So why is it so difficult for sales managers to recruit and retain highly productive, successful salespeople if sales are such an attractive proposition?
The high turnover amongst less productive salespeople is accepted as a necessary burden for managing the sales force. This is not so.
Research has shown that 55 per cent of people engaged in selling are in the wrong profession.
Another 20-25% have the essential attributes to sell, but they should be selling something other than what they are currently selling.
So, what does it take to be a successful salesperson?
By the very nature of the work itself, successful salespeople possess a unique set of personality attributes that enable them to succeed.
Mediocre sales performance cannot be disguised as a salesperson’s success or failure is revealed immediately by the bottom-line results.
It takes a special kind of individual to succeed in sales.
There are five key qualities that are essential for success:
- Empathy
- Focus
- Responsibility
- Optimism
- Ego-drive
Let’s take a look at each of these.
1. Empathy
Empathy is the ability to identify with customers, to feel what they are feeling and to make customers feel respected.
A salesperson showing empathy can gain trust and establish rapport with customers by being on their side and not appearing judgmental.
Empathy allows the salesperson to read the customers, show concern, and clearly demonstrate his or her interest in providing a proper solution.
What to look for in good performers:
• Ability to establish rapport easily and put people “at ease” in their presence
• Good listening skills
• And curiosity—they will ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer
Whereas poor performers:
• Experience difficulty in establishing rapport with a wide variety of people
• Have difficulty recognizing and responding to subtle verbal, non-verbal and behavioural cues
Check out the video to see the complete five.
