7 Character Traits of a Successful Relational Salesperson
It takes a very special combination of character traits to be successful in sales in the long run. Oh sure, there are some nefarious salespeople out there who mislead and outright lie to customers just to make a sale. But most of the time, they flame out or end up in politics before long.
On the other hand, the men and women who are honorable, who spend a lifetime serving customers with integrity, are a special bunch. If you are a salesperson, this is the kind of salesperson you want to be. If you are a manager, these are the kind of salespeople you want to hire!
The list of character traits I think are essential for a salesperson are, I admit, a bit different than most lists you might find if you Google, “character traits of salespeople.” However, this list has proven to be an accurate indicator of sales talent over the span of my career.
Top 7 Character Traits
So, here goes, my top seven character traits of successful salespeople. Successful salespeople are patient, kind, ethical, faithful, fair, humble, and self-controlled.
Patient
Salespeople are often under a lot of pressure to meet their numbers. As a result, there is a tendency to push the customer to order now! Successful salespeople are patient. They let the customer determine when the right time to buy is. They know having patience goes a long way toward building trust and long-term relationships.
Kind
Successful salespeople are kind. They are friendly, generous, and considerate. They are open, generous with their time and expertise, and considerate of the customer’s needs. They know that addressing a customer’s needs and helping to solve a problem is the shortest route to making a sale.
Ethical
Successful salespeople are morally ethical. They don’t shade the truth or bend the rules to make a sale. They are honest in all their dealings with customers and with their company.
Faithful
Successful salespeople are faithful in taking care of their customers. They don’t abandon their customers when something goes wrong. They take the time to help when needed.
Fair
A successful salesperson is equitable and just. They operate from the position that a deal must be fair for all parties.
Humble
Successful salespeople are humble. They are not pretentious or braggadocious. They respect the needs and desires of their customer.
Self-Controlled
A successful salesperson is in control of their emotions, passions, and desires. Selling is a career where there are great highs and lows. Successful salespeople don’t let their emotions get the better of them when things go wrong. They don’t let their passions and desires override their desire to be patient, kind, ethical, faithful, or fair.
The Relational Salesperson
I recently wrote about the differences between traditional, professional, and relational salespeople (You can read the article here).
The person I have described here that embodies these seven character traits is a relational salesperson. Relational salespeople are focused on their customer’s interests. They are patient, kind, ethical, faithful, fair, humble, and self-controlled. Successful relational salespeople know in the long run meeting the needs of their customers and solving problems will result in loyal, trusting relationships.
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Is there any character trait I described here you think is more or less important than others?
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Category: Sales Management