What Separates the 1% of Top Salespeople? It’s Not What You Think

Tip #2 : 100 days of learning from amazing sales folks

Predict the moves. Credits: Unsplash by Hassan Pasha

Over a decade of wrangling fancy-pants clients, corporate whales, and the occasional goofball, I’ve learned selling ain’t some mystical talent. It’s a skill, and the top 1% don’t win with charm, confidence, or even product knowledge.

Their secret weapon? Mind-reading? Nah, something way easier: pre-empting client questions.

Think about it.

By understanding their style, tapping into your network, and crafting strategic responses, you become their trusted advisor, not just a salesperson.

Ready to unlock this superpower?

How to pre-empt?

• Be a detective: During calls, pick up on clients’ communication style and questions. Data-driven? Process-obsessed? Budget hawks? Use this intel to tailor your pitch. For the budget-conscious, link benefits to saving them dough, see?
• Tap into your network: Shadow successful colleagues, absorb industry stories, and hit events to snag common client questions. Bridge the gap: Instead of 50 calls, analyze successful colleagues’ answers to build a killer question bank.

How to use this pre-emption?

• Chart your course: Create a “decision tree” or mind map outlining potential questions and your prepared answers. Refine it as you learn.
• Knowledge transfer: Share your insights with colleagues and product teams, fostering collaboration and addressing knowledge gaps. This is one of the best ways to establish your credibility among colleagues who might be seething hearing about your closed deals.

How to answer the pre-empted question?

• Active listening: Don’t interrupt! Wait patiently for the client to finish the question, then paraphrase it (the question) for clarity.
• Take a deliberate breath before answering. This creates anticipation and suggests you’re thoughtfully considering their question. Use natural fillers like “hmm,” “that’s a great point,” or “interesting…” to bridge the gap.
• Don’t strive for robotic perfection. Inject natural pauses, stumbles, or even humour to sound more conversational. Example: “Well, you know, that’s a really good question. (Pause) Let me think… (Pause) I’d say, in my experience…”
• Show appreciation for their insightful question before launching into your response. Example: “Wow, that’s definitely something I haven’t considered before. I appreciate you bringing that up.”

By understanding client’s style, tapping into your network, and crafting strategic responses, you become their trusted advisor, not just a salesperson.

Boom! More trust, faster deals, and way less awkward silence.

I am collating the best learnings from the amazing sales folks I have worked with in the last 10+ years and this is the 2nd article in the series. Previous in the series here.