What Makes A Good Salesperson?
This is a very challenging question to answer. We're all biased and see the world through the lens of our own experience. No one persons view can ever compare to a rigorous scientific trial or experiment. But it certainly can add flavour and depth. Especially in a field where there haven't been to many rigorous studies performed.
And in my case, I've worked with salespeople from multiple cultures and from over 20 different countries - so my view is at least based on a broad sample.
So here is my list of the top 4 characteristics of great salespeople.
1. Passion. It's almost impossible to successfully sell a product or service you don't really believe in and that you're not really passionate about.
It's sometimes joked that if you can fake sincerity you've got it made. But I've found that almost no one can fake real passion for what they sell. Somehow, some way, customers just pick up on it. What do you do if you're not passionate about your products? Either get passionate (talking to customer about how they benefit from your product is a good start), get another product you can be passionate about, or get out of sales.
2. Likeability. Being liked is the foundation of being trusted. Its how relationships start.
Of course, it is possible to tryst someone without liking them. But it's rare.
3. Resilience. Being turned down is just part of the job of a salesperson. Successful salespeople can't afford to need everyone to like them - they need a thick skin and an ability to learn and move on quickly from failure.
4. Willingness and Energy to Learn. The world is changing at an ever increasing pace. Successful salespeople must keep up with this. They must adapt to new technologies, new approaches to meet and build relationships with customer. And to keep learning.
So that's my little shortlist. Passion, likeability, resilience and continuous learning. If you've got a good measure of each of these, you'll be a great success in sales.
