For those in your team struggling to make sales or for those whose sales have plateaued, it can be frustrating to watch and wonder why; while highly successful salespeople continue to shatter their monthly targets and make it all seem so easy.

So what separates the great sellers from the average?  Do they have a ‘magic pitch’ they’re keeping a secret? No, they don’t.  What they have is a resilient, hardworking spirit- complemented by a keen understanding of human psychology.

The good news is that every single trait of the successful salesperson can be developed by your sales team.

Here are nine adoptable traits that can transform your sales team into industry leaders.

1. Highly successful salespeople: Listen and adapt. A great seller will take the time to understand the client’s individual needs and then tailor their offering to their circumstances. They never rely on generic ‘one size fits all’ sales pitches.  They do preliminary research, and then ask their client, seeking questions: what goals they might have, what obstacles stand in their way, or what would make their life easier?  They’re also attuned to body language- to signs of discomfort or avoidance that tell the seller to back off, push forward or to take a different tack.

2- Highly successful salespeople: Are resilient and self-aware. The great salesperson doesn’t take rejection personally, rather seeing it as a learning opportunity. They ask the client why they said no, and they look at where they could have communicated their offer in a different way. They are self-aware, so they analyse their strengths and development areas seek feedback from others. When someone does reject their offer, they don’t just scratch that person from their list of leads; instead they keep in contact.

3. Highly successful salespeople: Know that their success is in their hands. High performers work hard- often harder than anyone around them. They set high, determined goals and don’t give in to the temptation to lower their targets when things don’t go their way. They don’t blame other factors-whether it’s the company, competitors, the economy or the product—for their failures. They use those failures to come up with a strategy to circumvent any obstacles in their way.

4. Highly successful salespeople: Understand that trust is at the core of selling. Many people have an inherent fear of being ‘swindled’ or ‘bullied into buying’ by a salesperson; great salespeople understand this and effortlessly put their potential customers at ease. They’re determined and allow their knowledge and enthusiasm for the product to do the selling for them.  If they see that the deal really isn’t going anywhere because it doesn’t suit the client’s needs at present they put the sale on hold and employ the ‘keep in touch’ principle, so they check in with the prospect in question at regular intervals.

5. Highly successful salespeople: Believe in what they’re selling. True enthusiasm is impossible to fake- it shines and is incredibly persuasive. Imagine what your team will do when they believe in what they are selling.

6. Highly successful salespeople: Like people. Salespeople tend to have a noticeable charisma- and though this can be learnt; it’s worth looking at for at the initial recruitment phase.
People like to be asked about themselves, and they like people who listen. Great salespeople are gregarious and love chatting to strangers and learning new things. Opening up to new experiences, attending networking events and making the effort of asking questions will soon become a pattern that reflects in your teams sales numbers.

7. Highly successful salespeople: Have an answer ready for possible objections. It’s easy for any of us to be wrong-footed when a client throws an objection or a product query that you don’t know how to answer. This is especially so when it comes to your sales team. This leaves them looking at best unprepared, and at worst, as if all isn’t quite what it seems. While some people are excellent at thinking on their feet, that’s something that really comes with practice, so initially you r organisation needs to brainstorm any possible objections and the best way to handle them; even down to scripting your company reply.

8. Highly successful salespeople…constantly build their personal brand. They keep in contact with their past and present clients, and request commendations from satisfied customers. They’re constantly learning new tactics from other salespeople and sales seminars. They’re not content to keep using the same strategies, because they know they have to evolve in order to get better. Once you understand the traits of a successful salesperson you realise that it’s not really what you’re team are selling: it’s how they are behaving as a salesperson that will make the difference between their success and failure.

Are well are your sales team performing? At Excel Communications we have delivered Sales Training at all levels of the sales team pipeline over 30 years on most continents and in multiple languages. You can view the results we get for clients here. Alternatively call us on +44 (0) 1628 488 854.