Ten Ways Top Sales Reps Are Different. Duane Lakin

rather than ego strength, for instance.

      The only way to understand a behavior is to ask questions of the person doing the behaving. Why are you doing that? What are you saying to yourself? This is the basis of “modeling”, an approach to understanding others that is much stronger than test profiling but also much more time consuming and requires a skilled investigator.

      In order to understand Top Sales Reps, it is necessary to understand the behaviors that are occurring and what is driving those behaviors. Top Sales Reps have “drivers” that may not be easily seen. Understanding those drivers can help a Sales Manager do a better job of looking for Top Sales Rep candidates as well as helping a Top Sales Rep continue to excel.

      It is unusual for someone to move in a linear fashion from being an average seller to being a Top Sales Rep. Being a top-producing sales rep is more than just developing new skills and learning the product/service. Top Sales Reps are different. Their behaviors are different. Their motivation and drivers are different. Average sellers may have some of these same characteristics, but they will not have all of them. When you interview for a Top Sales Rep, you need to look for different things and ask different questions. When you manage a Top Sales Rep, you must manage with an understanding of their differences and needs. They are a different animal. Choose and care for them carefully.

      So what makes a Top Sales Rep different? Some things are drivers, some are attitudes, and some are behaviors. But when combined, they describe most Top Sales Reps. The following characteristics and the way they impact the seller’s behavior are what make a Top Sales Rep different:

      Fear/Anxiety

      Short-term focus

      Need to feel in control

      Grit

      Curiosity

      Assumption of success

      Use of plans and mental re-plays

      Social intelligence

      Referral requests

      Use of mirroring