Revenue is the lifeblood of any company, making the hiring of a sales rep one of the most important decisions any company makes. Given that sales is a combination of art and established, step-by-step processes, what do you look for when trying to identify great sales people? Below are eight qualities you want in a sales person, and one you need to avoid.
The eight desired qualities, in no specific order:
Persistence and long-term thinking
Most sales people give up way too soon and too easily. Statistics by companies that track firms’ data show that most sales people will give up after three attempts, while most sales happen at five or more tries. This is true at the prospecting, discovery and closing stages. Consistently successful sales people take a long-term view of the pipeline, planning and related activities. They understand that the buying cycle unfolds differently than the sales process, and make adjustments to their pace and execution.
Curiosity
There is a difference between asking a few questions in order to suggest a product in response, and genuine curiosity about the buyer. Taking a real interest in buyers’ objectives with the goal of helping them is likely to produce better sales than just probing for pain and hoping a product will provide temporary relief.
Contrarian
To help buyers achieve their objectives, you need to be able to test their perceptions and help them think beyond the obvious. Being a contrarian is not being a “naysayer” but is the willingness to push the buyer beyond their initial concepts, and look at multiple or alternative means of achieving their objectives. With Pareto’s 80/20 rule, or the principle that 80 per cent of your sales come from 20 per cent of your clients, you want a seller who can operate and execute in the 20-per-cent zone, and not be lost in the crowd, where prospects can only differentiate based on price.