In sales, the ability to hit quota consistently is seen as the ultimate measure of success. But any experienced sales leader knows that understanding the qualities that make a great salesperson successful goes far beyond just meeting numbers. The most successful sales professionals possess certain behavioral traits that not only help them close deals when the market and momentum is in their favor but also the qualities needed to sustain long-term success in an ever-changing market.
As a sales leader, understanding these traits can not only help you build a high-performing team but also guide you in the hiring process. When interviewing candidates, it’s crucial to assess more than just their ability to hit quotas—look for the core behavioral traits that drive long-term performance. This article outlines those essential traits and offers insights into how sales leaders can probe for these qualities during the hiring process, but it also provides guidance to both leaders and sales reps on how to continuously cultivate them.
1. Persistence/Tenacity: The Will to Keep Going
Success in sales is rarely immediate, and rejection is a constant companion. That’s why persistence or tenacity is often regarded as the most crucial trait in any great salesperson. The best sales professionals don’t give up after one setback. They understand that getting to “yes” often involves hearing many “nos” along the way.
Persistence is also about staying motivated and focused when deals are slow or customers are hesitant. It’s the ability to keep going, even when things aren’t looking promising. A salesperson who lacks this trait will often give up too early, missing out on opportunities that could have been won with just a bit more effort.
Sales Hiring Tip: What to Probe for in Interviews
- Ask: “Tell me about a time you faced repeated rejections in your sales career. How did you handle it, and what was the eventual outcome?”
- Look for: Evidence of persistence, not just in dealing with clients but in maintaining motivation and effort even when things weren’t going well.
Advice for Sales Reps: How to Cultivate Persistence
- Set long-term goals and break them down into smaller milestones.
- Develop a routine that keeps you motivated, even when facing setbacks.
- Track every “no” and learn from each rejection, rather than getting discouraged.
2. Empathy: The Ability to Understand and Connect
A great salesperson isn’t just a smooth talker; they are a great listener and have the ability to understand the needs, concerns, and motivations of their prospects. Empathy allows sales professionals to connect with their clients on a deeper level, helping them to tailor their pitch and demonstrate genuine care about solving the prospect’s problem.
Empathy is particularly important in complex sales where understanding the client’s pain points can be the difference between making a sale or losing it to a competitor.
Sales Hiring Tip: What to Probe for in Interviews
- Ask: “Can you provide an example of a time when you had to build a relationship with a challenging customer? How did empathy help you close the deal?”
- Look for: An ability to read the emotional state of clients and adjust their approach based on those insights. You want a salesperson who listens as much as they talk.
Advice for Sales Reps: How to Cultivate Empathy
- Practice active listening in all your interactions.
- Ask open-ended questions that help you understand the customer’s deeper concerns.
- Put yourself in the prospect’s shoes—imagine how your product or service could truly improve their situation.
- Review recordings of calls you’ve led and listen for cues where your active listening can be improved. One big cue is new information you hear when listening to a call afterwards – if you didn’t process this information during the call itself, it’s a sign that your active listening can be improved.
- Watch recordings and look for reactions, changes in tones, and body language. If you missed any cues of a shift in mood or tone then it’s also a sign you need to work on your listening skills so you don’t miss opportunities to empathize and adjust as needed.
3. Resilience: Bouncing Back from Rejection
Sales involves a lot of rejection, and top performers know how to shake off setbacks without letting it affect their overall performance. Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties, whether it’s a lost deal, a slow sales quarter, or harsh feedback.
Resilient salespeople stay focused and positive, seeing each setback as a learning opportunity. Without resilience, even the most talented salesperson can become demotivated and ineffective over time.
Sales Hiring Tip: What to Probe for in Interviews
- Ask: “Describe a situation where you faced a major setback in your sales career. How did you bounce back?”
- Look for: A mindset that embraces challenges, learns from failure, and demonstrates an ability to stay motivated during tough times.
Advice for Sales Reps: How to Cultivate Resilience
- Frame rejection as a learning experience rather than a personal failure.
- Develop a mental routine to recenter yourself after setbacks, such as taking deep breaths or reflecting on positive outcomes.
- Celebrate small wins along the way to keep motivation high, even when the big win seems far away.
4. Adaptability: Thriving in a Changing Environment
The world of sales is dynamic. Adaptability is crucial for a salesperson to thrive in the face of market changes, new competitors, or shifting customer needs. Successful salespeople are comfortable with uncertainty and are able to pivot their approach when necessary. They are open to feedback and continuously seek to improve their methods.
Salespeople who are rigid in their approach may find success early on but struggle to maintain performance as circumstances change. Adaptable professionals, however, remain relevant and continue to grow.
Sales Hiring Tip: What to Probe for in Interviews
- Ask: “Tell me about a time you had to adjust your sales strategy due to a change in the market or customer needs. How did you handle it?”
- Look for: Candidates who are comfortable with change, seek feedback, and continually evolve their strategies.
Advice for Sales Reps: How to Cultivate Adaptability
- Stay updated on trends and technologies in your industry.
- Be willing to try new approaches, even if they fall outside your comfort zone.
- Regularly assess your sales process and be open to change when necessary.
- Build general business acumen knowledge. This will allow you to adapt more easily and help you to “think on your feet” when the market shifts.
5. Curiosity: The Drive to Learn and Understand
The best salespeople are naturally curious. They constantly seek to understand their client’s business, industry, and specific pain points. This curiosity drives discovery conversations that uncover insights and opportunities others might miss.
Curiosity also leads salespeople to stay informed about trends, competitor products, and market conditions. Sales professionals who ask the right questions and demonstrate a deep understanding of their client’s world are far more likely to build trust and close deals.
Sales Hiring Tip: What to Probe for in Interviews
- Ask: “How do you approach learning about a new industry or prospect? Can you give an example of a time when your curiosity helped close a deal?”
- Look for: Candidates who demonstrate a natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge. They should be comfortable asking questions and diving deep into research.
Advice for Sales Reps: How to Cultivate Curiosity
- Ask open-ended questions in every interaction to uncover deeper insights.
- Don’t quickly jump from one line of questions to the next based on a checklist of questions. Ask layered questions and go as deeply as needed on relevant topics and responses from prospects.
- Regularly read up on industry trends, competitors, and customer needs.
- Approach each sales conversation as an opportunity to learn, rather than just a transaction.
6. Confidence: Believing in the Product and Themselves (Yourself)
Sales requires a certain level of confidence. Top salespeople believe in the product they’re selling, as well as their ability to deliver value to the customer. Confidence helps them handle objections, maintain control during negotiations, and build trust with prospects.
It’s important to distinguish between confidence and arrogance. Confident salespeople understand their product’s strengths and can communicate them effectively without coming across as pushy or overbearing. Because they are confident, they are also comfortable being transparent. For example, they don’t try to hide or lie about product features that might not be in the product because they are confident in selling on value not features.
Sales Hiring Tip: What to Probe for in Interviews
- Ask: “Tell me about a time when you encountered strong objections during a sales process. How did you handle it?”
- Look for: A balance of self-assuredness and humility. The candidate should be comfortable defending their solution while also remaining open to customer feedback.
Advice for Sales Reps: How to Cultivate Confidence
- Know the product inside and out—confidence comes from knowledge.
- Understand your industry. Knowing the context your prospects operate in will limit any doubt in your conversations.
- Prepare thoroughly before each meeting; feel ready for any question or objection.
- Practice delivering the pitch in front of a mirror, a mentor, or a colleague to refine delivery.
7. Discipline: Consistency in Effort and Execution
Sales success is built on a foundation of daily, consistent actions. Discipline is the ability to maintain focus, follow through on tasks, and keep working toward long-term goals. Salespeople who are disciplined consistently prospect, follow up, and invest time in improving their skills. They don’t get easily distracted by short-term setbacks or shiny new opportunities.
Without discipline, even the most talented salesperson can falter, as sales is a game of consistency and effort.
Sales Hiring Tip: What to Probe for in Interviews
- Ask: “How do you structure your day to ensure that you’re meeting your sales goals? Can you provide an example of how you stay disciplined, even when things aren’t going well?”
- Look for: Candidates who have a structured approach to their work and demonstrate a habit of consistency in their prospecting, follow-ups, and professional development.
Advice for Sales Reps: How to Cultivate Discipline
- Create a daily schedule that includes specific, measurable goals.
- Break large tasks into smaller, manageable steps to keep on track.
- Be accountable by tracking your progress and adjusting when needed.
8. Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Managing Emotions and Building Relationships
Sales is all about relationships, and emotional intelligence (EQ) is a critical trait that helps salespeople connect with prospects and clients on a deeper level. High EQ allows salespeople to manage their own emotions, remain calm under pressure, and effectively read the emotions of others to adjust their approach.
Emotionally intelligent salespeople are not only adept at handling objections and tough conversations but are also able to build rapport and trust more easily with clients.
Sales Hiring Tip: What to Probe for in Interviews
- Ask: “Can you provide an example of a time when your ability to read a customer’s emotions helped you successfully navigate a challenging situation?”
- Look for: A high level of self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to adjust behavior based on emotional cues.
Advice for Sales Reps: How to Cultivate Emotional Intelligence
- Practice mindfulness to stay in control of emotions during high-stakes conversations.
- Develop active listening skills to better understand the emotions of prospects.
- Reflect on interactions to identify areas where you can improve your emotional responses.
Conclusion: The Balanced Formula for Hiring and Developing Top Sales Talent, and Achieving Sales Success
While meeting quota is undeniably important, the traits that drive long-term success in sales go far deeper. As a sales leader, your ability to recognize these behavioral traits during the hiring process can make all the difference in building a strong, consistent, and adaptable sales team.
When interviewing candidates, don’t just assess their numbers—probe for their persistence, empathy, resilience, adaptability, curiosity, confidence, discipline, and emotional intelligence. These are the traits that will not only help them succeed in closing deals but also ensure they continue to perform at a high level, even as the market and their role evolve.
By focusing on these behavioral traits, you can build a team of not just quota-hitters, but true sales professionals who bring long-term value to your organization. In turn, these traits will allow you to nurture a culture of continuous learning, resilience, and adaptability within your team, ultimately driving sustainable success.
As a sales rep, cultivating these traits will not only improve your sales performance but also help you build lasting relationships with your customers. Sales is a profession of continual growth, and the best salespeople are those who are constantly refining these traits and striving to become even better.
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