Seven Personality Traits of Top Salespeople (Synopsis)

ViningsCRE Blog – August 31, 2011

Seven Personality Traits of Top Salespeople

By: Steve W. Martin, www.hbr.org

(Synopsis)

1.      Modesty – Humility.

a.      91% had medium to high scores of modesty.

b.      Ostentatious people alienate far more customers than they win over.

c.      Position the team that will help them win the account.

2.      Conscientiousness – Take their jobs seriously.

a.      85% had high levels of conscientiousness à strong sense of duty, and being reliable and responsible.

b.      Feel deeply responsible for the results.

3.      Achievement Orientation – Fixation on achieving goals.

a.      84% scored high in achievement orientation.

b.      Seek to understand the politics of customer decision-making.

                                                              i.      Strategize about the people to whom they are selling.

                                                            ii.      Understand how their products fit into the organization, and not focus on the functionality of the products they are selling.

4.      Curiosity – Hunger for knowledge and information.

a.      82% have high curiosity levels.

b.      Inquisitiveness – correlates to an active presence during sales calls.

                                                              i.      Ask uncomfortable or difficult questions in order to close the communication gap.

                                                            ii.      Want to know the truth as soon as possible.

5.      Lack of Gregariousness – Preference for being with people and friendliness.

a.      30% lower gregariousness than below average performers.

b.      Dominance – gain the willings obedience of customers such that the salesperson’s recommendation and advice are followed.

(Indication: Overly friendly salespeople are too close to their customers and have difficulty in establishing dominance.)

6.      Lack of Discouragement – Being frequently overwhelmed with sadness.

a.      90% experience infrequent or only occasional sadness.

b.      Competitiveness – Top performers played organized sports in high school., because  they can handle disappointment, bounce back from losses, and mentally prepare themselves for the next opportunity to compete.

7.      Lack of Self-Consciousness – Measurement of how easily someone is easily embarrassed.

a.      <5% had high levels of self-consciousness.

b.      Aggressiveness – comfortable in fighting for their cause, and are not afraid of rankling customers in the process, unafraid to cold call new prospects.