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Qualities of a Successful Sales Representative
By: Senraj Soundar on Sep 27, 2017 10:00:00 AM
Savvy sales representation is often the difference in a company flourishing and failing. Your reps don't have to be perfect to succeed. With the right attitude and tools, nearly everyone seeking a career in sales can succeed. There are certain qualities that a sales rep needs to develop to become truly great. Some are developed over time, and others are already there as part of the person's makeup.
Here are the five characteristics that ConnectLeader finds necessary to become a successful sales representative.
Goal-Oriented
A successful sales representative is results-driven, and continually measures his or her own progress.
Read top advice for new sales reps. Read this blog.
Find sales reps who are goal-oriented and build them attainable goals that achieve results. Successful sales representatives will also create goals for themselves, pushing themselves further than sales managers even demand. They should crave to reach their goals, whether those goals were set by supervisors or by themselves.
Unattainable goals only serve to frustrate and de-motivate sales reps. Practice SMART goal-setting to keep your team involved and tenacious:
- Specific. The goal must be clearly defined.
- Measurable. Progress can be clearly calculated.
- Agreed Upon. All parties with a stake in the outcome need to believe in the goal.
- Realistic. The goal must be attainable.
- Time-Based. Create an expectation for when a goal should be delivered.
Few successful sales representatives consistently meet and exceed expectations without being goal-oriented. It's important to hire and keep sales people who show this characteristic, and then cultivate and develop it further through training.
Well-Prepared
Successful sales representatives are prepared for anything. They will likely deal with a variety of unique and strange situations, including difficult or strange leads.
What objections are they likely to encounter?
What use cases can they draw on?
Sales reps must think on their feet and understand their product thoroughly.
Continuous sales training is a fundamental aspect of preparation. Sales reps should be encouraged to discuss their successes and failures to discover the best techniques. This type of communication on a frequent basis helps them learn about what other reps are experiencing and what they might encounter.
Passionate
Passion cannot be taught. Fortunately, you can create an environment that motivates and instills passion to create a successful sales representative. Creating a great selling environment, providing reps with the collateral, tools, and offering support they need encourages a passionate mindset.
Encouraging team competition can increase positive sales outcomes and push for greater performance. After all, everyone, especially top-tier sales people, loves winning.
Adaptable
Change is inevitable and a successful sales representative needs to welcome it. New products, processes, technology, and territories are a few of the many areas that may evolve throughout a sales person's career. Assisting sales in managing change keeps them from getting sales burnout and slacking on their performance.
Teachable
One of the biggest keys to success in sales is to never stop learning. Sales people should continue educating themselves by reading books, blogs, and attending lectures. They should be interested in improving their presentation, time management, goal-setting, and other relevant skills that contribute to their performance.
Management should also invest in their sales representatives. Frequent training and learning opportunities keep sales fired up and excited about their jobs. Offer on-site training and send reps to outside training and motivational conferences. This keeps successful sales representatives on track and focused on reaching their goals while encouraging reps who might be struggling.
Taking average sales reps and molding them into high performers is challenging. However, the investment in making this happen is well worth the cost. A successful sales representative is able to multiply your investment several times over in bringing on new business. Look for the qualities that make a sales person successful, and implement initiatives to strengthen those characteristics in each member of your sales team.
Creating SMART goals, passion for selling, and an always-prepared mindset is easy with sales engagement solutions like ConnectLeader. Learn how ConnectLeader's sales suite can fuel your sales team and help them morph into higher performing, successful sales reps.Subscribe to receive more content like this
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