In working with half of the top 50 public brokers through our sales training company, we've noticed that successful salespersons consistently exhibit certain traits that help them stay at the top of their game. Here is what we've learned:

1. Top salespeople are willing to sacrifice. We see young producers dropping their kids off at school at 8 a.m., then leaving the office at 3 p.m. to take them to soccer practice before heading home. We call these people part-time producers. Part-time effort yields part-time success. Top salespeople plan family activities around their careers, so the primary breadwinner has time to succeed.

2. Top salespeople are incredibly focused. Nothing gets in their way. They have a plan for the year and for the month, and an action plan for every day. They focus on building relationships and making sales. They distance themselves from things they cannot control and things that zap their sales focus (too much TV, golf, hobbies, etc.).

3. Top salespeople have a positive attitude. They believe 100% in what they do. Failure is not an option; nor is missing sales goals and personal development goals. They approach everything in life with an “I can do this” attitude. In hard markets and soft markets, they hit their goals. They spend their time doing what they love.

4. Top salespeople prepare relentlessly. They practice, practice, practice. They know the top 35 objections and how to ask questions to overcome them. They have great introductions and ask terrific questions to build rapport and determine a buyer's agenda. They can recite their presentations without ever looking at them. Their presentations are smooth and effortless.

5. Top salespeople brand themselves. They realize that long before the prospect buys whatever you are selling, they first buy YOU, the producer. They hold specific leadership positions within niche industries or in their communities. Their names are associated with leadership, professionalism and success in sports, chambers of commerce and/or churches.

6. Top salespeople have passion. By loving your work, you become passionate about it. That passion leads to emotion, and all sales are based on a certain amount of emotion. If you can't get your prospect excited about you and your product, you probably should do something else.

7. Top salespeople are eternal students of the sales process and constantly learn new techniques and ideas. Some agency owners tell us they are simply too busy to come to a three-day sales seminar. When we look at their production reports, we find they typically are bound by tasks unrelated to sales and revenue generation. Their businesses drive them; they are slaves to them.

8. Top salespeople surround themselves with winners. They don't tolerate self-pity and negativism.

9. Top salespeople know that you don't sell, people buy. They create value by becoming knowledgeable about the industries in which they work and by solving problems they identify in their fact-finding.

10. Top salespeople are great communicators. Their voice-mail messages, letters and presentations are great. I hear hundreds of agency voice-mail messages a year and, frankly, most depress me. You're in sales–don't depress people! Record a new outgoing voice message and find someone to help you write decent letters.

11. Top salespeople work more than 40 hours a week! Working 40 hours merely keeps you about even with the other “average Joes and Janes.” If you want to make more and have more, you have to work more!

Two generations ago life was easier, less complicated and less competitive. Back then, half a day's work was considered enough. In today's environment, things are different. We learned from those who came before us. They typically weren't great salespeople, but they were good teachers and world-class order takers. Today's thriving agencies and producers understand it is up to them to create their own success, not wait for it to come knocking.

It's your future and you are 100% in control. Good selling!

Tom Barrett, CIC, AAI, is president of the Midwest and Southeast regions of SIAA, Inc. SIAA is a privately held insurance entity with 1,940 offices and $4.25 billion in written property-casualty premium written. Tom also serves on the National Faculty for Dynamics of Selling and Marketing & Sales Ruble Seminars for the National Alliance. He can be reached at tomb@siaa.net. Visit www.TheNationalAlliance.com for more information on these programs.

Special Reports /

Strictly Sales: Eleven traits of successful salespeople

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