Today we are focusing on an aptitude that has become more prevalent with the advent of remote salespeople. When we assess sales candidates for home-based or remote office positions, we place a higher significance on this trait. Self-Management An overall trait comprised of multiple factors which involve a person’s ability to manage his or her own self. This trait is similar to a person’s ability to manage others which involves empathy, understanding, gaining commitment and various other leadership qualities. This trait measures a person’s ability to marshal similar abilities toward managing themselves. A salesperson with strength in this aptitude will be able to objectively and accurately assess their own strengths… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Consistency and Reliability
Sales success is often achieved by consistent actions over an extended period of time. Many people have experienced the salesperson who starts out strong but eventually flame out. It seems the best salespeople have the ability to maintain success over an extended period of time. Consistency & Reliability This is the salesperson’s capacity to feel an internal need to be conscientious, consistent and reliable in their personal and/or professional efforts (life roles). This is an internal motivation as opposed to being motivated by external forces such as job, peer or supervisory pressures. A salesperson with strength in this trait will be dependable and reliable – tending to perform in most… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Influencing Others
Sales, in its most basic form, is convincing others to change their behavior. One of the aptitudes we use to objectively assess this important trait is Influencing Others. Influencing Others This is the capacity to convince others – to present ones viewpoint in such a way that it is accepted by another person. A salesperson with strength in this capacity can not only see but talk from another’s point of view. A salesperson who has the ability to understand other’s objections and concerns can then respond to them in an effective manner. A weakness in this area can indicate a salesperson who is insensitive to others – not knowing what… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Top 10 Sales Traits
It is next to impossible to determine 1 specific set of descriptors for the perfect salesperson. The reason is simple – no 2 sales go down the same way. Each sale is almost a mini-drama in itself. On top of that, no two competitors approach the market the same way. This difference is the reason why we always start our hiring process by defining the typical and ideal sale for that company. That information provides a blueprint for the salesperson with the abilities to succeed in that particular position. Now that I have written all that, we’ll take a stab at 10 sales traits that are needed in any sales… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Multitasking Myth – Physical Limitations
Multitasking is one of those words that has entered business lexicon but should be considered an urban myth. We posted on this topic a few months ago and now I have come across a short Q&A article from CareerJournal.com that addresses the physical aspects of so-called multitasking. First, kudos to the author of the question who can really turn a phrase (emphasis mine): You’ve written that too much multitasking can leave the mind and body marinating in stress hormones. Can you elaborate on the physiological effects?…Brief or infrequent stress responses pose little risk. But when a person responds this way habitually or over long periods, the risk of injury or… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Initiative
We’ve defined Self-Starting Ability in a previous post – now let’s define a similar, but still different sales trait that is crucial in any role. Initiative This ability directs ones energies toward the completion of a goal without an external catalyst. The ability to initiate actions based on ones own interpretation, or understanding, of a situation. A salesperson with strength in this capacity has the ability to take action as a result of his or her own decisions. They feel comfortable enough in their own abilities to act on their own decisions without consulting others. They will adapt to a dynamic situation and move around unforeseen obstacles without waiting for… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Self Confidence
First off, I decided to change the name of this series based on the previous posts. We speak aptitudes but what we are referring to are traits. We’ll use a blend of both words in this series. Our last installment defined an important aptitude for sales success – Handling Stress. Today we’re going to tie into that aptitude with a complementary aptitude – Self Confidence. First, an interesting point from an Os Hillman daily devotional: In my younger days I played sports. I came to observe that we fail under pressure usually because we reach a point where our ability to focus on execution yields to concern about outcome. This… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Handling Stress
You could argue that this week’s aptitude – Handling Stress – is a key component in almost every job. In sales, it is critical because the typical sales position involves multiple levels of stress. Whether it be presentations in front of many Directors and VP’s or dealing with an irate customer, sales presents a wide variety of stresses. Handling Stress This is a person’s ability to balance and defuse inner tensions and stresses which, if allowed to build up, could interfere with a person’s ability to perform up to their potential. It is not the person’s ability to handle stressful situations, but rather their ability to appropriately separate themselves from… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Results Orientation
Last week, we defined Project and Goal Focus which is important for successful selling in any market. Salespeople must stay on target over extended periods of time while overcoming many obstacles. The companion aptitude to Goal Focus is Results Orientation. It is one thing to stay on target, it is another thing to actually accomplish the tasks needed to reach that target. A salesperson with little aptitude for achieving results will be the proverbial “cloud of dust” salesperson. You will see a cloud of dust kicked up by all of their activity, but at the end of the day, the wagon hasn’t moved. Results Orientation The ability to identify actions… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Project and Goal Focus
This week we turn our attention to another important aptitude for successful selling – Project and Goal Focus. Most sales managers can relate to the issues that surround this particular ability. Project and Goal Focus An individual’s ability to maintain their direction in spite of obstacles in their path. It includes their ability to stay on target regardless of circumstance. A salesperson with strength in this capacity is able to stay on track while involved in a project or opportunity – even if there are unforeseen obstacles that occur during the process. They will tend to ignore the problems and stay on the path even if some event causes the… Read More
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