BY Jessica Helinski
Do you have good sales habits? The right habits make effective sellers. Successful reps have established routines and behaviors that push them above and beyond their goals. By modeling your own habits after these reps, you’re likely to boost your success.
What are good sales habits you should adopt?
What habits are best for modern sellers? Salespeople themselves have an idea. SalesFuel’s Voice of the Sales Rep study found that B2B sellers believe that there are specific traits reps need for success.
Confidence
What is the top trait they mention? Confidence. 56% of sellers say confidence is essential to sales success. As SalesFuel shared, confidence is contagious.
A confident seller appears more credible and trustworthy. This makes prospects more likely to believe in both the salesperson and the solution being offered.
When representatives communicate uncertainty or hesitation, buyers may question the value of the product or service. This can make them less inclined to move forward.
Looking to build your confidence? Take a look at these tips to grow your self-
Self-Motivation
52% of sellers cite self-
As Steli Efti points out, less motivated reps may avoid tasks like cold calling, while self-
“It doesn't matter how many deals they have closed, they will keep calling and visiting prospects to maintain momentum,” he adds.
Problem Solving
Another good sales habit for sellers is the ability to problem solve, noted by 52% of reps. They know that the road to a sale is rarely smooth. Challenges usually appear, and winning reps don’t shy away from these obstacles. Instead, they use problem-
As Caliber’s Chris Orlob points out, “At its core, sales is applied problem-solving.”
“You're not simply closing deals or pushing products; you're removing obstacles that prevent your customers from achieving their goals.”
What other habits make sellers successful?
HubSpot’s Davidson Hang also shares specific habits that can help sellers break away from “average.”
He notes that in his experience, specific habits are key to making reps stand out against the competitors.
Active Listening
This soft skill is important to understanding others and helps you truly connect with buyers. Instead of focusing on what you’re going to say, you give the speaker your entire focus. This allows you to hear and understand with all of your energy.
Active listening forces you to be fully present and engaged each time a prospect speaks. And the more you show you’re engaged, the better.
“Active listening is an essential step in building rapport with your clients and prospects,” says SalesFuel’s Tim Londergan.
“When your prospect knows they are being heard, they will likely share more details which you can use to your advantage.”
Take a look at these tips to learn how to engage in active listening and boost your connection with buyers.
Communicating Effectively
As sellers should know, it’s not always what you say but how you say it. Sales is all about communication, so it follows the best reps can do it effectively. Everything from body language to tone impacts how buyers perceive a rep.
“Since much of communication is nonverbal, it’s often less about what you say and more about the energy you bring to the conversation,” Hang writes.
“Think about your favorite influencers — they have a way of speaking that feels natural, almost like chatting with a friend.”
Buyers don’t want to be sold to, so if you’re approaching conversations with a “must win” attitude, you’ve already lost.
“I’ve learned that refining communication isn’t optional,” explains Londergan.
“It’s a competitive advantage because the ability to listen, adapt tone and timing, and deliver clarity at the right moment in the right way is often what separates stalled deals from closed ones."
Consider this professional guidance to grow and refine your communication skills. You’ll find that your engagement with buyers will grow relationships and keep the process moving forward.
Be patient with yourself
Keep in mind that adopting sales habits may take time. It’s not easy to change how you do things, so give yourself grace. By being consistent and patient, you’ll find these good sales habits starting to stick and notice the impact of your efforts.
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
