The DNA of Insanely High Sales Performance

8 Characteristics Of A Sales Superstar

I’ve been very fortunate to have met two Olympic athletes who have won a combined total of 2 gold and 3 silver medals. Never one to waste an opportunity to gain an insight into high performance of any kind, I asked them both:

“What characteristics set you apart from the rest of the field in your chosen discipline?”

Here is their response and my high sales performance take on it:

1/ An obsession.

Their desire is simply to be the best. Get your mind fixed on your quota, and then smash it. Then smash it again.

2/ Precision.

They know their numbers, benchmarks, KPIs. As a result, they are painfully aware of where they are and, more importantly, where they need to be. Begin with a specific and measurable goal in mind.

3/ The right attitude.

They demonstrate relentless determination. Turn each setback into a comeback.

4/ Self-awareness.

They understand and focus on their weaknesses with a clear goal in mind. Take a good, hard look in the mirror. The moment you accept your shortcomings, you’re halfway through the process of overcoming them.

5/ Coaching.

They are not afraid to reach out, accept assistance and take a piece of advice on board. Find a mentor, put your ego away for a moment, listen to the advice and watch your performance skyrocket.

6/ Total commitment.

They understand the paramount importance of continuous training & personal development. The moment you rest on your laurels, you’re already behind.

7/ Marginal gains.

They look to improve everything they do by at least 1%, regularly. Think paperwork, CRM updates, internal procedures, role responsibilities, communication with customers, communication with colleagues. All these seemingly insignificant changes can and will deliver a rather significant performance improvement, when combined. (Also, you might be interested in a recent article published by Harvard Business Review on marginal gains : ‘How 1% Performance Improvements Led to Olympic Gold’ – great read!)

8/ Extra mile.

They are determined to explore areas off the beaten track. Successful sales people simply do what the rest is unwilling to do. I shall elaborate on it soon.

It often seems that, before the thrill of the victory lap can be yours, the most challenging contestant you will ever need to face is

YOURSELF.