Advanced Sales Training

9 Fundamental Criteria Of a Successful Salesperson

They Are Subject Matter Experts

There is nothing that creates trust between a prospective client and a salesperson faster than the latter’s intimate knowledge of what he is selling. A sale is lost the second a seller is left floundering after a question from the customer.

It makes sense then that any seller worth his salt knows his product and his industry inside out. They need to be able to answer any question thrown at them with authority and facts. Closing rates soar when a salesperson is an expert in his industry.

They Are Partnership Builders

The best salespeople are those that move away from transactional relationships and begin building partnerships with their clients.

The mindset of one faceless sale being the end goal is damaging to revenue anywhere it has taken hold. Top salespeople invest time in their clients, build rapport, and build trust and bonds and that is where not just initial sales come from but repeat sales. With partnerships comes trust. And trust earns revenue.

They Ask The Right Questions

The best salespeople are just pushing products at customers, they are offering solutions to problems. Ultimately that is why a customer looks to buy something, to solve a problem they have.

A good salesperson understands this, a brilliant salesperson knows the right questions to ask and gets to the heart of the issue. They can see where the pain points holding a sale back might be and they craft custom solutions for the prospective client. Asking the right questions paves the way to increased revenue.

They Are Always Learning

In this constantly evolving field where methods of buying are changing, methods of selling are changing if a salesperson stays still he’s dead.

The core basics of selling may hold true forever but top salespeople are always learning. Whether they are undertaking new sales training courses or gaining a deeper understanding of the industry they reside in the best salesperson is always moving, always hungry to keep ahead of the pack.

They Don’t Lie

The best salespeople understand that their reputation is everything. The build their reputation on respect, knowledge, service but most importantly truth.

Once a salesperson is caught in a lie, just once, all that is thrown out the window. And word spreads quickly. That single lie will not only cruel the client it was told to, but will likely see a number of other prospects disappear. A top salesperson tells the truth even if it exposes a service or product’s flaw.

They Have A Clear Strategy

It sounds far too obvious and meaningless to say the best salespeople are goal driven but it is at the very core of what creates success in sales. It’s a throwaway comment by everyone, “Yes, of course, I set goals.’ But the best salespeople actually do set goals, and determine what it takes to reach them. And then attack them RELENTLESSLY.

The best of the best also go beyond what their company. Their own goals exceed what is asked of them and they scrape and scrap all the way to the finish line.

They Know Their Audience

The best sales teams understand their customers, they know how those customers are making their buying decisions and they tailor their presentations based on that knowledge.

Some people make decisions based on emotion, others on figures and others still on relationships built. Tailoring your presentation based on this knowledge can make all the difference.

They Manage Expectations

Top salespeople guide prospects towards optimistic, but always realistic goals.

A sale may fall over if a customer has a different idea of what constitutes success than the salesperson does. And any great seller knows that a product only works when the customer gets what they want, in the fashion they want it. It doesn’t matter how cheaply they can buy it if it doesn’t work for the customer.

So managing those expectations will go a long way to massaging a customer into a position where they are comfortable with the sale.

They Prepare, They Practice

A footy team will practice all week for a match that is over in just a few, fast hours. This is just as important for the top sales teams.

They are constantly honing their skills through sales training courses and other continuous learning. They put these new learnings into practice so when the whistle blows they are ready to perform at their optimum.