By Ryan Sweeney
Looking to hire some new sales talent? Whether they’re entry-level or a seasoned sales vet, they need to possess some inherent traits to be successful. Let’s dig into some of the most sought-after sales traits we look for when scoping out talent.
1. Respectful
Sales reps need to be as level-headed as possible. Your customers deserve to be treated with respect, which means your sales reps need to act and communicate in ways that exemplify this trait. Your prospects are busy people—they don’t have time to deal with people who are demanding or requiring too much of their time.
2. Tech-Savvy
If you’re serious about growing your business, it’s likely you’ve already invested in a customer relationship management (CRM) solution to amplify your selling efforts. When bringing in new sales talent, it’s imperative you ensure the individual has prior experience in or knowledge of sales automation software, or at least the ability to learn it quickly.
3. Optimistic, Yet Realistic
When looking to hire a new sales rep, don’t underestimate a candidate’s optimistic outlook on the position, or just on life in general. A challenge for some sales reps is the ability to get over a “no” or a major sales loss. Having an optimistic outlook helps sales reps get over these hurdles, see and learn from what mistakes were made, and be ready to move onto the next big sale.
Optimism is great, but they still need to be realistic. The last thing you want is to hire a sales rep who thinks they’re always going to get a sale, even when to everyone else it’s looking like they probably won’t. Having a realistic outlook can go a long way as well.
4. Competitive
A true salesperson is hungry for sales. They’re passionate about what they’re selling, they’re competitive when it comes to other vendors vying of the same sale, and they’re ready to go all-in to expand your customer base and grow your business. While we don’t encourage you to hire salespeople who are overly-aggressive, look for a healthy balance between ambitious and determined to find a high-quality new hire.
5. Persuasive
This one’s exactly what you’d expect from a sales rep. The ability to persuade in sales is textbook to the success or failure of a sales rep. When going through candidates for a new role in your department, consider asking questions related to persuasion. For example, ask the candidate to detail situations in which they used persuasion to convince someone of something. Or, ask the candidate to sell you your product or service (after giving them some research and preparation time). These types of questions will narrow down your hiring field in no time to only skilled, highly-qualified salespeople.
6. Learning-Oriented
In the world of sales, learning never stops, no matter how long you’ve been in the business. There’s always something new to learn, always a new approach to consider. When looking to hire a new sales rep for your business, seek out the candidates who are craving to learn new skills or new ways of doing things. The ones that are stuck in their ways won’t be able to sustain success, while the ones looking to learn will always try to find new avenues for success.
