Here are nine leadership qualities top salespeople possess to meet the demands of prospects and customers:
- The discipline of character. Never compromise your principles regardless of the possible rewards. Prospects and customers look for personal integrity in the salespeople they deal with. They want salespeople who know products and services and describe them accurately, never overpromising or exaggerating benefits. They look for salespeople who follow-through without continuous badgering.
- The discipline of prospecting. Keep your sales pipeline overflowing with viable prospects. Don’t let negativity affect you and don’t take it personally when prospects say no. Get over your fear of rejection.
- The discipline of clarity. Determine what you want and be precise about your objectives. Start with your values — the things that matter most to you — and align your person goals and business goals to those priorities.
- The discipline of control. Gain control of your life, your feelings, as well as your job. Be accountable. Take responsibility for your decisions and their results. Embracing accountability gives you control.
- The discipline of competence. Commit to excellence and high personal and corporate standards, no matter how difficult or how long it takes to deliver quality. Focus on developing one important skill at a time. Know the “core competencies” at the base of your strategic advantage. Develop those capabilities.
- The discipline of competitiveness. Figure out what your customers want. How large is the demand? Are the customers accessible? Learn who they are, where there are and how they would buy from you. Determine how your offering creates a compelling draw for them. Learn the same thing about your competitors. Try to find out why people buy from them. Study your rivals and learn what critical element of the market you can zero in on and deliver it better than they do.
- The discipline of creativity. Build creativity by establishing methodical problem solving processes. Put your ideas on paper. Consciously develop the ability to concentrate on one task at a time. Work at seeing the big picture and keeping an open mind.
- The discipline of courage. Face your fears. Do activities that scare you. Focus your courage on making decisions and taking measured risks. Listen to your prospects and customers. Ask questions, learn something about them and show that you care.
- The discipline of concentration. Manage your time. Of all your assets, nothing is more valued. Align your goals and objectives with your values and prioritize your time to achieve them. Work on your communication skills: writing, speaking and persuasive negotiation.
Adapted from: Unlimited Sales Success, by Brian Tracy and Peter Chee. Tracy is a speaker and author of numerous books on sales. Chee is president of ITD, a global sales training firm.
