The Seven Characteristics of A Great Sales Representative

This is a definitive description of the different aspects of being a salesperson that you can work on and improve. There is no order in which to do this. You have to do a certain amount of self-reflection and decide which areas need to be worked on. So, what are these areas?

The Ability to Build Relationships

Salespeople should be naturally gregarious. They should enjoy talking to different people, and be confident enough to approach strangers. Being able to talk to people you don’t know is a big part of sales. It goes against everything we were taught as children. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t approach strange people. You will remember this from your childhood. But in sales, you need to overcome this conditioning and go the other way.

If you aren’t used to doing it, make a point of talking to strangers. It is possible to be shy and also be a very successful salesperson. When you learn how to compartmentalize your own personal feelings and social expectations and view yourself not as an individual but as a representative of a much larger entity, you will find it becomes a lot easier with time and practice.

With this confidence to approach strangers, you will develop the ability to build relationships with customers. This is not about personal, intimate relationships. Salespeople are required to build relationships with all of their clients, and so this process must take place on the platform of business. You need to be approachable and inspire in your client or potential clients the feeling that you are the right person to speak to about their business challenges because, of all the people in the industry, you can offer a solution which resolves them. This is building relationships. Being dependable, consistent, and following through is a really big part of that ability. If your client feels that you are trustworthy, you will have a client for life.

Integrity and Honesty

This is another big part of your personal rapport with your client. Doing what you say, being consistent and dependable are smaller facets of the larger characteristic of having integrity. When a person has integrity, it means that they uphold a certain standard of conduct in their lives, by living that standard.

Honesty is also a part of integrity; it is the main feature. If you want to build and maintain your integrity, then your conduct needs to be almost predictable. This is not to say that you are boring. It is more that your client will know that under any set of similar circumstances, you will make the same decisions and do the same things. This is reliability.

Your client needs to know that you will always maintain open lines of communication and that when you speak, you are reporting the truth. When your client comes to understand that you will always tell them the truth, then you become reliable, trustworthy, and you have integrity.

A salesperson who cheats their clients, lies to cover up mistakes, and does “whatever it takes” to close a deal has no integrity, and clients will recognize them for such a person. The corollary of this is that when a salesperson is honest or holds himself accountable for his actions, he shows integrity, and that is a priceless commodity in client relations.

Strong Communication Skills

Salespeople must be able to speak and write to people. Their use of language to persuade prospective customers to buy a particular product or service is a well-known skill. You not only need to be able to read and write well using flawless spelling, grammar and punctuation, but you also need to know what words to use to convince your client to try your product. You must be an orator of sorts, speaking to people’s hidden needs and desires.

You also need to know how to communicate using non-verbal methods. Simple yet incredibly effective, non-verbal communication with a client, for example imitating their gestures and posture in a subtle way, forms a bond with a client. By using these unspoken signals you subconsciously confirm that you are trustworthy and knowledgeable, and should be followed or consulted.

Being aware of your own body language also goes a long way to developing a good relationship with a client. This is something that new salespeople often have to work on. Crossed arms, hands in pockets, or lack of eye contact are all indicators of low self-confidence, and clients won’t trust someone who doesn’t trust himself.

Product Knowledge

To be an excellent salesperson, you need to have a thorough technical knowledge of what you are selling. You cannot get by with merely a superficial understanding of your products. Yes, you should be honest and admit when you don’t know something, but this should be an iterative process for you. You should constantly be working to fill those knowledge gaps, to flesh out your understanding of your product’s features, and how they fit into the greater whole that is the working world.

You should aim to become a product specialist in your field. This takes time to accomplish, and is an ongoing process. Don’t expect to cram the brochure overnight and then have all of the answers. If you are dedicated enough to become a respected product specialist, there will always be a client who comes to you with a new problem to solve. This is how you extend your product knowledge: by taking on new challenges and finding new and innovative solutions to your clients’ needs by finding out more.

Holistic Thinking

Linked to product knowledge is holistic thinking. When we hear the word “holistic,” we often think about natural health, but the word actually describes a broad understanding of a context. So, instead of focusing on the small challenge as described by the client, holistic thinking encourages you to look at the broader context, and to seek out a better solution that resolves the underlying problem.  

Holistic thinking is about more than simply selling a product or service. It is about resolving the cause of the need for a solution. This happens when you understand all of the contributing factors in any given context. It is linked to creative problem solving, which happens when you reject all standard patterns of thinking and find an unusual, innovative solution that directly addresses your client’s need in the most productive way.

Trading Power for Power

This is a subtle and tricky concept. In the sales process, it describes the power of your position as the expert in this field, and as the person who can present a workable solution to a problem, versus the power of your client’s position as the person who determines the value of the solutions you present.

There is a trade of sorts happening here, and you need to be aware of it so that you can leverage it, or at least understand the dynamics at play to better manage the relationship with your customer.  

Trading power for power is the acceptance that you have the knowledge and the client has the money. These are two equal power components in the equation which balance each other out and are based on trust that you will offer a reliable and viable solution, and the client will then make payment. You have to offer your solution first, and trust that the client will find value in it.

Understanding the Competitive Landscape

You need to be aware of your competitors, what their reach is, and their strengths and weaknesses. When you understand what alternatives are open to your clients, you can analyze how your product or service stands out, and which weaknesses (relatively speaking) you need to work around.

It is good to be sociable with your competitors. Talk to them at trade shows. Develop that sense of camaraderie. There will come a time when you might need one of them, and they might need you. If you remember to always put your client’s needs first, you can be assured that your work will not go unnoticed, and you will reap the long-term rewards for it.

You cannot function in a sales environment as an insulated entity. In a (mostly) free-market economy, if your products or services are desirable, you will always have competition, so it is best to understand how these competitors impact your business and your clients. This is also a part of holistic thinking and creative problem-solving.

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