ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!!!

To be a successful sales person, one needs to have adequate knowledge of the domain, be proficient in the skills required and have the right attitude. All the three are equally important though we tend to undermine the importance of having the right attitude to be successful. In fact the attitude of a sales person determines the altitude to which he can rise in his career and in an organization.

Let’s review some of the attitudes that are very important for you as a sales person.

Confident: The first and perhaps the most important attitude that a sales person needs to possess is confidence. Sales people must be confident about their abilities and about the product or services that they sell. Lack of confidence only manages to instill doubts in the mind of the prospects. Also, sales people are bound to face rejections during the course of their work and it is their confidence that helps them to take rejections in their stride and bounce back with enthusiasm.

Determined: Persistence and determination need to be the second nature of a sales person. There are innumerable obstacles that come along and it is the determined person who refuses to accept defeat and goes on to attain what he wants. He should be a go-getter, never losing sight of the targets for the month and the goal that he has planned for himself.

Visionary: Successful sales people value the relationship with customers and maintain a long-term relationship with them through regular follow-ups. They understand the bigger picture and view each sale as a stepping stone towards earning the goodwill of their customers who could provide valuable referrals to future prospects. They don’t think of today and just one sale, but plan on a long-term basis.

Friendly: Sales people need to have a personality that is amicable so that people are comfortable talking to them. They ask the right questions to understand the business situation of their customers and their buying needs. They put their prospects at ease and listen to their requirements and suitably amend their sales speech to make it more relevant for their prospects.

Accountable: Another important trait of a successful sales person is that they are accountable for themselves, their customers and their organization. They are more forthcoming in accepting their mistakes and correcting them in future without resorting to a blame-game. They behave responsibly, being answerable to both the customers and to the organization they represent for their decisions.

Optimistic: Only an optimistic person can be a successful sales person. Having a positive attitude does not just mean that a person looks at the bright side of things. It also means that an individual consciously chooses to see new opportunities even in the worst situations. Facing a setback is quite normal for a sales person and an optimist learns from these experiences and effectively uses them in future.