Most companies have that one sales rep who just can’t lose. Deal after deal gets closed and the rest of the sales force is left scratching their heads, wondering how they can get a hold of some of that star power. To help, here are six habits that highly effective salespeople are known to employ.
They Set Objectives for Every Sales Call
A star sales rep never goes into a sales call without having some objectives laid out. Knowing exactly what she wants to accomplish enables her to stay focused, ask the right questions, and never lose sight of the end goal.
They Listen
There’s often this idea of salespeople as have-an-answer-for-everything slick-talkers. But the best salesman is the one who listens. Instead of shoving the pitch down the prospect’s throat, the effective salesman listens to what is being said in order to be well-versed on all the pain points he might be able to target. It sounds like a no-brainer, but too many times, salespeople are talking instead of listening, and if they’re not listening, they’re cutting themselves out of a deal.
They Use Tools That Help Them Close
Successful salespeople know that the right tools in their arsenal can mean the difference between a deal and a dud. Tools like call tracking and call routing can provide sales reps with all the information they need about incoming calls to better prepare them to close, and highly effective salespeople do everything they can to make use of them. Then there’s voice broadcasting, another tool that can be used to re-engage with leads marked as cold. If a salesperson’s business isn’t equipped with these kinds of tools, real sales stars make management aware of the benefits they could provide to the sales force as a whole. Not only does the entire department get a boost in productivity, but the original salesperson looks like a go-getter.
They’re Patient and Persistent
Recent studies show that it takes an average of cold call attempts to reach a prospect, but the average salesperson only makes two attempts. But if you are a salesperson who is above average, then you understand the value of patience and persistence. Staying after a lead until it becomes a sale is the difference between average and all-star.
They Follow Up Fast
It’s been proven that if salespeople follow up with web leads within 5 minutes, then they’re 9 times more likely to convert them. Salespeople who are bent on success understand the value of following up fast and do everything it takes to make it happen. Some tools enable users to automatically trigger a phone call that connects agents with those web leads instantly. Rock star sales reps know and use those tools whenever possible.
They Keep in Touch
Some sales cycles are longer than others. Not every sale closes in one phone call. But the trick of keeping the lead alive is finding ways to be in touch with their prospects. This means following up and keeping the conversation alive, or directly sharing relevant content created by the company’s marketing team. Sometimes leads go cold, but sales all-stars do everything they can to keep them warm.
These are just a few habits of highly effective salespeople. Want to learn more about tools your department can use to close more leads? Download our white paper, How Sales Teams Use Virtual Call Centers to Close More Business.