Being a salesperson is much more than wielding a CRM, developing a sales forecast, or mastering Excel spreadsheets. Being a top-notch salesperson means you’re not only in tune with your technical skills, but also your soft skills. Here are some of the must-have skills to succeed in sales:
Effective Communication
From emails to meetings to phone calls, there are countless ways in which a salesperson needs to be able to communicate on any given day, which makes this communication all the more crucial. As an effective salesperson and communicator, you must understand your audience and change your tactics at the drop of a hat.
For example, you shouldn’t be speaking to your coworkers the same way you speak to a client because they have different needs from you and different goals in mind.
In short, being a good communicator helps salespeople get their point across, reach their goals, and succeed.
Active Listening
When you have a sales goal to hit, it’s tempting to fall into the pattern of nagging someone until you wear them out and they agree to try the product or service.
Unfortunately, many salespeople still do this, even at large companies that brag about their sales department.
Nobody likes this.
Instead of nagging prospects, work on actively listening. You might find that in most cases they’ll tell you exactly what they need. By listening, you can hear what they’re looking for and their pain points. Ask questions to guide the conversation, but avoid hijacking the conversation.
Remember: you’re not the enemy and the client isn’t the enemy either. You’re both on the same side, so listen and work with your prospect.
Understanding the Product, Service, and Industry
Unfortunately, many salespeople don’t know about the product, service, or industry they are supposed to be selling. Sure, it’s easy to say, “our product is the best”, but as a salesperson, you need to be able to back the claim with evidence.
If you’re a salesperson you need to make sure you learn everything about your product, service, or industry so you can position yourself as a credible expert that can guide the prospect. By understanding their niche a salesperson will gain a tremendous advantage over competitors.
Positive Attitude
Sales aren’t all sunshine and rainbows; sales are a lot of unanswered emails, hung-up phone calls, and rejections in so many other forms. As a salesperson, you must be able to keep a positive attitude.
Not everyone will want to speak with you, not everyone will be interested, and not everyone will qualify for the product or service you sell. However, throughout rejection, it’s important to stay optimistic. Your positive attitude is closely related to confidence and it means you’re able to stay hopeful and confident that everything will turn out alright.
Of course, there are many more skills that make a salesperson successful, and this list is not exhaustive, but these are some of the must-haves to look for in a sales candidate. If they can communicate, listen, understand the product or service, and maintain a positive attitude – they’re well on their way to success.
Hire Sales with Talance
Drawing on our extensive network and exceptional search team, we are able to identify these top passive candidates. Through this process, we create visibility for your company and relationships with exceptional performers in a variety of industries. That’s where Talance’s network offers a unique advantage. Our sales and marketing recruiters take the time to understand the complexities of your business and specific hiring needs even before your search begins. Our #1 rule is always to do what is in the best interest of our clients and candidates; your success is our shared goal. Visit our website at talancegroup.com/contact-us to start searching today.