6 Key Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople - Part Two

Whilst these ‘habits’ are short and to the point, the importance of each shouldn’t be overlooked. I believe each of the six key habits – in combination – will ensure you become very successful when selling. Read through each habit, and see how you measure up. More importantly, see which areas you need to improve upon.

Habit 4: Highly successful sales people act with authority.

Notice I used the word ‘act’. This is important because, well, when do you actually become an authority in your field. After 1 year, 3 years, 15 years..? No, it’s when you decide – it’s when you adopt a specific mindset. There are two parts to this habit as follows:

Firstly, if you’re at the top (or want to at the very least demonstrate this), then the mindset you need to adopt is one of ‘not trying’. Real experts don’t need to sell nor do they need to convince. I’m sure you’ve met, seen or heard an ‘expert’ in your field: did he or she have to push for the sale? My guess is that they didn’t, in fact, they didn’t need to.

The other part to acting with authority is your overall demeanour. In other words, the manner you use should be one of ‘relaxed certainty’ i.e. calm, collected and composed. Now, this is very far removed from being arrogant. Instead, there’s just a real sense that you know what you’re talking about. You’re quietly confident.

So again, do take the time to reflect on the above. Do you ‘act with authority’? If not, what can you do to improve upon this.

Habit 5: Highly successful sales people only ever speak to prospects not suspects.

All too often you can spend time with prospective clients that simply aren’t in the market for your product or service. It can be very frustrating spending a great deal of time and effort talking to the wrong person!
Before you can sell anything, you must ensure that your prospect can fulfill these three criteria:
• They must have the means and the desire to purchase what you are selling;
• They must have the authority or ability to make the decision to buy, and;
• They must have a need for your product or service.
Or in other words, identify the M.A.N: someone with the money, authority and need.

So your first step is to qualify the prospect and more importantly feel comfortable in taking control of the sales process from the very beginning. If your prospect isn’t the right fit, then move on.

Habit 6: Highly successful sales people advise, they never sell.

This is probably the Holy Grail for most of us: to become a ‘trusted advisor’ to your clients. To be regarded as the ‘go to person’. Essentially it is about ‘advising’ and not ‘selling’. By advising, I mean you demonstrate trustworthiness, candour and competence – not a sales pitch.

You have to earn the right to become a trusted advisor, it doesn’t happen overnight and it will take time and effort. However the pay offs are huge.

Similarly, you should be objective and focus on what is right for your prospective client – even if it’s not what they want to hear.
By becoming a trusted advisor you make yourself an invaluable resource to your client and create reasons for loyalty in the future. Price should be less of an issue because you’re offering something far more valuable than money: you show a genuine human concern for clients and their challenges.

The concept of the trusted advisor is inspired by the work of David Maister, in his aptly-named book 'The Trusted Advisor' which is certainly worth a read if you want more detail on this subject.