Sponsored article · Partner: DATABOT.PL
In this guide
- Seven traits that distinguish a good salesperson from a pushy one
- Why listening matters more than talking
- How not to put off a customer who has no time
- How to develop yourself and your sales team
Many people think you have to be born to sell. The experience of B2B salespeople shows otherwise: being a good salesperson can be learned. This guide is based on conversations with sales leaders described on the DATABOT.PL blog.
1. Be authentic
Customers want to talk to a real person, not a script. Do what you say you will, and be who you claim to be.
2. Be persistent but patient
B2B sales often take weeks or even months. Persistence does not mean calling every day, but making each follow-up with that specific customer in mind.
3. Be honest
A good salesperson can say: “My product won’t solve that.” Such honesty builds trust that pays off over time – with the next need or in a referral.
4. Find your own motivation
The best don’t race their colleagues. They want to be better than yesterday.
5. Be curious
Ask customers why they chose or rejected an offer instead of guessing. Read, listen to podcasts, learn from others.
6. Be resilient
Rejection is part of the job. When a customer has no time, don’t push – suggest they choose a time for the call themselves.
7. Listen
Among sales leaders this is named as the most important trait. A conversation has two sides. Whoever listens knows what the customer really needs.
An example from history: between 1963 and 1978 the American Joe Girard sold 13,001 cars. One of his methods was simply keeping in touch with customers – for example, sending them cards every year.
Editorial comment
A Polish business in the UK often competes with big players on price. But in B2B, trust also wins. A customer who was once honestly told “this isn’t for you” often comes back. For a small business that is cheaper than constantly hunting for new customers.
What to do
- After every lost bid, ask the customer why they chose someone else.
- Set a steady, calm rhythm of contact with customers – for example once every few weeks, with something of value.
- Let customers choose the time of a call (a calendar link) instead of pushing.
- Once a month, spend an hour learning: a book, a podcast, a training course.
About the partner: DATABOT.PL is a B2B company data platform operating in Poland, the United Kingdom and Europe. More: www.databot.pl
Mariusz Biniak – creator of the DATABOT.PL platform and author of a blog on B2B sales. This article is based on his guide, edited and updated by THE BUSINESS TIME Editorial Team. Disclosure: the author is connected with the newspaper’s publisher.
What do you think?
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Sources
© THE BUSINESS TIME / Argonauts Media Group Limited and DATABOT.PL. Sponsored article. Copying, downloading and distribution without the publisher’s written consent are prohibited. This is not legal advice.
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