Tim Denning’s article on what makes a brilliant salesperson really separates the good from the great. He explores the many qualities a truly fantastic salesperson should acquire, and the type of person you would want to do business and maintain a good relationship with.
To be a good salesman, confidence is key, no?
Not only confidence in the product or service you are selling, but the confidence you have within yourself. There is a fine line between this fundamental confidence and arrogance, however, and enlarged ego and bravado can really impact your sales performance. A great salesman is naturally humble,  doesn’t believe he is the best, has the ability to see things from the client’s perspective, and above all is always willing to learn – as no salesman is going to be on top of the leaderboard forever. I’m sure you have never heard someone say “I really loved dealing with that bragging, obnoxious salesman”.
It’s ugly.
That’s why humility will always pay off in the end.
Great salespeople understand that the relationship is everything. Building these strong and sustained relationships with your clients is vital, as people buy from people they like. Denning found that the foundation of a good client relationship is built upon 3 tools:

Respect

A mutual respect is essential for an efficient and rewarding client relationship.

Vulnerability

Creating a safe and trustworthy space for your clients allows for admission that they really could be doing something better and essentially need your help! Also understanding your own vulnerabilities such as acknowledging your place within the marketplace, whether it’s the fact that your competitors are cheaper than you or your new to the industry; showing clients you understand your inadequacies will enable them to open to you more freely.

Rapport

Building a healthy rapport with a client is a great skill to have – it allows for smooth communication and puts them at ease. Sometimes, rapport occurs naturally, and you hit it off, but sometimes, it takes a little longer to build this up.
The salesman who nails these 3 tools will be able to create genuine relationships with their clients as they are trusted.
Another area great sales people value is the power of the referral. These can be so rare, and many sales people don’t achieve these, but if you overdeliver on your promises, referrals can be easy to get. Great sales people ensure they are delivering more value than others within the marketplace.
Tailoring to your audience is also essential for a great sales person to practise. Even down to wearing a suit to your corporate sales pitch, or a graphic tee to a meeting with a funky start up, you want to be relatable to those your connecting with.
Capturing the client’s attention, having a great social media presence, an attention to detail and above all – LISTENING to your client are all fundamental to help you evolve from a good sales person to a brilliant sales person.

Of course, a vital part of being a great salesman is having excellent communication skills in order to close the deal and generate the sales. However, in order to make sure communication is smooth and a good relationship is built with the client, you must be organised. Making notes during calls and tracking every conversation you have had will make life so much easier when following up and contacting the clients. Putting reminders in your calendar on when to call clients back will obviously remind you but also show the client you stand by your word and follow up when you say you will, which links back to generating a mutual respect for each other and each other’s time. Having systems such as Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets, Trello or Live Space will also enable you to keep track of everything the client has told you as well as when to call back, when the client is due to pay and any other useful notes you can refer back to.
Here’s a link to original article on LinkedIn:
‘Qualities Of A Brilliant Salesperson Who Actually Closes Deals’ – Tim Denning