One of the questions I am asked most often is what characteristics are needed to be a great sales person? Here are what I feel to be the three most essential attributes to achieve long-term success in sales.
GOAL SETTING: The first question is: Do you have personal and professional written goals? These should be goals that are documented on paper and S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely).
If there are no goals to strive for, there is no motivation, no focus, no plan and certainly no measurement of success. Therefore, one of the key characteristics of a successful sales professional is to have S.M.A.R.T., written personal and professional goals supported by a plan of action.
Goals and a plan of action alone are not enough. You must be self-disciplined, focused, and ready to take action!
SELF-DISCIPLINE: Discipline is a commitment to the most important person in the world. It means doing what you have to do, even when you don’t want to do it.
The way to become disciplined is to identify those negative habits that hold you back from achieving your goals, and replacing them with new powerful and effective behaviors. These new practices will soon become strong habits that support the positive achievement of both your professional and personal goals.
When you have changed your daily behaviors to effective, positive habits, it’s important to reward yourself for doing what you needed to do. It is a proven fact that a behavior that is recognized with a reward will be repeated. So if you fail to do what you said you were going to do, you should deny any reward you were hoping for. Rewards don’t have to be excessive, even a cup of your favorite coffee or a nice meal can be effective.
However, before you can master the behaviors of goal setting and discipline, you must master your attitude. It is of the utmost importance to have a desire to set goals and to be disciplined.
ATTITUDE CONTROL: You can’t build anything without a solid foundation. Attitude is the foundation for all successful people, not just sales professionals.
Attitude can be looked at as the “advance person” that identifies our true character. Even though it is rooted inward, within our soul, the fruit it bears is easily seen by the outside world. The attitude we have day to day can become our biggest enemy – or our best friend. The words we speak are less powerful than our attitude, and our attitude can be more honest than our words. Attitude is the quality that either draws people towards us, or pushes them away. You must stay in control of your attitude to be a successful salesperson.
The positive achievement of your personal goals, the success of your team, organization and your sales results all hinge on the attitude you have toward yourself. If you are able to take charge of your attitude and develop a demeanor filled with self worth, respect and self confidence, your success will become guaranteed.
The ability to master a positive attitude, self-discipline and effective goals are the three core components to becoming successful in the sales profession – or at anything else in life! When you become adept at these critical characteristics, you will become successful at anything you set your mind to!
Bob Urichuck is a Sales Skills speaker whose passion and energy, along with his advance learning techniques, enables him to achieve quick results with his audience. He is one of the many talented Sales Skills Speakers you will find on MotivationalSpeakersWorldwide.com.