Starting a new job as a sales representative and hoping to make a great impression? Want to be the best sales representative you can be?
You’ve come to the right place!
There are a number of skills that transfer well to the world of sales, but there are several that will really make you stand out so you can achieve your goals.
I’ve been a sales representative with Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), a family-owned trucking and logistics company, since 2018 and have worked my way up to a national sales representative (NSR) IV (check out more about how the NSR position career path works at ATS).
By the end of this article, you’ll know how you can stand out as a sales representative and achieve your goals. The qualities of a great sales representative include:
In sales, you'll have a lot going on throughout the day, and it's crucial to prioritize effectively. If you’re good at managing your time, you’ll also be efficient. When you’re efficient, it’ll be easier for you to juggle multiple leads and customers.
For instance, you might have a list of potential customers you want to reach out to, but you'll need to deal with current customer issues now. Leads and current customers will be waiting for answers, and the sooner you get back to them, the more they’ll enjoy working with you.
The pace as a salesperson is typically fast, so being adaptable is key.
Building strong relationships with customers is essential. The better the relationship, the more flexibility you’ll have with pricing and other aspects of the relationship.
Customers are more likely to stick with you if you take an interest in their lives outside of the workplace. For example, ask questions about their family life and interests outside of work — how their kids are doing, what happened in the game last weekend, etc. This personal touch leads to long-term retention.
If something goes wrong, a solid relationship can keep the customer from dropping you. Trust is built through personal connections.
Starting out in sales can be a grind. It’s about planting seeds that might not bear fruit for years. Cold calling can be tough, and you’ll face a lot of rejection. You need to be determined and resilient. Keep calling, even on bad days when you get hung up on or yelled at.
Determination is about finding that one person who will say yes. It takes initiative and creative solutions. It’ll be difficult to succeed as a salesperson if you aren’t willing to fail and determined to keep trying.
As a sales representative, you’re going to deal with a lot of different people — from customers to vendors to other team members. They’re all going to have their own issues you need to manage.
Everyone stays organized differently Do what works best for you — whether that’s keeping a detailed planner, utilizing a CRM platform (customer relationship management), or keeping detailed reminders in a digital calendar.
If you don’t stay organized and on top of important details, it’ll be easy to miss things and upset your customer. Taking good notes during calls and client visits and reviewing them before you meet again ensures you have the latest information and can anticipate your customer’s needs.
Being organized also means working well with other teams. Knowing how to ask the right questions and collaborating effectively can set you apart.
Hopefully, within your company, you feel like one big team even though you may be divided into different departments. For example, here at ATS, I interact daily with billing, marketing, and other teams. I can’t do my job effectively if I don’t work with them.
Being a team player means working together to find solutions, especially when dealing with challenges like service failures.
Helping each other out, sharing what's working and what's not, and transferring leads and customers can make a big difference. For example, if you notice that one lead would work better with another salesperson, passing them on will not only build trust with the potential customer, but it’ll help you go far on your team. When you help others, you’ll also be seen as a leader.
Showing that you’re a team player can encourage others to work harder for you.
Communication is key in sales. You need to be able to listen actively and you need to do it well to anticipate the needs of your customer. You should also have strong written, oral, and nonverbal communication skills.
Being open and proactive about potential issues can prevent things from going south. Stay ahead of problems and communicate what’s going on while providing solutions.
Adapt your communication style to fit your customers'. Some prefer quick texts, others lengthy emails, and some want long phone conversations. Tailoring your communication to each customer’s preference is crucial.
Sales representatives face daily issues. Figuring out how to handle these and staying ahead is essential. Honesty and transparency with customers are vital — they can tell if you’re not being truthful, and most have been burned before.
Being a problem-solver means working well with other teams, knowing how to ask the right questions, and being able to identify a problem and its solution quickly. This is where strong analytical thinking and reasoning skills will come in, too.
By honing the qualities of being efficient, personable, determined, organized, a team player, a strong communicator, and a problem-solver, you're setting yourself up for success in the competitive world of sales.
Remember, success in sales isn't just about closing deals; it's about building lasting relationships, staying resilient through challenges, and continually refining your approach. Every interaction is an opportunity to learn and grow.
As you embark on this exciting journey, keep these tips close and continually strive to improve. Stay curious, be proactive, and never underestimate the power of persistence.
If you’re looking for a great workplace that offers you stability, growth opportunities, and a place to practice your sales skills, learn more about the NSR position at ATS.
With a supportive environment focused on development and success, ATS will help you achieve your sales goals. Check out our open positions today.