About Talkdesk

Talkdesk is easy-to-use, cloud-based call center software that helps

growing businesses provide excellent customer service with phone
support. Talkdesk makes it possible to have real time, personalized
conversations with customers, without hardware, coding or downloads
- all that is needed is a computer and an Internet connection. With Talk-
desk, companies can have a call center up-and-running in minutes and
have access to robust call center functionality including IVR, skills-based
routing, call conferencing, comprehensive reporting, all in an intuitive
web-based interface. Integrations with top business tools and CRM
systems, such as Salesforce, Desk.com and Zendesk, make customer data
easily accessible, so agents never have to wade through endless systems
to provide superior service.

For more information, visit www.talkdesk.com.

TRY TALKDESK FOR FREE

// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

// table of contents //

INTRODUCTION // 04

01 // Listen First… And Second // 05

02 // Prioritize Your Follow Up // 06

03 // Always Take Notes // 07

04 // Block Time for Administrative Work // 08

05 // Put Away Distractions // 09

06 // Block Personal Time // 10

07 // Call Clients Regularly // 11

08 // Establish a Study Hour // 12

09 // Don't Chase the Big Fish // 13

10 // Set (and Keep) Standarts // 14

talkdesk © www.talkdesk.com // 3
// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

// INTRODUCTION //

The idea that practice makes perfect is not a novel concept. Inspiring
everyone from young students learning an instrument for the first time
to professional athletes honing their craft, the successful development of
finely tune skills can be attributed to habitual repetition and dedication.

The same applies to the professional development of any experienced

sales professional—in an industry where the best attributes may be
completely intangible—there are many clear, measurable habits that can
be credited with setting the best of the best apart from the rest.

If you’re looking to take your sales game to the next level, check our list
of the 10 habits that every sales professional needs to develop now.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

01 // LISTEN FIRST… AND SECOND

Many sales professionals are often noted as having the “gift of gab”.
While often very true, and fortunate for those who are tasked with having
to approach and sell to new, unknown contacts day in and day out, this
isn’t always a beneficial trait. Instead, tenured sales professionals know
that having a finger on the pulse of when to talk - and when not to talk -
can help dial in on their prospect’s needs as well as sales opportunities.

Listening first, and then continuing to listen even when you find an
opportunity to pitch your idea, can often result in unearthing even bigger
opportunities. Letting prospective customers tell you all about their pain
points can trigger the most important opportunities. Now you can speak.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

02 // PRIORITIZE YOUR FOLLOW UP

The worst mistake sales professionals make is forgetting to follow up.

Without fail, the hallmark trait of a sales professional who has yet to truly
master the beginning stages of professional development is warming up
a lead and then never following up.

Too often, prospective customers who were primed and ready to buy are
simply forgotten or ignored, for various reasons, leaving a lot on the table
and effectively wasting the time and efforts of the sales department.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

03 // ALWAYS TAKE NOTES

Another major offense committed by sales professionals is having a great

discovery session or fact-finding call and then promptly forgetting all
of the important information. Inevitably, this creates the awkward (and
disastrous) follow up wherein the sales professional doesn’t remember
the details and effectively causes the lead to feel unimportant.

The best habit for professional development in these situations is timely

and accurate note taking. It may be as simple as jotting down short
notes on a business card or entering information in the notes section
of the CRM.

And don’t forget, all notes are important - if your prospect’s daughter
is applying to colleges, take note. Your follow up call will be far more
effective when you inquire as to how the application process is going.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

04 // BLOCK TIME FOR

ADMINISTRATIVE WORK

While we’re at it, make sure to carve out time for administrative tasks
such as entering your notes into your CRM.

All too often, these extra steps and details get pushed off or forgotten -
ultimately detracting from the overall effectiveness of your sales activity
when you have no record (and no memory!) of it.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

05 // PUT AWAY DISTRACTIONS

In addition to taking notes and making sure to update administrative

records, the best habits of sales professionals include minimizing
distractions. It can be difficult to manage effective note-taking and
administrative record keeping if your phone, Skype, text and email
alerts are grabbing your attention every few minutes.

Instead, focus on completing whatever you are working on without

acknowledging any distraction.

By completing each task fully before moving on to the next, you’ll

mitigate the risk of details and opportunities falling through the cracks.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

06 // BLOCK PERSONAL TIME

The same applies to your personal life. Sales professionals are often
guilty of mixing personal and professional time since they don’t often
keep traditional office hours. As a result, the “always on” world can
detract from personal time and leave sales professionals exhausted and
less than happy to go to work.

Blocking off days or even just a few hours of personal time can support
professional development by promoting emotional wellbeing.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

07 // CALL CLIENTS REGULARLY

Quick! When is the last time you called a happy client that didn’t need
anything from you? If it wasn’t in the past week, you need to change
this habit.

Your current clients are your most important assets and need to be
treated as such; yet often sales professionals forego maintaining
positive client relations to focus on new prospect development.

Instead, calling clients will give you an opportunity to connect with your
best referral sources, be alerted early to any potential problems and
create a network of connected, satisfied clients.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

08 // ESTABLISH A STUDY HOUR

Professional development includes taking time to hone skills as well

as stay on top of industry trends, company information and general
knowledge.

Scheduling regular training for sales professionals, including role-

playing and product information overviews, as well as attending
tradeshows or reading relevant literature and periodicals can help keep
sales professionals fresh and up-to-date with both their company and
their industry.

Educated employees will naturally be more successful than those

who are not.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

09 // DON’T CHASE THE BIG FISH

One of the hallmarks of tenured sales professionals is the ability to

walk away from a lucrative sale that won’t close. While dedication is
important, the best sales professionals will tell you that sometimes you
have to walk away even though the potential profit is mind-boggling.
Some sales just can’t be closed and will cost too much to keep trying.

Instead, the ability to refocus and walk away is the habit that will keep
sales humming along.

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// 10 Habits Sales Professionals Need to Develop

10 // SET (AND KEEP) STANDARDS

It can be tempting to go after any potential sale - yet not all sales are
created equal. Tenured sales professionals will tell you one of the best
habits they honed was the ability to ascertain the value of a sale and
stay away from the ones that were below their standards.

Instead of “any sale is a good sale”, assessing by the time required

to close vs. the value of the sale may be a better measurement. If you
know your baseline, set it and stick to it - and stay away from the sales
that are less than your target.

Have any habits that you think make top sales professionals?
Share in the comments below!

talkdesk © www.talkdesk.com // 14
About Talkdesk
Talkdesk is easy-to-use, cloud-based call center software that helps
growing businesses provide excellent customer service with phone
support. Talkdesk makes it possible to have real time, personalized
conversations with customers, without hardware, coding or downloads
- all that is needed is a computer and an Internet connection. With Talk-
desk, companies can have a call center up-and-running in minutes and
have access to robust call center functionality including IVR, skills-based
routing, call conferencing, comprehensive reporting, all in an intuitive
web-based interface. Integrations with top business tools and CRM
systems, such as Salesforce, Desk.com and Zendesk, make customer data
easily accessible, so agents never have to wade through endless systems
to provide superior service.

For more information, visit www.talkdesk.com.

TRY TALKDESK FOR FREE