Listening, questioning, negotiating, closing—today’s sales professionals need so many different selling skills to succeed.
But which ones should you focus on if your sales team is a little green or if your seasoned sellers could use a refresh?
Successful sales careers and revenue-generating sales teams are built on the bedrock of 11 professional selling skills. They directly impact revenue generation and overall business success, so make sure your sales training addresses them.
Train Your Sales Team on These 11 Selling Skills
Here are the core skills your sellers must become proficient in to be successful in a competitive and complex market.
1. Communication
Communication is the most important selling skill. Sellers must be able to convey information effectively and concisely, both verbally and in writing.
Sales Development Tip: Encourage your sellers to study effective communication strategies, to practice presenting (in person and virtually), and to seek feedback on their communication style. Use assessments to help them understand communication styles.
2. Active Listening
Active listening is arguably the next most important skill. It means concentrating on what the customer is saying, understanding their message, and responding thoughtfully.
Sales Development Tip: Give your team opportunities to practice paying close attention, asking clarifying questions, and summarizing what they’ve heard.
3. Prospecting
Sales prospecting is the process of identifying and qualifying potential customers who may have a need for your product or service. It involves researching, initiating contact, and engaging with potential buyers to generate new business opportunities.
Sales Development Tip: To improve prospecting skills, use a consistent sales process, craft compelling outreach messages, and ensure that the team can use your CRM and sales intelligence tools effectively.
4. Product Knowledge
Understanding your product or service’s features and benefits—and how it compares to competitors—is essential for presenting solutions to prospects and customers.
Sales Development Tip: Make sure your sales professionals review product materials regularly, understand use cases, and stay up to date on industry trends.
5. Discovery
The ability to probe deeply and ask open-ended questions is a core skill. Sellers must be able to uncover customers’ wants and needs, pain points, and potential objections through skillful questioning.
Sales Development Tip: Train sellers to ask open-ended questions, to practice needs analysis techniques, and to develop empathy.
6. Problem Solving
Strong problem-solving skills enable sales professionals to effectively address customer concerns and overcome objections.
Sales Development Tip: Have the team practice critical thinking, study client success stories, and brainstorm solutions to common challenges your customers face.
7. Building Rapport and Trust
Sellers must develop rapport with customers to create positive relationships. Positive interactions based on mutual understanding and respect lead to long-term, profitable engagements.
Sales Development Tip: Work with your sellers on their interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, and share techniques for building strong relationships.
8. Objection Handling
Managing stalls, rejections, and bottlenecks and addressing customer concerns professionally allows sellers to overcome objections, keep deals moving, and close more opportunities.
Sales Development Tip: Provide your sellers with responses to common objections and training on negotiation and remaining calm under pressure.
9. Sales Negotiation and Closing
Sales professionals must be able to sell value, avoid price concessions, present alternatives, and guide customers toward making a purchase decision.
Sales Development Tip: Share successful closing methods, practice timing, and teach sellers to recognize buying signals and qualify prospects to head off objections.
10. Time Management
A seller’s day-to-day involves prospecting, admin work, and managing multiple deals at different stages. Managing time efficiently ensures sellers are organized and productive.
Sales Development Tip: Use productivity tools, prioritize tasks, and help sellers analyze how they spend their time and how to work efficiently.
11. Persistence and Resilience
Sales professionals must be able to maintain a positive attitude and stay motivated despite setbacks and rejection.
Sales Development Tip: Set realistic goals, build confidence, celebrate small wins, and foster a growth mindset.
The Importance of Foundational Selling Skills
Now that you know the 11 core selling skills, let’s dive into the benefits for your team and organization. There are several reasons these foundational selling skills are crucial for long-term success and revenue growth.
Develop Long-Term Customer Relationships
Skills such as active listening and rapport building are essential for developing lasting customer relationships.
Build Confidence
Mastering these skills boosts a seller’s confidence, which in turn positively influences their interactions with customers.
Maintain a Competitive Advantage
In a crowded marketplace, superior selling skills can differentiate a seller and their offerings from competitors.
Increase Conversion Rates
Effective communication, needs analysis, and closing techniques directly impact a seller’s ability to convert leads into customers.
Boost Sales Efficiency
Strong time management and communication skills allow sales professionals to handle more prospects and close deals faster.
Foster Adaptability
Foundational skills provide a framework for adapting to different selling situations, industries, and customer types.
Improve Customer Satisfaction
Well-developed skills help sales professionals understand and meet customer needs, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.
Enhance Professionalism
These skills help maintain a professional image, enhancing the reputation of both the individual and the company.
Promote Career Growth
These transferable skills form the basis for advancement in sales and other customer-facing roles.
Improve Foundational Selling Skills with Sales Training
Training your sellers on these core skills will not only help them meet prospects and customers where they are in the buying process; it will also help them build credibility, improve the predictability of your sales funnel, and engage in meaningful dialogue that progresses the sale.
A sales assessment can help you diagnose whether your sales professionals have the skills they need. Assessments are accurate and scientifically validated measurements of the fundamental selling skills.
These tools identify a seller’s top personal competencies and how well developed they are. Hiring assessments allow you to uncover talents, skills gaps, and areas of development so you can onboard, coach, and train that person appropriately.
Find out how the IMPACT Selling Skills Index® identifies core selling skills and gives sales leaders a roadmap for sales success.
