As experts in the skillsets and mindsets necessary for sales success, Integrity Solutions recently surveyed its team to identify the core sales skills consistently exhibited by top-performing salespeople and how those skills contribute to their success.
“We often get asked what the specific, core sales skills are that every salesperson today needs to have,” says Integrity Solutions CEO Mike Esterday. “In an environment that’s placing heavy emphasis on sales enablement tech and AI, combined with the ongoing shifts in buyer preferences, marketplace competition and general economic uncertainty, adaptability will always be one of the keys to staying ahead in the dynamic world of sales. But as our team observed, there are also some fundamental skills that high performers consistently practice to remain successful regardless of the external factors.”
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Based on what they’ve observed in the field, working with clients and in sales training sessions, the Integrity Solutions team pinpointed 15 fundamental sales skills that enable high performers to navigate uncertainty and volatility, build meaningful relationships, and consistently deliver value to their customers:
- Prospecting skills
- Networking skills
- Sales planning and preparation skills
- Communication skills
- Trust-building skills
- Listening skills
- Questioning skills
- Storytelling skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Sales demonstration skills
- Product knowledge, with a focus on impact
- Deal closing skills
- Emotional intelligence
- Relationship-building skills
- Time management skills
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Visit the Integrity Solutions website for a deeper exploration of each of the individual sales skills, how they contribute to sales success, and how to incorporate them into the daily sales routine
The Integrity team also emphasized that the best and most consistent salespeople succeed with a combination of great skillset, mindset and process. This is particularly important in light of the massive changes the sales world has experienced over the past several years. The team advises salespeople and the sales managers who are coaching them to focus on all three of these aspects and how they impact individual performance. Doing so will help equip salespeople to meet increased buyer expectations while building the confidence and motivation to navigate a complex and evolving selling landscape.
