Qualities of a Good Salesman

The process of informing customers and persuading them to purchase products through personal communication is known as Personal Selling. It is a two-way communication and involves direct face-to-face communication. Salespersons are appointed by companies to create product awareness and preferences with the aim of making sales.

Qualities of a Good Salesman

Personal Selling is an art that requires skill and constant practice to be effective. A salesman should have the following essential qualities:

1. Physical Qualities

A salesman should be healthy and should possess an attractive personality. For creating a favourable impression on the customers, good appearance, posture, sound health, pleasing voice. etc., are required. As a salesman is required to travel a lot, he should be physically capable of travelling.  

2. Knowledgeable

A salesman should have complete knowledge of the product and its features, knowledge about the organisation, its philosophy, policies, motto, customers, competitors, etc.

3. Mental Attributes

A high degree of intelligence and imagination are essential qualities for a successful salesman. He should be in a position to understand customers and read their minds quickly. For effective selling, he should have a creative imagination, keen observation, sharp memory, and good judgement ability.

4. Vocational Attributes

The salesperson should be highly ambitious and enthusiastic, as salesmanship is a highly skilled vocation. He should be optimistic and should have creative ability and an urge for excellence.  

5. Courtesy

In order to win the trust of customers, a salesman should be polite, sympathetic and courteous. If the language of the salesman is polite, then he can win the buyer’s confidence.

6. Tactfulness

As a salesman has to deal with humans, who differ in aptitudes, viewpoints, requirements, etc., he must be tactful. He must have the ability to adjust to the circumstances and needs of the customers.

7. Self-confidence

Self-confidence is an essential quality to be a successful salesman. He should have firm determination and take every objection or obstacle as a challenge.

 8. Enthusiastic

A salesman should be enthusiastic and should work with zeal. He should focus on achieving the selling objectives by accepting the challenge of making a positive sale to the customer.

9. Honesty

The policy of honesty should be practiced by the salesman. He should not try to win customers through false and misleading representations.

10. Persistent

A salesman should be persistent. He should try to convince the prospects with persistent efforts. He should not give up on the customers soon. Regular and willing customers for the company can be won by the persistent efforts of the salesman.

11. Good Communication Skills

The success of the sales depends upon the communication skills of the salesman, as selling is a two-way communication process. The salesman should have a controlled voice and demand over the language. He should clearly communicate what he wants to communicate. Moreover, he should not be only a good speaker but also a good listener.