Are You a Top Sales Professional? | Professional Selling Skills Training

According to a Harvard Business School study, the best sales professional firms have certain characteristics. Most of the characteristics are the result of learning, not genetics. Most professionals can be top sales professionals. If you are willing to study, practice, and focus on improving your selling performance, you can be an excellent sales professional.

Evaluate yourself, and ask your partners to evaluate themselves on the following six attributes. Commit to an improvement program where there might be weaknesses.

Willingness to Spend Time to Develop “Like and Trust”

Businesspeople conduct business with people they like and trust. They won’t do business with you if they don’t like you, no matter how great a professional you are. If you are unwilling to personally meet with prospects, your prospects don’t have a chance to develop “like” with you. And, even though you are honest to the core, communicating ambiguity, uncertainty, or an unwillingness to take a position does not engender trust.

Acceptance of Responsibility for Results

Too many people use a variation of the old line, “The dog ate my homework.” The best sales professionals take full responsibility for results. If you don’t succeed at winning the new account, don’t blame the economy or your partners. Instead, when you don’t meet with success, work harder to turn the negatives to your advantage later.

Above Average Willpower and Ambition

The Harvard study concluded that self-discipline is a key for top sellers to succeed. Any person who has the willpower to master the knowledge needed to pass the exam has an enormous amount of ambition and self-discipline. No matter how tempted top sellers were to give up, they persisted toward goals.

Intense Goal Orientation

For you to become a top sales professionals, you must make this a goal in your business life.

Ability to Approach Strangers

Every seller has some level of call reluctance. But the best sales professional train themselves to overcome the butterflies and get out of the office and meet people.

High Level of Empathy

Until you are able to put yourself in your client’s shoes, imagine their needs and concerns, and then respond appropriately, you will only be a minor league sales professional.

Conclusion

Now ask yourself: How did I rate as a sales professional? What should I be doing to improve my selling ability?