Struggling to add the right salesperson skills to your sales CV? Here are 10 of the best for you to choose from.
Top 10 sales skills
1. Your confidence
Overlooked by the most confident salespeople because hey, it’s just the way you are. Let’s not underplay this quality though – there are plenty of people out there who would rather cut off their own hands than pick up the phone to a stranger. You’ve got the gift of the gab. Tell us all about it!
2. You are a natural problem solver
If you’re the type of person who sees the word “no” as a challenge rather than a refusal, congratulations, sales is your dream career. Being met by challenges all day long and finding creative ways to work around them is part and parcel of your everyday life. What’s more – you love it. Don’t forget to write that down.
3. You are great at building and maintaining relationships
You still remember everyone’s name from your primary school swimming team and you could happily go for a coffee this afternoon with any of your LinkedIn contacts. You know that relationships are important in both your working and social lives and that they require work. You’re fine with that, after all, you’re a professional.
4. You love keeping up-to-date with competitors
Did you hear the news? Of course you did. You’ve got your top competitors’ blogs on an RSS feed sent directly to your brain and when they move, you know about it. This isn’t just nosiness (but it is partly, in a good way), you’ve got a genuine passion for the industry and this means keeping on top of every change competing companies make. Shout this from the rooftops, it’s an excellent attribute to have.
5. You are responsive and reactive
Your iPhone is always on and your tablet is never far from your hands. Time was, clients and customers would look forward to hearing from you to further your proposals in 24 hours – now that window has closed to right-just-now. The quicker you can deliver, the faster you close, the more likely you gain return business. Good job you’re more on the ball than Sea Life’s prize sealion. Jot it down.
6. You are the definition of PMA
Got a refusal? No biggie, just gives you chance to work on your pitch for the next client. Your positive mental attitude weathers you through the slowest of days and you should be proud of it. People around you feed off your positivity and work harder because of it. You are an asset to your office. Seriously!
7. You play Paxman-league hardball
Got a client who’s playing hard-to-get? Need some squiffy figures explaining? You know what needs to be asked, so you go ahead and do it. What’s the point in waiting to delegate the tough work and potentially losing custom if you can afford to be frank and direct with the people you’re working with? This skill goes hand in hand with confidence and is a big bonus when it comes to negotiating with tricky customers.
8. You know what your clients need
What you’re selling might be groundbreakingly fabulous in every way, but unless you understand your customers and clients’ needs, you are never shifting those units. Getting to know what they need means tailoring your pitch and packages to suit them, resulting in much more successful calls. Good job you love doing your research!
9. You’re motivated
From the minute you clock in to the second you switch off, you’re ready and motivated to get in touch with your clients and sell your product. Whether you’re researching, selling or building relationships, you know that the effort you put in comes back to you in results and that’s what keeps you going. Good effort.
10. You care
If there’s one thing you care about, it’s making sure your customers and clients are satisfied. You check-in, you follow-up and above all you offer them the type of user experience you’d expect from a top-level company. After all, retaining good custom is worth more than gaining new sales because it reflects positively on the company as a whole.
If some of these skills need fine-tuning, don’t worry. Sales is a profession learned over time, and the more you put in the more you will get out. Live by these rules and you’ll soon be climbing the career ladder, gaining quality long-term clients and enjoying the benefits they can bring.
Good luck!
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