If you aspire to be one of your team’s top salespeople, it’s important to focus on a few key strategies and habits. Even if you haven’t worked in the promo industry for long, you can use your unique strengths to shine in your role. Prospects want to know you hear them and understand their needs. They also want to know you’re a promo expert — that you’re not just trying to make a sale but genuinely trying to guide them to the perfect solution.

The best sales reps earn their prospects’ respect, business and referrals, and the good news, according to HubSpot’s Aja Frost, is that anyone can become an exceptional rep. You can start by adopting a few habits of the most effective salespeople.

In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share Frost’s thoughts on some ways you can become even more successful in your role.

  • Clearly define your buyer persona. A spray-and-pray approach isn’t the best use of your resources. Always identify and stick to your buyer personas, Frost says. Do your research and make sure you know who you want to reach and why. Try conducting surveys to get new perspectives on your ideal clients and their purchasing preferences.
  • Look for hacks. When you know a shortcut or tactic works, keep doing it until it doesn’t work anymore. Reps are always working against the clock, Frost says, so the more time they invest in experimenting, the less time they have for actual selling. She points out that AI is changing sales and provides numerous ways to streamline your efforts. Be willing to adopt AI and stay current on trends.
  • Improve your listening skills. Always be completely present when you’re talking to a prospect. This is the only way you can have deep, meaningful conversations. Active listening might be one of the most challenging skills to develop, though. Frost says it’s human nature to care more about what you have to say than what your prospect is saying. However, to become an effective sales rep, you need to be a strong listener.
  • Work hard. When you want to blow your goals out of the water, you need to be willing to put in the work. Maybe this means doubling down on your emails to re-engage with prospects or making the most of every moment at work to schedule meetings and make calls. The best salespeople lay the foundation for a great month before they need to, Frost says.
  • Don’t be desperate. Salespeople run into trouble when they’re too eager to please. Remember that a productive sales conversation isn’t about pandering to prospects, but empowering them, Frost says. Don’t shy away from constructive conflict. You don’t have to be rude or dismissive, she says, but you should be authoritative and respectable.

It takes time to become the best at what you do, so commit to continuous improvement. Start with adopting some of the habits above, from embracing time-saving hacks to getting clear on your audience. With consistency, you can go from being good at your job to being one of your team’s most effective sales reps.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Aja Frost is HubSpot’s director of global growth. She’s also a freelance writer, ghostwriter and copywriter with expertise in career, tech and productivity.