Expert Shares 5 Habits of Effective Salespeople 

If you manage a sales team, you know that not every salesperson is created equal. You probably have a few superstars who close more deals and generate more revenue than the rest. While there's no specific formula for success in sales, there are certain traits that the best B2B salespeople seem to share. This article takes a look at what separates these top performers from the rest of the pack.  

As it turns out, the best salespeople share a few specific habits. If you can identify and cultivate these habits in your team, you will likely see a marked uptick in sales. Here are five of the most important habits of effective salespeople: 

1. They're always prospecting  

The best salespeople know the key to a healthy pipeline is a steady stream of new opportunities. They use various methods to find new leads, including referrals, networking, social media, attending industry events and cold calling.  

The average Hunter Competency for elite salespeople is nearly 20 percent higher than for average salespeople. This makes sense because "prospects consistently" and "maintains full pipeline" are two of the 10 attributes of the Hunter Competency.  

2. They focus on decision-makers 

The best salespeople make a habit of speaking directly with decision-makers. They treat it as a key milestone in their sales process. They know it is more effective to start with decision-makers and only work with buyers when they must. As a result, elite sellers are over 60 percent better at connecting with decision-makers than the average salesperson.  

3. They take personal responsibility 

Elite sellers score 52 percent higher than average salespeople when it comes to personal accountability. The best salespeople take responsibility for their individual results. They rarely blame their boss, company, competitors, or co-workers externally when they lose sales. When they do lose a deal, they make a habit of asking what they could have done differently.  

4. They are consultative 

The best salespeople are lifelong learners. They know the only way to stay ahead of the competition is to learn and evolve continuously. They read books and blogs, listen to podcasts, and take courses to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends. They have developed the ability to listen, ask a lot of good, tough, timely questions, and use their insights to have conversations nobody else has had. The result is that they find compelling reasons for their prospect to spend money with them. 

5. They are process-driven 

Elite salespeople are purpose-driven. They are fanatical about the sales process. They have an uncanny ability to follow a sales process's stages, steps, and milestones in the proper sequence. There are purposeful in their pursuit of new opportunities. They leave nothing to chance. As a result, their sales process competency is a third higher than average sellers.  

If you want a more successful sales force, start by adopting these five habits: prospecting for new leads, focusing on decision-makers, being personally accountable, selling consultatively, and being process driven. By following these Five Habits of Effective Salespeople, you can set your team up for success in any selling situation! 

Jim Peduto is the Managing Partner and the co-founder of Knowledgeworx, LLC. Owners and CEOs rely on Jim's strategic thinking and transformational growth expertise to win market share and achieve performance gains.