Every business in the world has some certain unique features, which has to be learnt and practiced a lot in order to be successful in an enterprise. For example, a swimmer has to do practice regularly for hours in order to keep them fit for competitions. Even though the swimmer has succeeded in number of competition he has to work out regularly, everyday in order to defend his position at the highest level.

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During his training he should focus on the mistakes he had made in the past competitions, he should train and prepare himself in such a way that he shouldn’t repeat the same mistakes in future. There is an analogy between the competitive sports and salesmanship. As like in sports salesperson has to master the art of selling the products of the enterprise to the customers. The sales person himself should learn the fundamentals of selling and master them in order to get best results. The nature of sales personality depends on certain extent on heredity and environment. An intelligent salesman would combine the study and actual practice of the fundamentals by analysis.

A good successful salesman should posses some certain qualities in order to achieve success.

1. Sales personality

Sales personality is all about the sales man itself. Personality can be produced and improved by developing the qualities in the positive traits. A person may not have all essential qualities of a sales person but he has to strive in order to compensate the lacking. The positive qualities to be developed, in order to increase and improve the salesman’s personality such as kindness, courage, confidence, honesty, loyalty, good health, and cheerfulness.

All the sales person would not have all the positive qualities they might have some negative qualities such as fear, gloominess, cowardice etc. These qualities should be neglected from the sales person. Habits once formed are always difficult to change. A person who has the capability to work hard will always work without any difficulties. So it is necessary for the salesperson to develop the positive traits which may be difficult at the beginning, and there by building a positive personality.

Some of the important aspects to be developed by the sales person to achieve success are:

(a) Physical traits

It includes health, breadth, posture, speech, and appearance. Without good health the sales person would not have the endurance to sell the product or achieve his targets. He may also be required to move about different places, which would be difficult for him, and as well as stand during the greater part of the day. Offensive breadth must be avoided because it may repel the customers. It can be easily detected and controlled by the salesperson himself. It may be caused to defective teeth or physical disorders or, from stomach. Good posture considerably enhances the appearance and personality of the sale person’s. Good posture doesn’t mean a straight and rigid posture. It means unnecessary tension of muscles should be avoided. Voice should be very expressive, pleasant and it should attract the customers a lot. The voice should not be high pitched, hoarse or monotonous. Neat and pleasing appearance is essential for a salesperson in any walk of life. A good appearance of a sales person will give him confidence in presenting his arguments in a convincing manner without being distracted by fear of his own appearance. Appropriate way of dressing also plays a key role in appearance; it should be clean and fit well. The salesperson should know how to smile; a good natural smile would enhance his appearance.

(b) Mental Traits

Mental traits include accuracy, alertness, imagination, initiative, observation, and self-confidence etc. The salesman should be alert, ready to find out ways and means of serving the customers. Alertness is a part in which the sales person should inspire confidence of the customers. Customers normally would not like hurried salespersons as well a slow one.
It is one of the most important mental attributes, which should be developed by the salesperson.

If a salesman with imagination will have the capability to visualize the articles required by the customer, such a customer would be relieved and so grateful for suggestions and ideas given by the salesperson. The salesperson should be able to think and decide for himself instead of having to be told everything, he should be self-reliant. The important quality in a good salesperson is the ego drive, which makes him want to make the sale. He must remain enthusiastic of the job. The salesperson should have the capability to take decisions for himself and assist the wavering customers into making his decisions by gentle means of questions and suggestions.

The salesperson should have the attribute of keen observation. A person who is a keen observer will immediately sort out the problems and find a solution as soon as possible. The salesman must be interested in his work and strive to learn all the duties of the different phases. He must pay a close attention to, the customers, the product he sells, and the enterprise he works for. Self-confidence springs from the knowledge. Therefore he should acquire thorough knowledge of the goods he sells, likely type of customers. The salesperson should have confidence in himself and products he sells to the customers.

(c) Social traits

The ability to make friends and to get along with the people in one of the most valuable assets. Social traits includes, ability to meet the public, the most important quality of a salesperson to meet the public and speak about the product he wants to sell them. He is also required to overcome considerable resistance, deal with the strangers in his selling activity and open up new territories. The salesman should always be polite and generous to his work and to the customers. It deals, not to be late for appointments, addressing customers in a friendly way. Never losing temper, saying thank you and good-bye while leaving. All the workers should be cooperative help one another to make pleasant working conditions.

(d) Character traits

There are some important attributes in a person’s character. No one can expect to be successful unless he follows some modal characteristics. It includes honesty and reliability, enthusiasm, industry and persistence.

2. Knowledge of goods

The salesperson should have the knowledge about the products he is selling. Sales person without technical knowledge about the product would be a danger to he customer. Naturally he cannot explain something prospective to the customers, which he himself doesn’t understand .If the salesman has the knowledge about the product he would be able answer all the queries raised by the customers. Even if a single answer were not given clearly, the customer would doubt about the quality of the product. Besides by having the knowledge it will become easier to make the customer understand about the product.

The extent of the knowledge required of a salesman depends on whether he is in selling high cost products or low priced products. The salesperson should acquire information as to the policies behind the products as these are reflected in the products. Knowledge of the production methods can de used by the salesman to justify the cost of the product, he should also know about the law affecting the sales and selling, knowledge about the firm, knowledge about tariffs delivery conditions also. There are different methods to acquire knowledge about the products:

Ø Personal experience.
Ø Reading books, trade journals.
Ø Consulting with the seniors.
Ø Studying advertisement.
Ø Reading sales manual.
Ø Meetings and conferences.

3. Importance buying motives

There are number of motives. The commonest motives are fear, profit, pride, comfort, fashion, health, and habit. A salesman selling life insurance may utilize the motive of love for the family, loyalty, therefore he should find out the fears involved in it. It may be death, fear of loss etc. Profit in this the salesman should make the two points clear to make money, save money. He should motivate the customers to buy the products he sell about the positive aspects and negative aspects which would provide a clear picture to the customer, whether this product would suite them or not. And by giving suggestions and ideas to the customers.

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