What are the characteristics of a natural born salesperson?

The best salespeople have a range of skills and characteristics that contribute to their success. From rapport building and adaptability to the art of persuasion, salespeople have key skills that make them highly sought after in business. After all, organisations need good salespeople to help improve revenue and attract new business. But do the most talented salespeople have certain personality traits? While aspiring salespeople can be coached and trained, the most successful salespeople often share certain characteristics. Identifying these core traits can certainly help recruiters hire the right salespeople. So below, we’ve outlined the four key characteristics of a natural-born salesperson.

ABILITY TO CONNECT

The most successful salespeople create a connection with the customer by bringing a personal touch to the sales process. A good salesperson has excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with prospects in an engaging way. It takes more than just a quality product to make a sale. Natural-born salespeople are charismatic with leadership qualities and can produce an experience for the buyer, rather than simply creating a transaction. The ability to connect with others and build relationships is essential for succeeding in any sales role.

RESILIENT AND OPTIMISTIC

The world of sales can be unpredictable. That’s why it’s all the more important that the salespeople you recruit are prepared for the adversity when it comes to courting clients and trying to win new business. Natural born salespeople are optimistic and resilient, and they have a positive outlook. Reaching sales goals is always an uphill battle, so a key trait of a successful salesperson is the ability to be persistent and keep moving forward in the face of uncertainty.

SELF-MOTIVATION

Another important trait of a natural-born salesperson is self-motivation. The best salespeople remain calm and positive under pressure without relying on others to help them stay productive. As a sales manager, you’ll be setting your team members monthly targets that they will need to hit consistently. This means you’ll need your sales professionals to be highly assertive and driven to succeed. Ambition and self-motivation are at the core of every salesperson. Many are motivated by the opportunity to grow and build relationships.

INHERENTLY COMPETITIVE

In the sales world, professionals need to be competitive to be able to win new clients and effectively sell products. Competition in sales is essential and most professionals that do well in sales have a need for achievement and want to accomplish challenging goals. So, when recruiting, make sure you find sales executives who are clearly driven by competition. As a manager, it’s important to strive to avoid complacency in your team and create friendly competition. While it’s important to be competitive, natural-born salespeople always have a good attitude – which is a critical component of high performance.

BMS CAN HELP YOUR RECRUITMENT

Are you looking to recruit your next top salesperson? At BMS, we have a dedicated team of recruitment consultants who have years of experience recruiting the most talented sales professionals. We understand what it takes to succeed in sales, so we’re well-placed to provide consultancy and recruitment advice. Our team constantly keeps up-to-date with all the changes in the market. BMS has the experience and knowledge to help your business thrive. Contact us today if you would like more information on how we can assist in your recruitment.