Want to know how to be a top salesperson? It’s not complicated: give yourself more opportunities to fail and never get comfortable
So you’re starting up a career in sales, and you want to be the top dog. Good for you! That’s the spirit your bosses want to see. Learning how to be a top salesperson in your industry is a process—it takes a lot of hard work. Those who step up to the challenge reap the rewards.
Every industry is different. You may sell handbags, insurance policies, or even luxury vacations. Each one calls for a specific set of skills and knowledge. But there is common ground all top salespeople share. Mastering these essential skills will boost you into higher sales, bigger profits, and more opportunities.
Your customers have to like you before they will trust you
It’s not anything innovative, but it’s crucial to your success in sales: you have to be a likable person.
People give you their business because they trust you. They have confidence in you and your product or service. If you want to learn how to be a top salesperson, then you have to learn how to develop trust.
You’ll never gain your customer’s trust if they don’t like you. It’s that simple. If you’re willing to meet every person with a high level of integrity, you’re on the right track to making good impressions.
Let’s not kid ourselves—people know when you’re faking it. You have to sit down and honestly ask yourself: do I love to help people? Do I believe what I’m selling is valuable?
If you know the answer is yes – you’re golden. If not, it may be time to reconsider your goals. Salespeople who love what they do rise to the top. They’re passionate to help customers at every moment. That’s why people trust and respect them.
You may be thinking, “Well, I know successful salespeople who don’t love every second of their jobs.”
That’s valid. Some salespeople are skilled enough walk right in and run the show. Here’s the point: it’s a lot easier to sell if you like what you do. It’s a lot easier get on people’s good sides when they see you’re passionate.
If you’re willing to take risks, then you’ll close more deals
Top salespeople are risk takers. They’re not afraid to go after the big clients, ask for the sale, and close the deal with a firm handshake.
In other words, they’re not afraid to fail. Nor are they afraid of rejection.
That level of confidence is something most salespeople never achieve. Why? Because they stay in the same place. They minimize their chances to fail and stick with what is comfortable.
Top salespeople do the opposite—they go after the big cheese. They push themselves out of their comfort zones.
So, if you want to learn how to be a top salesperson in your industry, you have to regularly challenge yourself to go out on a limb. Step outside the box and get uncomfortable. It will build your confidence and mental fortitude.
Here are a few ideas to get started:
- Call on one “reach” client every week. Some person or company that could change your business in a day if you landed them. Give yourself a chance to reap big rewards.
- Make it a goal to increase your outbound calls and emails by 20 percent next month. Get yourself in front of more customers and drum up more opportunities.
- Write down an affirmation and hang it above your desk. Change your perspective on “failure” and realize that every missed opportunity is just a practice shot.
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Want to continually engage customers at every point of the sale? Schedule a demo with us, and we’ll show you how to turn leads into customers with less work!
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How to be a top salesperson in any industry: know the right questions to ask
Okay, down to brass tax— top salespeople know to how to open, nurture, and close a sale. There is one method they use throughout every stage of the sales process: asking the right questions.
As a salesperson, you’re not only a likable conversationalist. You’re working towards an end goal—gaining that person’s business.
Asking questions is the best way to get to know your prospect and gain their trust. For every step of the sale, there is a type of question to direct the conversation.
Discovery questions will help you understand the customer’s problems. They open up the initial dialogue and allow you to see the situation. If you ask them to talk about themselves in a non-pressured way, you’ll gain their interest in a short amount of time.
- “How is your day going?”
- “Can you explain the challenges you typically face?”
- “What outcome do you aim to achieve by working with us?”
Open-ended questions focus on gauging how the customer is currently feeling about the purchase. You’re figuring out their pain points so you can focus on remedying those underlying issues. Once you address those points and offer a solution, you’re in a better spot to sell.
- “Is there anything on your mind that we haven’t covered?”
- “How do you feel about purchasing this service? What’s your opinion?”
- “What’s keeping you from making a decision today?”
Close-ended questions make it easy for customers to agree with you. You’re trying to get your prospect on the same page. You identify the pain point, provide an easy solution, and then get the customer to say “yes.” You’re getting them to commit, at least mentally, to the purchase.
- “So, if there were no outside factors weighing in on your decision, such as high monthly payments, then you’d be ready to make a confident purchase, correct?”
- “Do you want to be happy about your decision to buy?”
- “You don’t want to waste your time, do you? Me nether. So let’s talk options.”
How to be a top salesperson: be likable, take risks, and refine your skills
Every industry is different, but every top salesperson displays similar traits. They don’t allow themselves to get comfortable on the job. They’re passionate about their work (and their product). They don’t see practice shots as failures. And they constantly work to refine their process for closing deals.
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Want to continually engage customers at every point of the sale? Schedule a demo with us, and we’ll show you how to turn leads into customers with less work!
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Do you have any opinions about what makes a top salesperson? Share your story in the comments.