Copier Careers® Poll Results & Comments
Poll: What’s the Most Important Sales Rep Quality?
Your #1 Sales Rep Quality: Hunger
Last month we discussed important questions for candidates and employers to prepare before an interview for a sales representative. This is part of our ongoing Interviewing Prep series to help you get the most out of your next interview (whether in front of the desk or behind it). So we were curious to hear what you thought was the most important sales rep quality. We had a solid turnout of 12,743 votes this month!
Our runaway winning sales rep quality was being money motivated and hungry for more, taking 65% of the vote. This quality pairs well with a hunter mentality which took 19%. The drive to find new clients and make more sales is key to most sales rep’s success – you need motivation to make one more call, send one more message, visit one more office.
But drive is not enough, once you get your foot in the door you need strong communication (8%), confidence (7%), and other qualities (1%) to help you close those deals and maintain solid customer relationships. As the comments below emphasize, your integrity, long-term view, customer-centered attitude, and more can make or break your sales next week, next quarter, and next year.
Here are the full results:
What’s the most important sales rep quality?
- Money motivated (65%, 8,314 Votes)
- Hunter mentality (19%, 2,395 Votes)
- Strong communication (8%, 1,052 Votes)
- Confidence (7%, 954 Votes)
- A certain “je ne sais quoi” (0%, 28 Votes)
Loading …Some comments from y’all:
- Strong communication skills are a must; but even more important (in my opinion) is following up and actually doing what you say you will do.
- “Sales always needs to stay in touch with the service techs. We often can be their biggest asset in selling new equipment or upgrades to existing equipment. I make it a point to find my sales team whenever I’m in the office. It’s how I better serve my customers. Sales can relay customer concerns to me and I can do the same for the sales team. It’s a great way to get sales leads which in turn makes me more money from tip leads – and it keeps the customer happy.”
- “Character. Too many in our industry are more concerned about ‘me’ instead of the customer’s needs. Being able to build relationships with clients keeps customers for decades. If we are able to take care of the customer first, the money will come, and keep coming for your entire sales career.”
- “Excellent customer service skills are a key component for sales. Listening to the customer and offering solutions to their needs is vital. Communicating with the service department to address those needs contributes in establishing a strong relationship with our clients.”
- “Quota is overrated – it’s about customers, not numbers…”
- “Integrity helps, especially with C-level execs (who have an instinctive integrity radar).”
- “‘Money motivated’ is gathering the most votes? When surrounded by the stereotypical ‘used car salesman’ mentality, it’s easier to be a superstar by providing honest answers and great customer service. I believe that’s why my employer has stood the test of time (at least under the previous ownership which recently ended). Exceptional salespeople have great communication skills which being with listening to the customer. You must ask good questions to determine the customer’s needs before guiding them to the best solution to address those needs, solve their workflow problems, and hopefully increase efficiency. A great salesperson is also one who commits to delivering what they promised.”
- “Money Motivation should be a given in sales.”
- “Sales reps have to have the drive and focus of keeping current customers and add 2 more each month.”
- “Plenty of people enter sales because they are money motivated, but lack the speed to act, sense of urgency, hunter mentality, willingness to invest in LEARNING and utilizing sales techniques and providing an outrageous work ethic to outperform the competition and peers. There are plenty of ‘sales reps’ – sales professionals are a rare breed. Top performers. Highly competitive. Customer focused. The more people you help, the better the compensation. If you are after only the dollar, you would compromise standards to achieve your goal of making money. If your desire is to help clients, and you provide the best in service (and product)… Then you would be doing them a disservice to allow them to go elsewhere.”
- “Where does the quality of honesty and integrity come in?”
- “None of the above, the customer needs to like you personally and trust you professionally. Without these two components you may get a ‘sale’ but you did not gain a customer, next time the contracts up you will just be another quote. I will put my entire success on gaining clients not sales.”