For the past decade I have had the pleasure of training and coaching salespeople and their leaders. In every team I meet there are always a few people that stand out from the crowd. These people are top producers, usually bring in the largest deals, and are instrumental for their company’s success. A lot of times I get to follow these individuals when they switch to a new company. What has struck me is that it is very usual for a top sales producer at a company to continue being a top producer after switching companies. Is this mere coincidence? What are these people doing differently to the rest?
I have been thinking a lot about this question and I have boiled it down to 10 traits that are true for most areas of sales.
1. They keep looking forward
The best sales reps do not stop and celebrate every little success since they know that consistent effort is the only thing that will make them top producers long term. Successful salespeople move forward no matter what happens, good or bad. When it’s bad news it fuels them and when it’s good it motivates them.
2. They focus on one person or task at a time
The best salespeople make sure that whoever they are talking to receive their absolute full attention. They don’t rush to get off the videocall with a prospect or move onto the next deal until they’ve made the person in front of them feel like they’ve been truly heard. The same goes for task planning. They finish one task before moving onto the next.
3. They plan their day
Successful salespeople don’t come into the office and wing it, they have a process for what they do each day. Of course, sales is full of surprises and nothing ever truly goes according to plan, but the foundation for success is built on structure and planning your proactive engagements throughout the week.
4. They look for opportunities everywhere
The best salespeople know that most opportunities are found outside of normal lead sources and look for them wherever they exist. They know that relying on standard methods of prospecting will get them average results. Therefore, they adjust accordingly by utilizing both social media and their network to find the best prospects.
5. They see the upside
If you are easily dejected and have a hard time seeing the positive in every situation, you will have a hard time being successful. The top producers stay positive and focus on opportunities, not the problems. If there is an obstacle, they see it as a challenge to learn and grow. Having this growth mindset is the absolute most essential part of being a top producer. I recommend reading more about the growth mindset in Changing the Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential by Dr. Carol S Dwek.
6. They learn from their mistakes and own the whole process
Albert Einstein is widely credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results”. The top performing salespeople know this, and never make the same mistake twice. If the pitch does not work, they adjust it. If marketing is too busy, they do it themselves. If the leads are bad, they produce a new lead source themselves. If production in the company is not working, they work to bring someone in to solve the problem. It’s about taking ownership of the problem and coming up with a solution to fix it.
7. They focus only on what matters
One of the trickiest things anyone in business will decide is what to spend their time and attention on. Top performers have identified how they spend their time and removed anything that is not urgent or not crucial to their success. They do not waste time with unqualified prospects, and don’t procrastinate, they only focus on what matters.
The hardest part about doing this is to identify what success is. It’s not only hitting your targets. It’s about having the best relationships both internally and externally and thus making sure you are the one who can get it done for the customer. Long term this will always be a winner.
8. They make time for themselves
A common misconception among salespeople is that most of your waking hours should be spent working because higher activity leads to better results. This is both illogical and counterproductive. If you are not well-rested and do not give yourself time to unwind, you will simply burn out and won’t be doing yourself or your sales goals any favors. Top performers make sure that they get enough sleep and enough downtime, so they come in refreshed and ready to kick ass when it matters.
9. They set daily goals
Most sales organizations set monthly or quarterly goals. But the best salespeople break those down into smaller daily, and sometimes even hourly, goals. This simplifies the goals and makes the bigger ones more attainable.
10. They ask themselves how they can create value for their customers
Top performing salespeople have figured out how to keep the most important question a salesperson can possibly always have front of mind: how can I help my customer? Once that question drives all your behavior as a salesperson, you will have taken the biggest step to becoming a top performer. The salespeople who are best at this have mastered the art of truly understanding what is important for their customer.
The great thing about these traits is that they can be trained and learned. We have helped numerous teams build top performers and with motivation and hard work it does give results. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you are interested to know how we do it.
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