Sales success can be attributed to a number of skills, beginning with hiring top talent. That’s not to say it’s always easy; it can take time and a few readjustments to your team before you have a solid hiring strategy. While building a strong sales team is a great start to ensure your company is profitable, there are a number of sales leadership qualities that can give your team the edge it needs to beat out your competitors.
Here are 7 sales leadership qualities you should consider when building your company’s starting lineup.
A strong sales leader doesn’t just make the most profit; they have the ability to scout top talent, and can see the potential in those starting out. Leading the team, they should be able to empower their sales reps to succeed and help them make the adjustments necessary to get there. A salesperson may be satisfied meeting their personal goals, but a sales leader will be focused on developing talent and building sales capability across the board.
In sales, a number of obstacles can be thrown in your direction. A good sales leader is able to use their resources to come up with a speedy resolution without being put off by a challenge. This is an ability that will undoubtedly set them and your company apart from the competition. Increasing efficiency, they’ll use what’s readily available to come up with creative and innovative solutions that won’t cost you.
Rejection is an inevitable part of the job; what sets a sales leader apart is their ability to learn from this rejection and relentlessly work to improve their strategies. If a salesperson gets discouraged, their productivity and success can falter. However, a sales leader will possess the insight to recognize what went wrong and work to ensure it won’t happen again. Not only will they learn from the rejection, but they’ll also cultivate solutions to make sure your team can avoid making the same mistake altogether.
There are a number of selling roles within a team, and the sales leader will know how to be strategic in running the calls. By focusing on creating value, a sales leader will always be looking to better their strategy; it’s not about what they sell, but how they sell it. Often, this means adjusting to market trends, and utilizing new approaches for innovative opportunities.
Being goal oriented means you’re always looking to improve and guarantee company growth. Regardless of what they’re selling, a sales leader will not only have a clear vision for themselves, but also for their team. When the whole team is working towards the same goals, you’ll get there faster. Since they’re also unified through the same goal, they may find the innovative and creative solutions that come with working as a team.
While this is an important trait for any salesperson, a sales leader has the power to influence the attitude of the team as a whole. When a sales leader actively practices strong morals, ethics, and behaviour, it will reflect the rest of the company. A sales leader will happily take this responsibility on, recognizing the importance of a positive workplace for the productivity needed to get results.
Being a good listener is one of the most underrated sales leadership qualities. A common misconception is that being the best in sales is all about talking—using charisma and charm to do whatever it takes to make a profit. While this may be true for some, the best sales people are the ones who are good at listening. A sales leader will not only be actively listening to their clients to better respond to their needs, they’ll also be focused on listening to their team.
Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.