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In the marketing industry, what qualities make an excellent salesperson stand out? What qualities differentiate a competent salesperson from the mediocre? To answer this, Gallup Management Consulting conducted a survey of nearly 500,000 salespeople. The research shows that excellent salespeople possess four main qualities: inner drive, a meticulous work ethic, selling ability, and the ability to build good business relationships with clients.
1. Inner Drive
"Different people have different motivations—self-esteem, happiness, money, you name it," says one expert. "But all excellent salespeople share one thing: an endless drive to be outstanding." This strong inner drive can be honed and developed, but it cannot be taught. The sources of motivation vary—some are driven by money, some crave recognition, and some enjoy extensive social interaction. Gallup's research reveals four personality types (competitive, achievement-oriented, self-actualizing, or relationship-oriented), all of whom can be excellent salespeople, but each with different sources of motivation. Competitive individuals not only want to succeed but also crave the satisfaction of defeating rivals—other companies and other salespeople. They can stand up to a peer and say, "You're the best salesperson of the year, no offense, but I'm going to compete with you." Self-actualizing salespeople simply want to experience the glory of winning. Regardless of competition, they aim to set their goals higher than what they think they can achieve. They generally make the best sales managers because they focus on getting their organization to accomplish its tasks and are less concerned with the success or failure of others. Finally, there is the relationship-oriented salesperson, whose strength lies in their ability to build and develop good business relationships with clients. They are generous, considerate, and diligent. "Such salespeople are very rare," says the domestic training manager of Minolta's business division. "We need salespeople who can patiently answer the tenth question a customer might ask, and who are willing to spend time with clients."
No one is purely a competitive, achievement-oriented, self-actualizing, or relationship-oriented salesperson. Most excellent salespeople are a mix of these types to some degree. "If a competitive salesperson has some relationship awareness, they can not only do well in customer care but also secure large deals," says the director of Gallup Management Consulting. "Who could ask for more from such a person?"
2. Meticulous Work Ethic
Regardless of their motivation, if salespeople are disorganized, lack cohesion, and don't work hard, they cannot meet the increasingly demanding requirements of today's customers. Excellent salespeople insist on making detailed, thorough plans and then executing them resolutely. There is no magic in sales work—only meticulous organization and hard work. "Our best salespeople are never sloppy," says the president of a small materials trading company. "If they say they'll meet again in six months, you can trust that they'll be at the customer's door in exactly six months." Excellent salespeople rely on hard work, not luck or tricks. "Some say they get lucky, but that's because they work early and late, sometimes working on a plan until 2 a.m., or negotiating when people are leaving the office at the end of the day."
3. Ability to Close Sales
If a salesperson can't get the customer to place an order, all other skills are meaningless. Without closing, it's not selling. So, how does one become an excellent salesperson? Managers and sales consultants agree that one key point is a persistent, never-give-up spirit. One of them believes, "Excellent salespeople are like excellent athletes. They are not afraid of failure and don't give up until the very last moment." The reason excellent salespeople have a lower failure rate is that they have deep belief in themselves and the products they sell. They are very confident that their decisions are correct. They are extremely eager to close the deal—using any method within legal and ethical bounds to make the transaction successful.
4. Ability to Build Relationships
In today's relationship marketing environment, the most important quality of an excellent salesperson is being a problem-solver for clients and an expert at building rapport. They instinctively understand customer needs. If you talk to sales executives, they will describe excellent salespeople like this: focused, patient, considerate, responsive, good listeners, and sincere. Excellent salespeople can put themselves in the customer's shoes and see things from the client's perspective. Today's customers seek business partners, not golf partners. "The crux of the matter," says a sales consultant in Dallas, "is to be purpose-driven. Excellent salespeople don't just try to be liked; they aim for profitability." He adds, "Excellent salespeople always think about the big picture—where the client's business is headed and how they can help."