Character Sketch What are your salespeople made of? If they have the following traits, you're in good shape.

Stellar sellers and entrepreneurs share many personality traits.Entrepreneurs will excel because they have such enthusiasm fortheir services, and their ebullience is embraced by prospectsaccustomed to the same old hackneyed pitches. Great closers possessan aura of competence and zeal that never fails to take them to thetop of the board each month.

To understand the valuable qualities in selling, we askedexperts and business owners what characteristics allow asalesperson to transcend the trite:

• Creativity: Having anappreciation for the nonobvious solution is a must if a sales prois going to outpace the pack. While an average salesperson dependson business cards and leave-behinds, a true rainmaker brings a"unique vision to his work that makes him stand out,"says Wendy Weiss, aka "The Queen of Cold-Calling" andpresident of Weiss Communications, a sales training and coachingcompany in New York City.

• Passion: Genuine love for aproduct gets salespeople through the inevitable dark times, and itmakes their offers all the more irresistible to their clients.Passion, like creativity, cannot be faked, so it's got greatweight with customers.

Paul R. DiModica is president of DigitalHatch Inc., a salestraining business for high-tech firms in Peachtree City, Georgia.DiModica ranks passion as the number-one characteristic asalesperson needs. "You must believe in what you sell,"he says. "This belief is communicated to the prospectinvisibly."

• Integrity: Why are used-carsalesmen so poorly regarded? Because the perception is that theylack integrity-they'll say anything to get the sale. DaveCondensa, CEO and founder of Helio Solutions, an IT consulting firmin Sunnyvale, California, thinks integrity tops the list ofqualities salespeople need. "We're building arelationship, and it's imperative that the customer trusts thesalesperson." Feeling good about a purchase is a hallmark ofbuying from a salesperson with integrity. "Trust brings[customers] back, and that's a key factor to the success of anysalesperson," adds Condensa.

The importance of selling with integrity has been heightened bythe poor ethical and financial performance of huge corporationsrecently. Says DiModica, "Customers still buy thesalesperson."

• Tenacity: Shelving feelingsof rejection to keep plugging away is another essential requirementfor sales success. "It takes personal courage to get up everymorning and say 'I am going to be the best,'" saysDiModica. It also requires a certain steely quality to persist inthe wake of one dismissal after the next.

Weiss agrees: "Sales requires someone who can always seepossibilities, even in difficult situations."

• Commitment: The sales cyclefor any big deal can typically take months, even years. Keeping aneye on the prize, as well as continuing to sell to other prospectssimultaneously, takes commitment. "Selling is nevereasy," explains DiModica. "You must have a burningdesire."

Weiss also believes that success is the result of a person's"willingness and intent to make things happen."

On the flip side, there are certain traits that will surely doomany salesperson to the also-ran heap: lack of integrity, forinstance. "Integrity means the person will always attempt todo the right thing for the company and the customers," saysWeiss.

DiModica also points to not being prepared when trying to make asale. "You can't just pick up the phone and call aprospect because your contact manager says it's time."

And, of course, there's the ultimate vice: dishonesty.Condensa warns: "You ruin the chance of repeat or referralbusiness."

Kimberly L. Mccall is president of McCall Media &Marketing Inc. (www.marketingangel.com), a business communicationscompany in Durham, Maine.

Contact Sources

• DigitalHatch Inc.
  (770) 461-3284, www.digitalhatch.com
• Helio Solutions Inc.
  (408) 481-0200, www.heliosolutions.com
• Weiss Communications
  (212) 463-8212, www.wendyweiss.com