As we work with our clients, it is very easy to become routine in the service that we provide. This applies to most all of us because if we look at our jobs closely; the majority of people are in a position to provide service in one form or another. As consumers, we all want to receive the best possible service available, so it only stands to reason that we must develop the same attitude when providing services to our own clients.

How typical is it to enter into a business relationship with promises of great services that we have to offer? Then, how typical is it to fall short of our promises? That is never our intent, but we get caught up in the business and it is usually the client that suffers. How would our own businesses change if we developed the attitude of making the needs of the client come first?

What traits are consistent with this type of sales professional? The following top ten list is an excerpt from Thomas Leonard, the founder of Coach University.

1. They have an obvious and compelling passion for people, not just for the product or service.
2. They have an ability to help the prospective customer feel enthusiastic.
3. They have a willingness to sell to the buyer’s buying strategy instead of using a collection of selling techniques and hoping for a connection.
4. They have an ability to discern who is going to be a buyer and who is not. 
5. They have an ability to match the exact features of the product with the client’s needs.
6. They don’t seem desperate to make the sale.
7. They discern the appropriate next step for the buyers and help them see how the seller’s product or service is the obvious choice. 
8. They have plenty of evidence of how really valuable the product or service is and can communicate it to customers with confidence.
9. They bring benefits to everyone they touch, buyer or not. 
10. They are human, light, and “real” with everyone.

After reading these top ten tips, how many of these do you follow? How do you think your business might change if you did incorporate these characteristics into your business and your life?

We are still striving to be the best that we can and sometimes we fall short, not due to lack of desire but from our lack of focus. The role of the salesperson is changing and from that change comes a stronger, more confident individual who may even classify themselves as a salesperson.

Take a few moments to reflect on where you fit into this picture and how by implementing a few changes you too can confidently view yourself as a professional.