50best

The 50 best qualities of great salespeople

June 1, 2012

By Grant Cardone

1. They don't think in terms of sales but think in terms of building a business.

2. Build their business one customer at a time and then always leverage the last customer into more customers.

3. Listen more than they speak, getting an understanding of the customers needs and then customize a solution.

4. Deliver more than they promise and always promise a lot!

5. Invest their time in those things that positively affect their income and avoid spending time on those things that have no return.

6. Are always seeking new and better and faster ways to increase their sales efforts.

7. Willing to invest in networking, community and relationships, knowing that the difference between a contact and a contract is ‘r' and that stands for relationship.

8. Are fanatical and obsessed about selling, their customers and growing their businesses.

9. They don't depend on marketplace economies for their outcomes and instead rely on their actions.

10. Surround themselves with over-achievers and have little time for those that don't create opportunities.

11. They never accept good enough as good enough, always pushing themselves harder than others would ever dare.

12. They don't see failed sales attempts as failures but as investments in the process.

13. They never give up on unsold clients knowing that one day, someday in the future they will become clients.

14. They squeeze hours out of minutes and weeks out of days.

15. They see problems as opportunities.

16. They invest in their education, development and personal motivation knowing that these are the tools of a sales professional.

17. They invest in their careers, their businesses and their customers.

18. They hold themselves to performance standards that are higher than even their management teams do.

19. They don't need others to hold them accountable, they hold themselves accountable.

20. They are constantly in think, plan and prepare mode in order to continue to build their client base and keep their pipelines full.

21. They protect and guard their client base like a good parent would their children.

22. They are completely convinced that their products and services hold more value than the money they charge for them.

23. Their convictions run deep and cannot be challenged by economies, competitors or lower prices.

24. They are excellent communicators and able to focus their communication on getting a deal closed.

25. They don't see themselves selling as much as they do serving but also know that a sale must be consummated in order to serve.

26. They challenge themselves constantly and are not satisfied with awards and paychecks because they correctly estimate their true potential.

27. Are never satisfied with themselves, their own efforts, their delivery or their incomes.

28. Are not just interested in being #1 but interested in disrupting the status quo in their industry.

29. They don't stay busy, they stay productive!

30. Willingly stretch way beyond being comfortable.

31. They want to create clients and referrals for life knowing a really passionate customer is worth more than a paycheck.

32. They never blame others, economies or conditions for their performance.

33. They are obsessed with building a clientele that will take care of them and their company for years.

34. Are willing and inspired by failure knowing that failure can be the inspiration for innovation.

35. They stay hungry knowing this is the only way to not go hungry.

36. Willing to show up early and stay late.

37. They view problem customers, even dissatisfied customers as opportunities to create fanatical fans.

38. They see a job with a fixed salary more of a risk than an income based on commissions.

39. They value connections with their community as the main aim of commerce.

40. They are devoted to being in their absolute best physical and mental condition.

41. They have the work ethic of an obsessed person and the persistence of maniacs.

42. They know that logic is the dream killer. Instead, they trust instinct, creativity and passion to lead and fuel them.

43. The best sales people I have ever known are great with their money not overspending, creating wealth for themselves and their families.

44. They are good at starting things and great at finishing them.

45. They don't seek the easy way and instead pursue discomfort and difficulties knowing these customers are valuable.

46. They use agreement and acknowledgement like magicians keeping alive negotiations that others would let die.

47. They are completely convinced that what they are doing is making a difference for their clients.

48. They seek to be #1 in their sector and their industry not for ego but knowing it will result in more sales!

49. They obsess over dominating their industry not competing in it.

50. Take responsibility for the entire sales cycle from start to finish and are willing to get involved in those things that typically other departments would handle.

Grant Cardone is a New York Times best-selling author, star and executive producer of the reality TV show "Turnaround King," host of the Cardone Zone radio show, and is regularly seen on Fox Business, NBC, and Business Insider. Continuing the tradition of bringing innovative sales training tools, technologies, and solutions to life, Cardone has two interactive online sales training centers — CardoneUniversity.com and CardoneOnDemand.com. Follow him on Twitter @grantcardone.