40 Qualities of Successful Sales People
For my coaching and advising program, I recently developed this list of qualities that sales people should develop to the best of their ability. Here they are - please let me know if you have any to add!
A Successful Sales Person Is
1. Prompt
2. Hard working
3. Ethical
4. Always listening
5. Asking the right questions
6. Sincere
7. Creative
8. Full of empathy
9. Positive
10. Organized
11. Attentive to detail
12. Thoroughly prepared
13. Good humored
14. Focused
15. Resourceful
16. Informed about his products
17. Informed about his industry
18. Informed about his competitors
19. Thick skinned, resilient
20. Aggressive
21. Flexible
22. Quick thinking
23. Tough minded
24. Skilled in writing
25. Skilled in marketing
26. Skilled in math
27. Skilled in reading
28. Well rounded
29. Emotionally balanced
30. Self confident
31. Passionate about her work
32. Willing to take risks
33. Competitive
34. Patient
35. Practical
36. Persistent
37. A strategist
38. A tactician
39. Curious
40. Generous
Questions
Looking over this list, I wonder - is it possible for a person to excel in all these things? Are some of them mutually exclusive? For instance, can one person be a great strategist and a great tactician?
Which are the most important qualities?
How about genuine?
If there is one thing that makes me NOT want to buy something it is a saleperson who is so phony… you know? They typical used car guy who has the rote message down pat, who has answers to every little thing, who is so slick and polished that it is as if he memorized the book on how to annoy someone so much that they WILL buy something just to get rid of you! (smile)
JJ
Hi Jennifer, I couldn’t agree with you more. Sometimes sales people try too hard, or they’re afraid to be themselves.