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This question has been closed, and points have been awarded.
Great Salesperson
Posted By: thule* on 1/9/2005 9:40 PM (CST) 250 Points
what are salesperson characteristics

Posted by: Deremiah *CPE Member Response
1/9/2005 10:30 PM (CST)
thule,

Welcome aboard!

are you trying to create a tagline/name?
And if you do not mind me asking what business are you in?
How long have you been in this business? and
what has sparked this new need for a tagline?

When I clicked on your name I noticed you were new to our forum and I was hoping you might have filled in something about what you do. When creating a tagline or name a whole lot has to go into the process so that we ultimately end up with an end result that really truly reflects the purpose and intent of your organization.

I could rattle off a whole shipload of Sales characteristics since I have been involved in this capacity in way more industries than I care to name. What's most important is that when we finish helping you here you go off and tell your friends and they come back. We are very relational here at our forum and we love helping people. It's just sometimes it takes a little digging and probing in order to know what we need to create and why. Thanks for your patience. If you would like to know more about me please click on my name and enjoy. Is there anything else I can do for you?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)
 
Posted by: W.M.M.A. Accepted Answer
1/9/2005 10:47 PM (CST)
Since Deremiah, has done such an excellent job of probing, I do not want to disturb that thought process.
Except...he knows, I can not just sit here...so, I will give you the most important one, (IMHO), that sums what Deremiah is: COOMMITTED.

Even to enter into the field of sales, there must be a commitment. One does not "go and sell' between jobs, until the next job comes along. That is not selling, that is wasting time.

One is always selling, regardless of the present position in any company. Selling is a part of life. Every life.

Should a person take a position as a "Salesperson" and expect to be successful, there must be commitment.

Commitment to understand... not just your product, but the products/services of your customers, and you must commit to understand them, and you must commit to understand their customers. You MUST commit to them...or, there is nothing.

And, not to dampen Deremiah's fire...but you MUST commit yourself as well as commit to yourself, that everything you do from this point on will be for the best interests of all parties involved in "the process".

I'm sure you will learn more, and then, with your assistance, by providing more information, we will be able to drill down a bit and find the tagline you seek.

Sound dramatic? It is!

If I can be of any assistance, just ask.
Randall
WMMA
 
Posted by: Deremiah *CPE Accepted Answer
1/9/2005 11:48 PM (CST)
Since Randall,

could not sit tight but I must give him credit because he has put in one of the columns that holds the character of a great saleswoman in place (committment). I will now share with you column #2. Upon your response I will share the next 3.

THERE ARE 52 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREAT SALESWOMAN...
I have identified a total of 52 characteristics of a great saleswoman and she's "All That" let me tell you Thule She's ALL That and a BIG Bag of Chips" especially when you can identify them all in one saleswoman. They don't call her sales-"WO"-man for nothing. She puts the "WO" in her sales performance.

NOW PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY OR YOU WILL MISS THE BILLION DOLLAR MAJOR CHARACTERISTIC OF A "GREAT SALESWOMAN...

CHARACTER #2 OF A GREAT SALESWOMAN IS...

She's a Servant.

She knows 'Great Service' comes from a Servant centered salesperson. I mean she's real clear about the fact that 'Great Service' can only come from a Great Servant. For an awful long time she's realized that most companies have their focus backwards because they are primarily male driven organizations that want service but they refuse to hire the Servant Types. She has explained to me over and over again that "Service" is only a byproduct of what REAL Customer Servants produce. So with this attitude she serves the REAL needs of her clients. Now that I practice this one characteristic, when you line me up in a room with a whole bunch of other sales guys in monkey suits I stand out because she taught me real good how to serve people with passion. If you really meditate on this attribute everyday for the next year you'll be a whole lot richer than you could ever imagine. Well I've said enough. Thule, is there anything else I can do for you? I'd really love to help.

Your Servant, Deremiah *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)
 
Posted by: jackson Accepted Answer
1/10/2005 8:01 AM (CST)
You have been fortunate enopugh to get some really good advice so far, and I would just like to give you a little more. The answer to your question is very simple, "What are salesperson charcteristics?" THE SALES PERSON THAT SELLS THE MOST AT THE BIGGEST LEVEL OF PROFIT. You can sometimes forget that this is what sales is all about, the bottom line and you should not be afraid to as your salespeople what their annual projections are and then hold their feet to the fire by asking them a simple question, "Are you sure about the sales projection number?". Then add "Would you give me the same number if your job depended on it, because it does? This will usually give you a revised number that you can rely on. Hope this helps, Jack
 
Posted by: vin20k* Accepted Answer
1/10/2005 9:32 AM (CST)
I think,few of the honourable members have already mentioned about the characteristics.As per my knowledge goes the great salesperson possess following qualities:
1)Commitment:The sheer commitment towards achieving the target.He/She will relentlessly work towards achieving the set goal.
2)Enthusiasm:which is a must for a salesperson.
3)Positive attitude:A supersalesperson never get disappointed with a unfavourable situation.
4)Time manager:He/she should be efficient planner regarding the time.The proper he/she plans ,better are the chances to achieve more business.
Apart from this there arecountless qualities a supersalesperson should possess.You can get them by asking and observing a good salesperson.
 
Posted by: W.M.M.A. Member Response
1/10/2005 9:49 AM (CST)
MEMBERS...OOPS!

Sorry for the mis-spelling.

COOMITTED - NO
COMMITTED - YES

Randall
WMMA
 
Posted by: SRyan ;] Member Response
1/10/2005 8:15 PM (CST)
This question appears to be in the wrong category. I'm moving it to Career/Training.
 
Posted by: VPo Accepted Answer
1/11/2005 12:44 AM (CST)
A great salesperson?

1. Listen first and attentively.
2. Don't memorize or regurgitate template sales pitches
3. Showing enthusiasm and confidence in your product/service
4. Using benefits over listing features to sell

Just a small list of skills really rather than characteristics. I don't think that you have to be an extremely outgoing person to be a successful sales person. (I should know - people use to think I was mute! But I could sell)

Most people will tell you as long as you can explain and demonstrate how your product/service solves your customers problems then that should do it.

All sounds good on paper though doesn't it?


BTW, did I mention Listening?
 
Posted by: Sanjeev Kumar Vyas Member Response
1/13/2005 1:22 AM (CST)
Ability to sell whatever to whoever.
 
Posted by: EW* Accepted Answer
1/20/2005 9:34 AM (CST)
Excellent listener.
Asks great questions for clarification.
Makes good eye contact and appears interested and connected.
Resourceful-- thorough and timely on follow-ups.
Helps you find a solution to your problem-- doesn't just push/sell what they are trying to unload today.
 
Posted by: Chadoe* Accepted Answer
1/24/2005 4:49 PM (CST)
And from the point of a non-salesman salesman...
My top qualities for any salesman are:

Honest - Truth in advertising/sales brings the buyer back and brings the buyers friends/family/co-workers in.

Service Minded - Take care of the buyer. Do the little things well and the big things extraordinarily well.

Insightful - Read the body language, tone of voice and attitude of the buyer and adjust your pitch/actions to match. This is probably the hardest quality to learn and few ever master.

Confidently Humble - Arrogance is evil. Confidence is good. But there is a fine line, which is why I added the Humble part. Know your strengths and use them to build your weaknesses.

My point is that selling a product isn't always about the product. You may have the best widget in the world, but if you don't connect and build respect from your buyers you may as well be selling buffalo chips on Broadway.

But that is just my opinion, and everyone has an opinion...or five!
Greg B.
 
Posted by: Paul Copcutt Accepted Answer
2/3/2005 5:37 PM (CST)
thule

You seem to have had some great advice so far and all I can add is :

The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz
1. Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity and say only what you mean
2. Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. It simply reflects their own life experiences and the training they received when they were children
3. Don’t make assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want. Communicate as clearly as you can. And don’t become attached to preconceived ideas of what should happen.
4. Always do your best. Then never second guess yourself or look back with regret.

Good luck!
 
Posted by: telemoxie Accepted Answer
2/5/2005 11:25 AM (CST)
Depends entirely on the situation. For example, one way to model your situation is to look at where you are in the product life cycle - see

http://www.quickmba.com/marketing/product/lifecycle/

Every situation is unique, but I would say, as general advice:

In the "introduction" phase you need sales folks with "missionary marketing" skills. Money motivated folk will fail badly.

In the growth phase you need aggressive and experienced "closing" oriented sales folk

In the "maturity" phase you need customer service oriented sales folk

In the "decline" phase you need administative types..
 
Posted by: princeparasbba Member Response
2/16/2005 2:32 AM (CST)
The person who can sell himself is better salesperson.
 
Posted by: jimprice* Member Response
2/16/2005 6:23 AM (CST)
Lesson 1
SELLING IS NOT ABOUT SELLING.
Sounds like a dumb statement... right?
But it is perfectly true. Selling is all about people-to-people interaction. You don't sell to a company, you sell to the people who are working for that company.
Lesson 2
Preach, practice and live: LISTALKING.
So what is Listalking?
It is one of the fundamentals of successful selling....
Listen, Ask, Think then Talk

Jim P

(extracts from "Sales, Selling and All That Stuff"
 
Posted by: Shelley, MProfs Moderator Response
2/21/2005 6:20 AM (CST)
I've closed this abandoned question. (It must have been posted by a student.)

Thanks for your efforts to help.

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