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What Makes a Great Sales Professional?

Written by: Joe Ippolito

Article Overview: Being great in sales is not about having the "gift of gab" or being aggressive. There are three critical attributes for sales success today. Read on for more.....

What Makes a Great Sales Professional?

What Makes A Great Sales Person?


 

These characteristics are not only outdated, they don't work. Clients are smarter and have access to much more information and options in today's marketplace. When it comes to having the "gift of gab", the only reason a prospect will listen to a "good talker" is to use them as an unpaid consultant for pricing or other relevant information. This typically gives the advantage to the prospect, not the sales person. The aggressive or overly persistent salesperson will simply be ignored or misled.

 

There are three critical attributes for sales success today. They consist of having the proper Attitude, Behavior and Technique and always using them together.

 

Attitude consists of a salesperson's self-concept, internal motivation and drive. Selling is a high-rejection business. How does a salesperson handle the inevitable failure along the road to success? Attitude also means that a salesperson is willing to accept new challenges and has a desire to continually learn, grow, and enhance their skills.

 

Behavior means that they are willing to conduct the daily activities that bring success for their particular industry. This doesn't mean working 90-hour weeks and sacrificing the rest of their lives. It does mean, however, that during their pay-time, while conducting business-generating activities, they practice consistent and productive behaviors that help them work smarter, and not necessarily longer.

 

Technique has to do with the skills necessary for prospecting, qualifying, handling stalls and objections, presenting and closing. Who leads this buyer-seller dance in your company?  Does the salesperson have the ability to lead this process, or is the buyer always in control?

 

Attitude, Behavior and Technique are equally important and interdependent attributes that make a great salesperson. If a salesperson falls short in any of these areas, they will not be able to achieve their potential for themselves or you.

Related Articles
  Why Follow a Sales Process?
  Handling Objections in Today’s Sales Environment
  Differentiation is the Key
  How to Select Professional Sales Training
  Today's PROFESSIONAL SALES PERSON Versus THE AMATEUR

Article Tags: attitude behavior, buyer seller, challenges, critical attributes, desire, gift of gab, inevitable failure, internal motivation, marketplace, objections, other relevant information, proper attitude, rejection, sales person, sales success, salesperson, self concept



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