5 Traits of Elite Sales Reps Every Average Rep Should Know

Anyone in sales would love to be an elite performer and part of the distinguished group that drives the most revenue and growth for a company. Understanding the traits of these elite reps is the first step to getting there.

Most sales teams have elite reps, average performers, and the bottom third.

And since elite reps tend to deliver 3-4x a normal rep, it’s no wonder sales leaders want more of them.

It may seem simple: just identify the pivot points that elite sales reps make during the sales process, and replicate them.

But it’s not that easy—or fast. Sure, the good SaaS companies have implemented lots of structure, process, and sales training. That’ll only get you so far. Here’s why...

It’s not entirely about your setup or training, it’s that elite sales reps tend to have a very different mindset than normal sales reps and do unconventional things at times to succeed any way they can.

Here’s a story to shed some light

Once upon a time, I sold luxury watches in the Caribbean. My training was minimal and mainly focused on product-selling and being transactional.

But my mindset was to “observe everything and be a sponge.” I observed people’s appearances, picked up on common questions and objections, and tried to get my eyes on their wrists to see if they already had a watch on. And I even wondered if their significant other would be happy or not so happy with them for buying an expensive watch!  

I asked myself what their occupation was, how old they may be, whether or not they upgraded their room on the cruise ship they came in on (if they did, maybe they’d buy a more expensive watch).

This period of observation and people studying had a purpose: Quickly figure out how people ticked to find the best way to win.

None of that was part of any training. It was just my way of trying to be my best. And soon I became the #1 sales rep.  

My mindset was to create an experience, not sell a product. And my seemingly unconventional approach of trying to figure out the little details is what led to my success.

While B2B sales is more complex than selling luxury watches, at the end of the day sales is sales.

So, how does this help you with your team?

Every sales leader should want to find a way to change the mindset of its average performers to want to be like an elite sales rep.

First, you need to talk to your reps to see where their head is at. Do they genuinely want to be an elite performer? Are they game for working harder or being fanatical about everything?

Then, you must be able to articulate, in simple terms, the traits of and unconventional ways elite performers succeed. Your team will need inspiration (an “anyone can do it” perspective) and confidence that it can happen (everything is “doable” and not some crazy elite rep ideology).

Here are the 5 simple traits of elite sales reps

1. They have strong self-drive

• They never need reminding to open more opportunities

• They set personal goals above and beyond their standard sales goals

• They always game plan on how to succeed before a new year/quarter/month starts

2. They fear losing

• They prepare for any situation (reduces the chance of losing a deal)

• They don’t waste time on poor opportunities (losing bad deals is a double whammy, they move on quickly)

• They have a very calculated approach to everything and set clear expectations for all parties (this increases the chances of winning)

3. They read their environments

• They are genuinely curious about the goals and challenges of their prospects (they don't fake it, they really do care)

• They inquisitively assess the likelihood that their prospect could or would buy (gets back to not wasting energy)

• They challenge prospects when needed but always check their ego at the door first

4. They work backwards from their goals

• They know how many meetings they need to be successful

• They know how much activity and how many calls it takes to get meetings

• They are really fanatical about their pipeline and look at it multiple times a day (this keeps their goal in front of them)

5. They maximize their internal resources

• They befriend everyone that can support their success (and they’re sincere about it)

• They understand the inner workings of their company to leverage resources for when they need them the most

• They aren’t afraid to ask for help (this is huge, top reps ask for help a lot!)

Getting average reps to think and act like elite reps should be a common goal for any sales leader. The key is to focus on mindset and then on what they can do differently.

It starts with a simple conversation and challenging them to voice their thoughts and perspective on these traits. Then, provide guidance on how they can get on the right path to get there. You just might be surprised at who rises to the occasion.