8 Things that World-Class Salespeople Have in Common (according to experts)

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Sales is probably one of the most demanding jobs.

Why is it tough?

Because you’re under constant pressure to deliver. Entire organizations depend on sales departments and you have to work with people, which can be exhausting…

But working in sales is also super exciting. No day is the same, and you aren’t stuck at your desk all the time. Also, when you reach your quota (or exceed it), you become the superhero, everyone talks about you, you get your big fat bonus, life is great!

There are sale guys (and girls) who deliver continuously, we call them sales superstars!  

Have you ever wondered what they have in common?

I certainly have, which is why I’ve decided to pose this question to some world-renowned sales experts.

Here’s what they said:

8 Things that World-Class Salespeople Have in Common

 

world-class salespeople

Lee Bartlett, Best Selling Author, Sales Consultant

#1 World-class salespeople have a high sales EQ

The best salespeople have a high emotional quotient and use it as a differentiator. They have the ability to control their emotions, channel them to connect with their customers, and drive revenue.

world-class salespeople

Steli Efti, CEO at Close.io

#2 World-class salespeople are very consistent.

There are many skills and traits that any salesperson should strive to get better at (being a great listener, being able to ask great questions, being great at managing relationships, qualifying and closing techniques, etc, etc).

And both I and others have given that advice many times, and most of your readers are probably already aware of and have worked on these skills.

However, there’s one trait that often gets overlooked, and yet, I’ve NEVER EVER met a great salesperson who lacked that trait:
Consistency.

You can be talented, charismatic, likable, a domain expert, and so much more, but if you’re not consistent, you’ll never be a great person.

In fact, I’d rather have a team of mediocre but consistent sales reps, than a team of incredibly talented and smart reps whose can’t perform consistently.

If you’re a salesperson, and you really want to build a successful career, stop toying around with new tools and studying all the latest sales tactics and methodologies.

Instead, focus on doing the things that you’ll be able to do consistently, over a very long period of time, and do them really well.

world-class salespeople

Barbara Giamanco, CEO of Social Centered Selling and host of the Conversations with Women in Sales podcast

#3 World-class salespeople learn continuously.

One thing that makes successful salespeople stand out is that they NEVER stop learning! They know that when you learn, you earn.

Constant learning expands your horizons, keeps you relevant and helps you distance yourself from competitors. Your conversations with buyers will be stronger.

You’ll be more valuable to your employer, and career opportunities will present themselves more quickly. Consistently read, listen and learn from experienced experts who can help you be the best salesperson or sales leader that you can be.

world-class salespeople

Tony J Hughes, Speaker, Author, Consultant

#4 World-class salespeople know everything about their customers.  

It is timelessly important to focus on the customer and on what they are seeking to achieve in their world.

Think about your customer’s customers, and the pressures their business is under to survive and prosper.

Lead with a narrative that is all about them and provides empathy, insight and market intelligence from which they can benefit but without crossing any kind of ethical line with their competitors.

An old-school truth is that only the customer is qualified to call something a solution and only the customer can define value.

It is essential that we go beyond our own products and services to understand the customer’s industry, company, role and personal context when we engage.

world-class salespeople

Mark Hunter, CEO at the Sales Hunter, Keynote Sales Speaker, Best Selling Author

#5 World-class salespeople are disciplined.

Discipline to follow through is the big difference between an average salesperson and the world-class salesperson.

The world-class salesperson is focused 110% on being disciplined on following through with everything from how they use their time to the leads and customers they’re working with.

world-class salespeople

Mike Kunkle, Founder & Sales Transformation Architect for Transforming Sales Results, LLC

#6 World-class salespeople always put their buyers first.

World-class salespeople are laser-focused on what matters most to their buyers, the outcomes they need to achieve, and the metrics that matter most to each of the decision makers and influencers.

Far more than average salespeople, these top producers do outstanding discovery and remain focused on the buying process exit criteria for each decision maker, at each stage of the process.

Buying process exit criteria are the things each buyer needs to see, hear, feel, understand and believe at each stage of their buyer’s journey, to feel comfortable moving forward to the next stage, with you.

World-class salespeople stay fixated on uncovering, understanding, and satisfying these criteria, which they know include both business needs and personal needs.

world-class salespeople

Nancy Nardin, Founder & President of Smart Selling Tools

#7 World-class salespeople only focus on tasks which matter.

Protect your time!

Always ask yourself, “will this task ultimately help me make my number?”

It’s so easy to get distracted. It’s human nature to veer toward the things you like doing most. Indulge in those things to some degree, but make sure that you bring your focus back to the activities that will get you to your goal.

world-class salespeople

Andy Paul, Speed of Selling Expert, Executive Sales Coach, Executive Sales Consultant

#8 World-class salespeople are endlessly curious and open-minded.

I think the best salespeople are insatiably curious, open-minded, problem solvers and relationship builders. They are constantly learning about everything in the world around them, not just sales.

They ask original questions that they don’t know the answers to ahead of time and then they truly listen to the answers.

They understand that sales is all about the human connections they make in order to help others achieve their goals. Perhaps most importantly, they are rule breakers.

They use their experience to develop a personal sales methodology that optimizes their unique skills and capabilities.

What do you think the world-class salespeople have in common?

no prior experience & time required

Find your winning outbound formula with Concierge

no prior experience & time required

Find your winning outbound formula with Concierge

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