What makes great sales people great

This is an old story, but it’s worth repeating.

A vacuum salesman appeared at the door of an old lady’s cottage, and, without allowing the woman to speak, rushed into the living room and threw a large bag of dirt all over her clean carpet. He said, “If this new vacuum doesn’t pick up every bit of dirt then I’ll eat all the dirt.”

The woman, who was losing her patience, said, “Sir, if I had enough money to buy that thing, I would have paid my electricity bill before they cut it off. Now, which do you prefer: a spoon, or a knife and a fork?”

There are salespeople and then there are great salespeople. I have been invited to so many sales kickoffs and sales rallies. I have also been invited to give the keynote speech to awarding ceremonies for outstanding sales performance. All this got me thinking. What makes great sales people great?

Over the years, in my professional work as a consultant, I have compiled a list of qualities great salespeople possess that make them successful. If selling is your career then I hope you find this helpful.

1. Great salespeople are good with people.

They possess fantastic people skills. They want to please their customers and their prospects, and this is why they would inconvenience themselves for the convenience of their customers. They walk the extra mile, and they build great relationships.

2. Great salespeople are great with after-sales service.

They don’t show up only when they want to make a sale or collect payments; they visit their clients and inform them about the latest updates. They share information that will help their clients improve their business.

3. Great salespeople are determined to succeed.

The sales champions are driven. They are not defeated by rejections. They take each account as a challenge. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose, but they are driven to win the account and will bounce back after every loss.

4. Great salespeople work extra hard.

It is amazing to note that the sales champions are the same people who read a lot of books and attend my seminars. They put in extra hours of work and they maintain a very high energy level. They have excellent work ethics and they do not waste time.

5.Great salespeople listen more and speak less.

The sales champion actually views himself less of a salesperson and more of a consultant and a trusted friend. Sometimes the great salesperson will refuse a sale knowing that the transaction will not serve the interest of the client.

6. Great salespeople are experts with their products and services.

They have done their homework. They know the specs of their products and services inside out. They are creative with offering solutions to their client’s needs. They invest time studying and learning their product features such that they can present it with full confidence and faith.

7. Great salespeople are actually humble people.

They do not flaunt their successes. They cooperate with the back office support people, and they know that without them their sales would not be effective.

8. Great salespeople are professionals through and through.

The sales champions have excellent attitude. They do not engage in distasteful green jokes and behave like jerks. There are salespeople who act that way, and they are not really liked and admired.

9. Great salespeople are careful with details.

In my personal experience, the best sales people are very careful with details, and they execute their plans very well.

And finally…

10. Great salespeople are trustworthy.

The sales champions are sincere and trustworthy. They are not pushy. And here is the secret: these sales champions are not obsessed with their commissions; they are more concerned with the mission. Their joy is to have served their clients’ needs and to have contributed to the profitability of the company.

Others just care for what they can earn out of the transactions, but the real champions focus on serving clients and contributing to the company’s well-being.

These are the qualities of the excellent sales professional. They are a blessing to others.

So the question now is: are you one of them?

(Francis will team up with speaker and author Krish Dhanam on May 15 in a whole day seminar entitled Achieving Peak Performance at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. For further inquiries contact Inspire at 09158055910 or call (632) 6310912 for details.)