Sales can be an extremely lucrative career—if you can do it right. Sales is a bit different from most careers because you can learn all there is to know about selling, yet still not be able to make one sale once you go out into the field. Having the proper education is vital, but it’s more important to have the right personality traits. Here, the five qualities all successful sales people have.
Communication Skills
Sales is basically all-day communication. You need to know how to communicate with each person you are selling to as everyone responds in different ways. Using jargon that is hard to understand is a great way to turn off a potential customer, so it’s important that you know how to express your ideas in a way that everyone will understand.
Drive
A great salesperson needs to be passionate about what they do and have a drive to be successful. Without it, a salesperson will fail. But, the incentive to make money usually isn’t enough for a person to be successful in sales—they also must have the drive to be the best on their team, to “win over” new customers and to continually make lasting impressions on clients.
Commitment
Sales is usually more than just a one-time meeting with a client. Instead, it may take multiple meetings, coffees, and lunches before a person commits to what you are selling. A good salesperson never gives up their end goal and remains committed throughout the entire process. They must be committed to reaching a customer, no matter what it takes or how long it takes to get there.
Patience
Similar to commitment, a good sales person must also have a great deal of patience. Depending on what you are trying to sell, it may take some time to convince a customer to commit. Many people will back away from someone who is too pushy or requiring immediate feedback. A talented sales person will be able to read this type of person and give them the time and space they need to make a final decision.
Empathy
One that may not be as prevalent is empathy. Being able to relate to a customer is the best way to sell them something. If you truly understand their needs, it will be much easier to convince them that they need your product or service. Having empathy towards your customers is also a great way to ensure lasting relationships rather than one-off sales.
If you are looking for great sales people, or you are a talented sales person looking for a new job, contact The Goodkind Group to learn how we can help you. You can reach us at 212-378-0700 or visit our website to learn more about our services.
