Core Competencies of Effective Salespeople

In my work with sales teams and their leaders, I find their path to true success is through their own evolution, growth and development of certain essential attitudes or mindsets and behaviors as well as the more tactical in nature, techniques themselves. Here is a compiled list of those 20 core competencies:

1. They have written goals: Fact: 3 to 5% of people actually write their goals. Imagine not having goals is the equivalent of shooting an arrow when there is no target to aim for.
2. They follow a plan: Fail to plan or plan to fail. From sales planning to account and territory planning, these are people who are more strategic than tactical in how they might be doing business.
3. Positive outlook: the difference of the “mindset of opportunity” versus “mindset of limitation.” Just take a look at the character “Eeyore” from Winnie the Pooh to learn more about the mindset of limitation. Negativity.
4. They take responsibility: These people avoid the “blame-game”, which, unfortunately afflicts too many people that tend to believe it’s everyone else’s fault. Effective salespeople own up to their challenges, mistakes and demonstrate true maturity as professionals.
5. Self-confident: They possess conviction, which leads to confidence.
6. Supportive beliefs: A typical human being has approximately 60,000 thoughts per day. Successful salespeople find way to minimize self-limiting thoughts or what we call “head trash” limiting its effect on their mindset.
7. Controls emotions: They are able to keep their emotions in “check”, even when their prospect isn’t as accommodating as they would like. Calm. Cool. Collected. Adult to adult selling.
8. Doesn't need approval: The majority of salespeople out face this common issue. Whether aware or not, they seem to prefer the creation of a bond and relationship and to be liked and even loved by their prospect, even if there isn’t an opportunity to make the sale. Effective salespeople have a higher level of control and close which is the natural antidote for this issue.
9. Recovers from rejection: Their mantra is “Some will, some won’t. So what? Someone’s waiting”. They don’t let it affect them personally.
10. Comfortable with money: They aren’t as affected with talking about money as others. Whether growing up in a home where money was scarce, plentiful or impolite to discuss, their childhood money messages are intact and healthy.
11. Supportive buying process: Successful and effective salespeople do not fall into the trap of assuming people might have to “think things over” before deciding because that is how they might make big decisions themselves.
12. Prospects consistently: Not to be confused with insane, “over the top” high intensity new business development. Consistency is the key. Every day. Not meant to be the entire day, just a portion of it.
13. Reaches decision makers: They know how and when to reach those who possess power and influence over the buying opportunity. They prefer to be shunted down versus having to climb up.
14. Effective questions/listening: They do more selling and less telling. Following a similar process of what a medical professional would do with a patient, effective salespeople diagnose before prescribing.
15. Early bonding and rapport: Making a connection and creating trust isn’t as easy as most may believe. These people have an understanding of the rule that people buy from people who they like and who are like them.
16. Uncovers budgets: They are able to discuss investments and resources by asking great questions, leading to answers that provide a deeper understanding of the prospect.
17. Discovers why people buy: The typical salesperson learns to demonstrate their knowledge base, how their product or service works, pricing, etc. The effective salesperson understands why there is a conversation in the first place and helps the prospect to discover for themselves.
18. Gets commitments: They constantly ask the question “what happens next?” when either beginning or ending a meeting or working their selling system. They are focused on a mutual level of commitment throughout the selling process.
19. Strong desire for success: There are three levels of people that are in sales (as in other professions as well). “Climbers”, “Campers” and “Parking Lot”. The mindset of “Parking Lot” (“Why bother getting out of the car? It’s not going to work”) and the “Camper” (“I’ve done well enough. I am comfortable”) is different than the mindset and performance of the climber. They are tenacious, resilient, willing to take risks and have learned the art of failure. Truly successful.
20. Commitment: doing what they say they are going to do regardless of how they feel. Action oriented. They possess discipline, vitality and guts.