In a company it can often be seen that 13% of the top sales people will bring in 87% of the revenue.  Much has been written about what it takes to be a good sales person.  High-performing sales people do certain things consistently, daily and with focus that separates them from the rest.  Here are nine straightforward habits that are simple to imitate so that anyone can learn how to be at the top of their sales game.

Habit 1: Be fanatic about prospecting

Successful sales professionals enjoy speaking to strangers.  Every opportunity to interact with another person is viewed as a chance to prospect.  Prospecting is a part of their existence.  Make this into a habit performed all the time despite sales being up or down.  Having a large client base means that sales can happen more often and to a variety of different people.  Remember that any client base will naturally erode over time.  Thus the successful sales person always needs to grow this base and commit to having good prospecting skills.

Habit 2: Be very good at follow ups and keeping in touch

There has always been good advice to follow up after a sale.  It is part of any basic textbook about marketing and sales, yet few sales people actually do this.  Today there is no excuse for not keeping in touch and following up with clients.  The proliferation and integration of communication and information technologies in all of our daily lives makes this habit is so simple to follow, and no excuses can be accepted any longer.  Dramatic results can be seen when you stay in touch with clients after a sale.  Send personalised and valuable information that matters to the client, not just spam or generic follow up messages.

Habit 3: Prepare for meetings

Nothing impresses less than when someone pitching an idea to you actually knows nothing about the product or client.  Preparation is the name of the game for this habit.  By asking intelligent questions you can impress.  Become informed about whom you are speaking with.  Research the client, study their website, understand the company, learn what they are about, and study their competitors.  Get as much information as you can before you meet them.

Habit 4: Listen and understand your customers

Listen more than you speak.  There is a time for speaking, but most of the time, you should be listening.  Listen with empathy, interest and intelligence.  Understand what is being said between the lines.  Ask yourself, “What is my client not saying?” as much as what they are saying.  Before you start speaking make sure you understand your client’s needs, motivations, concerns and anything else that might be going on.  Your doctor would not prescribe you a course of medication before hearing you out, would they?

Habit 5: Anticipate customer needs and perceived risks

After listening intently to your customer know all the “Yes, but…” comments they might have.  Anticipate resistance and questions.  Handle these things effectively and turn comments around to show it as a benefit whenever you can.  If all your customer’s objections and concerns are addressed, then there is no reason for the customer not to go ahead with your sale.  Anticipating issues will mean that you are more likely to go ahead successfully with a sale.

Habit 6: Top sales people are resilient

There will be good time and there will be bad times.  There will always be negative influences externally and internally.  The successful sales professional must continue to perform, irrespectively.  They will see the advantage in any situation and use it to their benefit.

Habit 7: Continue to learn and self-improve

Never get complacent.  Successful sales professionals keep pushing their boundaries and find the time to move forward and improve themselves.  Lifelong learning, continued education programs and staying up-to-date with the latest developments in thought and field are essential habits to the successful sales professional.  These people change; they adapt and learn.  Pick-up nuances and continually be aware of what is going on around you so that you learn, even in the moment.  Life is governed by one’s decisions, if your decisions are determined by the unconscious mind there will be problems in life.

Habit 8: Use systems

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is a classic sales tool and the most successful sales professionals embrace this tool to its fullest capabilities.  CRM are used and used well, and not treated as token tools to appease management.  Stay organised.  Be systematic.  Consult data – numbers can drive your actions towards the correct direction, even before it can be observed in other ways.

Habit 9: Understand and embrace technology

Leverage the power of social network sites like LinkedIn and Twitter. Google Alerts can be your next best friend. Absorb data from technologies and use analytics to determine everything you could possibly need to know about your market, clients and anything else.  Recognise technology’s ability to help you not only streamline the sales process, but also create a better buying experience for the customer.  Top sales people are driven to improve using technology.

Habits can be learned and are not things unique to certain personalities.  Make the change today to incorporate these 9 habits of successful sales professionals into your life.  We have seen how these changes have affected our business and our customers.

Comment below to tell us how these habits have influenced your sales abilities and what is happening in your organisation.

Sound Idea Digital is a complete digital marketing agency | soundidea.co.za

Sandra is an eLearning Specialist & Content Editor for Sound Idea Digital | Sandra@soundidea.co.za