A career in sales isn’t for everyone. 

Arguably, it’s a competitive field that requires expert negotiation, customer service, and empathy – which for many is a delicate balance to strike. 

With that said, let’s take a more in-depth look at some of the personality traits you’ll need to excel in sales.

Competitiveness

The best salespeople shine in environments brimming with constant competition.

Either, against themselves or their coworkers. 

As such, they compete for commission, and always want to improve themselves to earn more. 

Empathy

High-quality salespeople know how to relate to customers by understanding their needs. 

As a result, they’ll know when to push further and when it’s time to let something go. 

Doing so, ensures the customer always feels heard and has the opportunity to air any concerns or questions they have about your product or service. 

Confidence

People are more likely to purchase from salespeople who seem convinced by what they do.

As such, confidence is vital for boosting the credibility of the product or service that you’re selling.

Don’t worry, confidence is a skill you can develop if you don’t feel quite there yet.

Resilience

Not every pitch results in a sale. 

Sometimes, customers are rude and/or react negatively to a deal. 

In short, when you work in sales you’ll experience a lot of rejection.

However, most salespeople will experience a dry spell every now and again where nothing seems to work.

In any case, the best salespeople have the resilience to pick themselves back up and try again.

Excellent Communication

Some people just have a way with words.

And, those with silver tongues typically do exceptionally well in sales. 

Because, they can weave stories around a product or service, finding precisely the right thing to say to address customer concerns. 

Not to mention, great communicators are comfortable talking to anyone, which is another crucial skill for any successful salesperson.

Passion

Some people are just infectious with their enthusiasm and those people make for outstanding sales representatives. 

Simply, their passion for the product, service and brand is immediately convincing; their energy uplifts any sales conversation to make customers feel just as excited about what your company has to offer. 

Patience

A skilled salesperson understands that some deals take time to nurture. 

As such, they won’t push customers for an answer and are more than happy to wait it out and to give them the time they need. 

Long story short, they won’t get too anxious if they don’t get an immediate answer.

Multi-tasking

Sales often require representatives to keep on top of various deals at the same time. 

Doing so involves juggling lots of information while meeting the needs of each individual customer. Consequently, strong multi-tasking skills are an absolute must. 

Honesty

And last, but certainly not least, is honesty. 

A good salesperson will be honest about what a product or service provides and how it might assist their customers. 

Ultimately, open and transparent advice goes much further than shady sales pitches. 

So, the best salespeople don’t put a sale before their integrity – honesty is paramount. 

Concluding Thoughts

Even though a lot of people are given the same tools, not everyone is cut out for this line of work.

So, by identifying the core personality traits required for a successful career in sales, it can help you determine whether this path is for you.

Furthermore, identifying these traits can allow employers to hire the best candidates suitable for their bottom lines.