What do you envision when you think of a salesperson? The traditional image might be that of a suit-wearing professional with an outgoing personality. He or she might be assertive, fast-talking and confident. However, that’s not always the case. Promo professionals today defy any singular mold. Successful salespeople are incredibly diverse in their personalities, styles and approaches.
Kelly Fanthorpe, the content manager at Lusha, says many unconventional traits can help professionals thrive in sales roles. When you bring together a mix of people with different personalities and styles, you benefit from their individual strengths and help your team excel in various sales situations.
What are the unexpected personality types that work well in sales? Read on. We share Fanthorpe’s thoughts in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
- The bookworm. This type of sales pro may not be the smoothest talker, but they know promo inside and out. Fanthorpe says their ability to handle the toughest objections and trickiest questions makes them an asset to any sales team.
- The empath. Emotional intelligence is crucial in sales, and this type of sales professional has it in spades. An empath’s caring, sincere approach builds trust and allows them to genuinely connect with prospects. According to Fanthorpe, they make excellent consultative sellers who truly understand pain points. This allows them to close deals 20-30% faster than those who aren’t as closely attuned to people’s emotions.
- The quiet sales pro. This professional is all about soft skills, Fanthorpe says, adept at thoughtful questioning, listening and guiding. She points out research that shows that top sales professionals are 30% less gregarious than average. Instead, they’re calm and collected and prioritize authentic dialogue over canned pitches.
- The creative hustler. Some sales pros love coming up with fresh angles and hustling to get deals done. Fanthorpe says they’re practically immune to rejection and endlessly persistent. These sales types are great to have on your team because they’re creative problem-solvers who are open to tricky accounts.
- The analyst. Fanthorpe says that for these sales reps, sales is a science that’s backed up by the facts. They’re meticulous researchers who dive into the data and go deep into their prospects’ businesses and industries. Having this sales type on your team can increase your sales by more than 20%, she says.
- The charismatic connector. Many sales professionals are extroverts who love chatting with people. Fanthorpe says their warmth and ability to quickly build rapport make them powerful assets, especially in social selling environments and relationship-based sales.
- The confident closer. According to Fanthorpe, these reps are highly skilled at driving deals to completion and nailing the final close. They exude confidence, which is why you want them on your team when it comes to decision-making moments.
Sales teams thrive on diversity and need a range of different personalities. Whether someone is a quiet connector, loves analyzing the data or can tell you anything you want to know about promo, embrace these various styles. The more you play to people’s strengths, the more successful your team can become.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Kelly Fanthorpe is the content manager for Lusha, a B2B sales intelligence and prospecting tool. She has more than 5 years of experience in the B2B marketing space.