Closer Call
Looking for a few good salespeople? Start here.
There are a handful of traits that will bring your reps the most
closed sales and repeat customers. Wendy Weiss, a New York
City-based sales trainer and author of Cold Calling College,
shares her top five traits to look for in a salesperson:
1. Stick-to-itiveness: The most important trait is the
ability to keep going. "Sales can be a tough world," says
Weiss. "The stark reality is that some prospects will say
no." What the salesperson does with that no is key. They can
allow it to stop them, or they can put it aside and continue. Look
for someone who does the latter.
2. Empathy and rapport: The ability to put oneself in a
prospect's shoes is crucial to building a good sales
relationship.
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3. Creativity: Being able to think quickly and
differently sets a good salesperson apart from the competition and
helps him or her solve problems--creating a great edge.
4. Strategic thinking: Planning the approach, and knowing
what to say and when to say it, will help good sales reps succeed
where others fail.
5. Follow-through: Some people are great openers but have
no ability to sustain the sales relationship. Following through,
staying in touch and keeping promises put a salesperson miles ahead
of the competition.