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The 7 P's of a Great Sales Professional

04 Aug 2017

Eileen Moloney

Sales is one job that everyone thinks they can do! But it’s definitely harder than it looks and needs a certain type of person regardless of their academic qualifications or self-conviction that they could sell sand to the Arabs.

There are certain traits and characteristics that make a person naturally better at sales. Identify these and you’ll be able to hire the right person for the job or figure out whether sales is indeed the job for you!  

Passion: It can be a tough sector but what makes it easier is having a true passion for the job. You have to genuinely enjoy the role and believe in the product / service that you are selling. This passion will ultimately lead to success.

Product knowledge: Being able to sell is half the battle but knowing and understanding your product/service is what will get your deal closed and over the line.

Perseverance: Sometimes sales can be a brutal job and it is hard not to take constant rejections personally. However you do need to maintain a certain level of emotional distance from the sale itself and keep persevering for the eventual reward. By taking a long view, a successful sales person will develop a large and loyal customer base.

Patience:  Sales don’t just happen. Sometimes the most rewarding sales come after months of hard slog, relationship building and rejection. It’s about listening to your customer and understanding what, when and why they need your product / service.

Personality: Sales is all about personality, being likeable and being memorable. It also means tailoring your approach to each individual customer. It’s never a “one size fits all”  and the ability to empathise with your customer will go a long way towards working with them.

Persuasiveness: A great sales person is able to identify the “add-ons” that a client isn’t even aware they need and persaude them that their business would not reach new heights without this product / service.

Push/Pull: Rather than pushing a sale and risk alienating a customer, the most successful sales person creates a pull effect. This only works through connecting with their customer and managing their behaviour and relationship with both the product and salesperson. This approach only serves to create and enhance customer loyalty.

For more information on recruiting a sales professional, or taking the next step in your sales career, call our Sales team on (01) 662 1000 or send your details to Conal O’Connor on [email protected]