The Right Salesperson
We often find ourselves in a position where we have to hire a sales person. We might also find ourselves needing to evaluate the worth of one who is already on-board. The question is, therefore, what traits we want to see in evaluating this person, especially if the task involves finding a new client or a new job. Let’s consider these five points.
Passive
Conventional thinking would be that the person should be aggressive and work hard to close lots of orders, but consider the passive approach. The passive salesperson is one who waits for the right customer to come along. That prospect may already know what they want and is ready to make a decision. The sales person’s role is then to take them through the buying process, by identifying their wants and needs and addressing those through a knowledgeable proposal. Although this approach may not generate a large number of quotations,it will generate a large number of closures.
Relationship Building
Salespeople who focus on relationship building are in it for the long run. They are the ones who develop accounts and generate a series of orders all from the same source. They know the industry, the firm and the players in the firm. They have developed an emotional contact with the client. They know the procedures and what to expect. The finished proposal has been tailored made to satisfy the customer’s needs. His proposals contain no extras that add to the cost and while satisfying all the customer’s requirements.
Results Driven
Results Driven salespeople differ in their approach from the passive. They have a single goal in 
mind, closing the order. They are motivated to sell and will use their persuasive powers to seal the deal. Some may characterize them as “closers”. Patience may not be one of their strengths. Results Driven salespeople look to build a portfolio of different clients as opposed to focusing on a select few.
Dedicated
The most important issue for dedicated sales people is the product or service that they are selling. They have a thorough product knowledge and stands behind its performance. With a complete dedication to the company, they are continuously searching for ways to improve sales. That dedication is transferred to the customer which fosters customer loyalty to the brand. A positive product knowledge along with dedication to both the company and customer provides a positive environment for customer loyalty.
Educator
The educator has a teaching mentality and works to inform the customer on how and why their product works for them. If the product or service is complex, these salespeople have the ability to provide the customer with sufficient information to understand and feel comfortable with the buying decision. They guide the customer through the sales process with explanations and product demonstrations that make it apparent how the product satisfies the customer’s need.