9 Characteristics of Successful Salespeople

Hey friends,

After a lifetime in sales, I've got some insights I'd love to share.

I spent over seven years as an individual contributor and another five to six years in management.

Now, I run my fractional business consultancy, helping dozens of founders build and scale their first sales team.

Through my 15+ years in the B2B sales world, I've seen and experienced it all, managing, hiring, and interviewing countless salespeople.

In the early days of my management career, I struggled to find and hire great salespeople, particularly those suited for the crazy, unstructured and dynamic environment of early-stage startups.

To tackle this, I started documenting the skills and traits I observed in top performers.

I started writing them down.

I also talked with numerous sales leaders from Fortune 500 companies and leading startups to understand what truly sets exceptional salespeople apart.

Here are the nine key characteristics I have collected and my take on what they mean in practice.

1. Efficiency

   • Expectations: Produces significant output with minimal wasted effort.

   • What It Means for Me: Effectively utilises tools and methodologies. Whether it's Asana, Salesforce, Gong, or other technologies, efficiency is about working smart and fast, understanding the tools to streamline processes and enhance productivity.

2. Honesty/Integrity

   • Expectations: Never cut corners.

   • What It Means for Me: Acts with integrity even when no one is watching. This means using CRM correctly, being honest in all dealings, and acting as a committed and accountable owner.

3. Result-Oriented

   • Expectations: To hit personal and financial goals, move quickly and take decisive action without being abrasive.

   • What It Means for Me: A result-oriented person who doubles down on efforts to turn things around when goals is far. Focus on actions that drive results, showing determination and a proactive approach.

4. Accountability

   • Expectations: Follows through on commitments and delivers without blame.

   • What It Means: Takes full responsibility for numbers and goals. Accountability means owning excellent and bad outcomes and maintaining a no-excuses attitude.

5. Analytical Skills

   • Expectations: Structure and process qualitative or quantitative data to draw insightful conclusions.

   • What It Means for Me: Use data and conversations to inform decisions and strategies, showing a keen ability to derive actionable insights.

6. Persistence

   • Expectations: Consistently demonstrates tenacity and a willingness to go the distance.

   • What It Means for Me: Never give up; focus entirely on the result while working. Persistence involves pushing through challenges without burning out and staying committed to long-term success.

7. Proactivity

   • Expectations: Acts without being told and brings new ideas, not just problems.

   • What It Means for Me: A proactive person who approaches management with solutions and improvements. If something is amiss, address it and take ownership of the resolution, continuously seeking ways to enhance processes.

8. Calm Under Pressure

   • Expectations: Maintains stable performance under heavy stress.

   • What It Means for Me: Recognizes that, in the end, it's just a job. Staying calm under pressure means not panicking, focusing on solutions, and keeping a level head to navigate stressful situations effectively.

9. Openness to Feedback

   • Expectations: Gives and receives constructive feedback without taking it personally.

   • What It Means for Me: Is willing to be confrontational when necessary, but always with compassion and a focus on positive outcomes. Carefully choose their words and understand the impact of their communication, aiming to find common ground and foster a collaborative environment.

In summary, these nine characteristics - efficiency, honesty/integrity, result orientation, accountability, analytical skills, persistence, proactivity, calm under pressure, and openness to feedback - are the core of successful salespeople I've seen in my career.

Whether hiring or looking to highlight these traits in your team, focusing on these areas can significantly elevate your sales performance.

I have seen it on my skin.

Soft skills, nowadays, are underrated. But they are hugely important.

Look out for the people with any of those nine traits, and you will have a long and sustainable (sales) success.

Thanks for reading this far. See you all next week!