10 Signs That a Salesperson Has Their Act Together

Have you ever wondered why some salespeople succeed no matter where they work, no matter what they sell, and no matter what obstacles are in their way? On the other hand, there are salespeople out there who can’t seem to get out of their own way even when they have every advantage.

The difference oftentimes comes down to who has their act together. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be a buttoned-up stiff to succeed, it just means that you understand the core principles to sales success and you don’t lose sight of them no matter what happens.

We conducted a survey of over 1,000 salespeople to see who has it together and who doesn’t. (You can take the survey yourself at the end of the post and get your results.)

Here are the ten signs that a salesperson has their act together:

1. They set goals

It’s pretty obvious that setting goals is important in sales, and management will set goals for you whether you do it yourself or not. Nearly 63% of the salespeople surveyed said that their goals were pinned to their wall. These successful salespeople who have their act together not only set goals but they are hyper-aware of those goals every minute of their workday.

2. They break their goals down

Goals can seem daunting when you’re looking at them all at once. A monthly or quarterly sales goal will make you cringe if you don’t take a step back and realize that it takes small actions every day to hit them. The best way to get your act together is to break down your goals into smaller measurable daily goals and then do everything possible to hit those every single day.

3. They have good relationships with coworkers

Studies have shown that your network within your company is a major indicator of sales success. This means that nurturing relationships with your coworkers will pay dividends when it comes to your income. Nearly half of salespeople surveyed said that they knew everyone they worked with and everyone knew them.

4. They’re organized

Ok, everyone has worked with successful salespeople whose desk looks like a bomb exploded on it, but organization isn’t always what you think it is. A messy desk is irrelevant if the salesperson has every one of their prospects lined up in their CRM and every call scheduled ahead of time. The best salespeople focus only on what’s important, and that’s always prospecting and closing.

5. They always follow up

Salespeople who have their act together never ever give up on a prospect after one or two calls. Persistence is the name of the game in sales, and you can’t be selective about it. Every single qualified prospect should be reminded of your proposal on a consistent and timely basis.

6. They make time for themselves

Yes, you have to work hard to be successful but getting burnt out won’t help you get there. Put in the hours, go above and beyond, but make time to unwind, spend time with your family, and recharge. Any successful person, whether in sales or not, makes it absolutely clear that time away from work helps their performance. If anyone tells you the opposite, they’re probably a phony.

7. They keep their promises

How many people do you know who actually do everything they say they’re going to? Maybe 15%? Maybe even less? The truth is the majority of people make promises and declarations they never intend to keep, so when people (especially salespeople) come along who always keep their word no matter what, those people succeed above and beyond everybody else.

8. They use all available tools

Every salesperson with an internet connection has been bombarded with ads from new technologies aimed at making salespeople more productive. In fact, chances are you’ve seen ads for Spiro, our AI-Powered CRM, at least once or twice (shameless plug). While it can be difficult to navigate all of these technologies, there are some that will absolutely help you close more deals. Salespeople who have their act together are open to trying new tools and don’t shy away from technology.

9. They know what they’re working towards

Nearly every single salesperson we surveyed knew what they were working towards. Whether it’s more financial freedom, your family’s future, the new all-wheel drive M3, or a week in Jamaica, if you have no purpose driving you to succeed, it’s difficult to find enough motivation to deal with the stress and work required to become a high-performing sales professional.

10. They’re committed to their profession

72% of the people we surveyed said they were a “salesperson through and through.” Nearly 10% said they weren’t into sales or were just doing this to make some money, and 18% said they were open to other opportunities. The truth is that you have to be committed to sales to become great. That goes for anything, and sales is absolutely no exception. Embrace what you do, even if you’re going to be doing it forever. The future you will thank you for your hard work and commitment.