The Traits of a Good Salesperson

We all have an idea in our mind of the perfect salesman: the guy who can talk for England; or the woman who can sell sand to Arabia, or the cheeky chap who is the complete party animal. Is that always true? Probably not. The fact is you do not have to be an extrovert to be good at selling. The selling world is huge and there are many varied roles within it. More importantly, it is full of many different characters and personalities - some are renowned as effective sales people, some just don’t quite cut the mustard. So what does divide the winners from the losers? Your own selling style Everyone has a unique personality, family of origin and a different set of abilities, interests and values. In this way we will all have a different approach and ultimately a different selling style that works best for us. Problems arise when we try to ape Joe Smart – the top selling guy in the company. We see he is doing well and we jump possibly to the wrong conclusions that to behave as he does will bring the same results. The fact is Joe’s behaviour works because it reflects his individual personality within his individual selling role. A good salesperson believes, and understands and is clear about their own unique attributes and so exudes confidence. That doesn’t necessarily mean he is shouting his mouth off. On the contrary, quiet confidence can speak volumes. Selling is communication, and influence At the end of the day you are selling yourself. If people believe in you it doesn’t matter what you are selling whether it is pea shooters or nuclear warheads, you have gained the single most important thing - trust. Many feel selling is about pushing and goading and keeping on while others walk away. I say selling is a complex interaction involving trust, communication and the subtle art of influence. rnGood salesmen and women know themselves You can only feel relaxed within yourself and confident in your own public presence if you understand and accept yourself for who you are. So it is worth spending time re-visiting your positive traits, going back over your own unique interests and values. The next step from here is to use this information to your best advantage. For instance, you are naturally drawn towards things that interest you – they fill you with passion and it is likely to be something you can speak about with credibility and drive. Trainee salesmen and women often make the mistake of trying to find an interest in their client’s way of life. This can be useful to a certain extent but beware if you do not genuinely feel an interest - it will show and you will loose something very precious from the business relationship. The personality of the good salesperson It is often considered there are two types of salesperson: the generalist and the specialist.rnMost face-to-face salespeople are generalists. Having this personality style is a distinct advantage when you are trying to influence someone in the give and take of face-to-face interaction. rnSpecialists are good consultative salespeople. What consultative salespeople sell is expertise. They are usually adept at planting the idea that they are experts in whatever they talk about. Generalist or specialist, the point is to find the style that works with your own personality and go with that. Sell yourself and the product will sell itself!