The Top 13 Traits Laying the Foundation for Greatness

“Take on board this as a potential movie script

that will never get made

Of a traveling advertising salesman visiting Kansas City named Chris.”

from Christopher Flaherty

I recently read Anthony Iannarino's article titled The Secret to Being a Consultative Salesperson. It builds on the concept that a relationship is either symmetrical and peer-based, or it is asymmetrical and power-based. In a peer-based relationship, each person regards the others as their equal. In a power-based relationship, like the one between a buyer and a seller, one person is in the “one-up” position, the position of power, and the other is in the “one-down” submissive position.

He concludes with this advice to the seller: “The "one-up" position in sales is created by having more knowledge, more experience, and a higher resolution lens than your client to view their problems, challenges, and opportunities. To be clear, this isn't a position based on power, but one based on the ability to frame better the decision the client needs to make, providing a valuable perspective, as well as the context the client needs to take into account.”

I was tempted to write an article praising the virtues of consultative selling, only to come across a myriad of obituaries declaring consultive selling dead, killed by the likes of Challenger or insight selling. Then there were those write-ups praising one particular methodology and those compilations titled "Top 10" (or 12, or 20) sales methodologies.

So, I have decided to stay away from praising one method (inadvertently over others), knowing that each one has a time and a place, and instead focus on the traits of a good salesperson. Those traits are not scientifically researched, rather the observations of a practitioner.

Why good, not great? We live in a world of superlatives, where everything is labeled as great, and everyone strives for greatness. And being good simply lays the foundation for becoming great. Genuinely great, not self-declared.

So, here they are, my top traits of a good salesperson:

1.     Structured – Know the process and then follow it diligently. If you are in a mature organization, someone has defined a best practice sales process that has a proven track record of success. Follow it every time!

2.     Persistent – Key to success in sales. Defined as “continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.” Stick with it. If it does take an average of 5 calls to get an appointment, make 10 before giving up.

3.     Humble – Yes, your contracts put food on the table for the entire company. And yes, you are a rock star. Just don’t be THAT person.

4.     Knowledgeable – Know your stuff. Don’t assume, don’t guess, don’t make it up. Know it, and if you don’t, be honest about it, find out, and learn.

5.     Mindful – Have an awareness of those around you: what are the dynamics at your clients? Who is the decision-maker? What roles does each person play? And the same applies internally.

6.     Responsive - Have the right sense of urgency when you respond to an inquiry or address a question. Never get caught on the receiving end of a reminder!

7.     Accountable – Take responsibility for your and your company’s actions. Never pass the blame.

8.     Be yourself – Customers will look right through it if you pretend to be someone you are not. Being genuine and authentic allows you to create a connection.

9.     Timely – Know the best practices in your market, or understand your client’s expectation, e.g., when following up on a lead. It may be "5 min" or "within 24 h". Stick to it every time.

10.  Prepared – No matter how experienced you are, being prepared allows you to be attentive and responsive. Instead of scrambling to fill gaps or improvising, you can pick out nuances and read between the lines.

11.  Curious – Ask your clients everything you need to know (and more) because they like to talk about their favorite subject, themselves. Ask for help internally, ask early and ask often, and not when it is too late for the help to have a positive impact.

12.  Sharing – Use the CRM to your advantage by capturing and sharing what you know, once. BTW, a whiteboard in your home office does not qualify as sharing.

13.  Positive – Positivity is contagious and likable. Don’t be the negative Nancy.

Like so much in sales, it is common sense, paired with best-practice data and process, that lays the foundation for a good salesperson.

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Anthony Iannarino – The Secret to Being a Consultative Salesperson

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