioritize qualitative over quantitative descriptions.
- To ensure that you are both on the same page, check in with the individual frequently.
Analytic
- Be tolerant.
- Recognize that the individual has probably done some preliminary investigation beforehand.
- Instead of making broad, speculative statements, provide facts and figures.
- Focus on the facts rather than developing a solid, business-like connection.
The 14 traits of successful salespeople
Whatever personality type you’re trying to market to, there are some recommended practices to adhere to and positive traits to foster. The most effective salespeople, according to the business professionals we spoke with, exhibit these characteristics.
1.They care about the customer’s interests.
“Your clients want to get to know you… They want to be confident you have their best interests in mind, that you are aware of their problems, hopes, and objectives, and that you have carefully analyzed why your answer makes sense. They need to know that you value their purpose and the common good above your own profit. – Karin Hurt, the company’s creator
2.They’re confident.
“If you don’t believe in your product, you won’t be able to convince a consumer to do so. You’ll have the consumer in the palm of your hand if you can confidently describe how your good or service will help them solve an issue. – Megan Interbrand, General Floor’s social media assistant
3.They’re always on.
“A competent salesman… is always aware of her conditions and surrounds, can understand how her product or service could benefit her environment, and will be ready to present and make a sale at any point,” according to the definition. – Judy Crockett, owner of Interactive Marketing & Communication and a retail management consultant
4.They’re subtle.
Great salesmen never appear to be trying to sell anything. They are teaching people and fostering faith and assurance. They are covertly proving to clients why they should trust them and, consequently, do business with them. CEO of Almost Science Mark Stevens
5.They’re resilient.
“Top sales performers have a special capacity to handle challenge, to work around impediments, and to maximize performance in the face of hardship. Rejection is seen by them as a personal challenge to impress the next client. Jim Steele, the president and chief financial officer of Yet
6.They’re extroverted.
“An extrovert is often outgoing, motivated by being around other people, enjoys talking and starting discussions, and readily makes friends. They frequently have a wide range of interests. This enables a salesman to be approachable, enjoy the conversation, and be open to meeting new individuals. The more topics they can discuss, the more effectively they can relate to the client. – Dominick Hankel, Ph.D., a Regent University assistant professor of psychology
7.They’re good listeners.
Prior to beginning to market your product or service, you must first pay attention to the customer’s pain issue. Great salespeople solve customers’ problems by knowing them and paying attention to their needs. – Timothy Tolan, The Tolan Group’s CEO and managing partner (Sanford Rose Associates)
8.They’re multitaskers.
Multitasking happens often in any sales situation. You are working to complete sales, nurture and follow up on leads, and respond to calls or emails from potential prospects who want more information. The ability to manage several trains on a single train track while multitasking effectively results in efficiency, which improves performance. – Coco Quillen, chief operating officer and operations director of Davinci Virtual Office Solutions
9.They provide insight.
“In today’s industry, the majority of customers are considerably more knowledgeable and educated before contacting a provider. It is insufficient to only provide product data and specifications. A salesperson with a consultative mentality analyses the requirements of the customer and works to provide unique solutions that address those needs. – Rudy Joggers, Janke Performance Group’s manager of digital marketing
10.They’re persistent.
“Persistence, when used with respect and consistency, succeeds. It serves as a reminder to [clients] that you have a solution to their difficulties. It offers them several opportunities to get along. And even though it can take six tries to get a response, get that meeting, or start a conversation, they will appreciate it in the end. Michael Mahlberg, one of Modern da Vinci’s co-founders
11.They’re honest.
“A competent salesman won’t lie to close a transaction since he or she is aware that doing so will burn not just that bridge but also any further ones that could exist between your contact and their connections. It is better to pass up a bargain in order to preserve your moral character and network. ExpertSure’s founder, Ollie Smith
12.They’re focused.
“The salespeople that consistently have the highest sales figures share one trait: focus. They are not distracted by email or instant messaging, and they are not concerned about office rumours. They know what they need to do to succeed, and they give themselves goals to help them get there. They carry out their daily activities with purpose and give all facets of their work their full attention. – John-Henry Schreck, the company’s chief consultant
13.They’re optimistic and upbeat.
“Top salesmen… usually have a positive outlook and exude humour, fun, and general enthusiasm. They remain optimistic about what they can accomplish while being anchored in reality and [don’t] allow the other people bring them down. Vice President of Sales Effectiveness Services at Sparaxis, Mike Kunkle
14.They have a broad worldview and cultural understanding.
International sales success requires both patience and empathy because timing, decision criteria, financial explanations, formality, and even the expectations for help before and after a transaction may be significantly different [in other countries]. Additionally, dealing with overseas clients takes longer because relationships, which are the foundation of business in many global markets, take time to form. – Ed Marsh, the company’s founder and chief executive officer
This article’s reporting and writing were aided by Paula Fernandes and Brittney Morgan (Helmrich). An earlier iteration of this article involved some source interviews.