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13.5 characteristics of sales success

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Here is a list of sales success characteristics.

They represent the elements of what will make a salesperson successful.

But here’s the secret: Before you make judgments about others and how they compare to the list, first judge yourself. Measure yourself against the elements that make salespeople who they are and successful at what they do. And for those of you who hire salespeople, use it as a checklist of the real things to look for in a potentially successful person.

Note: If you want to succeed, you and whomever you hire better score between an eight and 10 (with 10 being the highest) on every one of these characteristics.

With that in mind, here’s a list of 13.5 individual characteristics that would make any person a good hire and a successful salesperson (you included).

1. Smart. Salespeople have to be smart enough to think on the spot and deal with every kind of situation as it happens. Caution: Very experienced salespeople, who think they know everything, are most vulnerable to be beaten by a smart person with hustle.

2. Self-starting. Great salespeople don’t need motivation. They have a built in fire that’s somewhere between a cup of Death Wish Coffee and a Red Bull. Nobody has to tell them what to do. They know what to do. And they do it. They make the first call of the day and the last call of the day.

3. Great attitude. Great salespeople believe they will make every sale and take “no” as “not yet.” Great salespeople accept every lemon thrown at them by management, customers and accounting, and use those lemons to open up a lemonade stand. A great salesperson is able to take everybody else’s crap and somehow turn it into money.

4. Excellent communication skills
. Great salespeople are not good communicators, they’re great communicators. Their message is both compelling and transferable. Their passion and their belief system are as contagious as their enthusiasm. And they’re able to articulate in a way that gets customers to buy, more often than not.

5. Physically and mentally fit. The statement speaks for itself and implies that you work out on a regular basis working your mind and your body. Exercising your mind and body before you get to work (push-ups and brain-ups) so that you feel good and that good feeling is projected every time you interact with a customer.

6. Computer, tablet and smartphone literate
. There’s no excuse for a lack of computer literacy other than stubbornness and laziness. The internet will rule the economic world for at least the next decade. And those who ignore this fact will find themselves completely unemployable after they get fired from their present job.

7. Focused and intention driven. Having a goal is a basic fundamental element. Intending to achieve it is the motive to achieve it. Having a plan is a basic fundamental element. Intending to implement it is the motive to put it into action. Keeping your eye on the prize and working toward it steadily is what separates those who do and those who don’t. Goals without intention and focus is like an automobile without gasoline. It looks pretty, but it can’t get you anywhere. Intention is the fuel that will take you from where you are to your goal.

8. Dedicated to succeed. With great salespeople, it’s not just a matter of goals. It’s a matter of focus on outcome and achievement. Multiple achievements lead to success and a self-confidence that keeps the momentum going from sale to sale.

9. Past history of success. Every time a great salesperson makes a sale, it remains in their self-confidence memory bank and can be called upon for positive energy in any situation. The more you succeed, the more your success is likely to continue.

10. Looking for a career, not a job. If a salesperson has a base salary and a commission, the job person wants a raise in their base pay. The career person wants a raise in their commission.

11. More interested in personal success and development than in money. Salespeople who work for money rarely achieve it. Great salespeople work to be their best and dedicate themselves to that process daily. As a result, they earn tons.

12. A constant student: willing to learn and adapt. Great salespeople know there is always more to learn. They dedicate themselves to being better, being their best. Great salespeople know that learning from their past allows them to adapt and be ready for new encounters and challenges. It’s the difference between already knowing everything and being a lifelong learner.

13. Taking joy in serving others
. This is the master quality. One of the best salespeople I’ve ever known is John Ruhlin. He created and is the master of Giftology, and he loves to serve.

13.5 A great social presence and reputation. Easier stated: You can be Googled by any customer you might visit. They know social media, have a social understanding and participate daily in learning, posting and reputation building.

Notice one characteristic missing? Sales skills. I’d rather have attitude and brains than selling skills any day. I can teach someone to sell. I can’t teach them to be smart or happy.

Compare these qualifications to the best salesperson you ever knew. Compare them to the best salesperson you ever had. Compare them to yourself. Ouch.

Now that you know the criteria, you have some work to do.

GitBit

If you’d like examples of how to discover and breed great salespeople go to Gitomer.com – register if you’re a first-time user – and enter the word “sales character” in the GitBit box.

Jeffrey Gitomer, author of “The Little Red Book of Selling” and 11 other titles, is president of Charlotte, N.C.-based Buy Gitomer. He gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings and conducts Internet training programs on sales and customer service at Gitomer.com. He can be reached at salesman@gitomer.com.

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