The best sales people are not necessarily using the latest sales techniques and methodologies, but they are invariably masters of the positive sales people behaviours that support all sales. If you want to make a real difference in your sales department’s numbers, encourage your sales people to focus on the sales behaviours adopted by great sales people to help them achieve your sales objectives. These three sales people behaviours can make the difference between an average and an outstanding quarter. 

Sales People Behaviour #1: Always be Prospecting 

When is the best time for your sales people to prospect? It is not necessarily during the morning and afternoon hours. To support your sales objectives, your sales people should always be prospecting and looking for new opportunities. Develop this sales person behaviour throughout the sales team by helping your sales team understand not just that prospecting is necessary, but why. Encourage all sales people to look for new prospecting opportunities outside of scheduled lead development times by: 

• Dropping in on prospective businesses after meetings in the area
• Appearing at networking sessions and conferences where current and new prospects are in attendance
• Asking existing clients for references and referrals 

To keep the sales team focused on this goal, track prospect contacts as part of your sales metrics. Sales people will be less likely to avoid prospecting when they know that their sales manager is following this activity, and by tracking prospect contacts you can intervene with non-performers or reward those who are performing as appropriate.

Sales People Behaviour #2: Treat Objections as Opportunities

True sales hunters know that objections don’t really mean “no”; a prospect would not share an objection that can be overcome if he or she truly was not interested. This sales behaviour is important for everyone on your sales team to learn to meet your sales objectives. Steer your sales people towards successfully overcoming objections by viewing them as opportunities to:

• Ask deeper questions about the prospect’s business
• Further develop the sales pitch
• Differentiate your organization from the competition
• Find innovative solutions 

An objection is not an end to a potential deal, and if the objection is viewed as an opportunity, it needn’t even be viewed as a hurdle. Keep your sales team focused on ways to overcome objections by promoting collaboration on responses to frequently encountered concerns and encouraging sales people to put their newly developed responses into practice. Follow up with your sales people by asking them about objections received and how they replied to gage how focused they are on developing this behaviour. 

Sales People Behaviour #3: Focus on Constant Improvement

Your sales objectives are edging higher as your business grows, and you need to be able to rely on your sales team to reach these incremental targets. This growth cannot always come from your best sales people alone, which is why it is important to stimulate the top sales people behaviour of aiming for constant improvement. Top performers are not happy simply being the best; they always want to be better at being the best. Coach your sales people on constant improvement, and keep them focused on that goal by:

• Regularly publishing each sales person’s individual metrics
• Establishing individual goals for improvement with each sales person
• Consistently supporting the sales team in its goals, and releasing those who are not committed to constant improvement 

Each of these methods to keep your sales team focused on key sales people behaviour has one thing in common: Accountability. Holding each individual on your sales team accountable for personal results is the only way to ensure that he or she will focus on the behaviours you need to achieve sales objectives. Whichever behaviours you need to encourage on your sales team you can be sure that if you hold your sales people accountable, results will follow.