The group of personality traits and behaviors that makes a successful salesperson has been a topic of discussion amongst business owners and marketing experts for decades. It seems that almost everyone who has published a book or journal article on this topic seems to have the "recipe" for what makes the perfect salesperson. We've all even heard the phrase, "He (or she) is a born salesperson," indicating that we tend to believe that being a good salesperson is a gift one holds inherently, not a skill that can be learned over time.

A Harvard Business School study states that 20% of all salespeople make 80% of all sales. That leaves 80% of a salesforce fighting over the remaining 20% of business. Assuming these statistics are accurate today, it is very important to be in that top 20% of sellers in your company. Clearly, there must be many determining factors that separate superior sellers from the inferior sellers. Here we present a compilation of what business leaders consider to be the makings of successful salespeople. We explore what key factors appear in multiple studies examining the attributes of successful salespeople.

One study examined its findings by concluding that highly successful salespeople do not take the word "no" personally when they are attempting to make a sale; they take full responsibility for all results, both positive and negative; have above average determination and ambition; are intensely goal-oriented; possess empathy; and are comfortable interacting with strangers. Empathy here is defined as the ability to relate to customers effectively and especially understand the customer's financial situation.

Another group of factors identified in successful salespeople included the following:

· A sense of humor
· An ability to establish rapport
· Creativity to differentiate yourself from the competition
· An unyielding belief in your company, the product/service, and yourself
· Ability to promote yourself convincingly
· Reliability and dependability
· A passion to excel
· A perpetual positive attitude and enthusiasm

A third study contends that top sellers are self-confident, persistent, good listeners, open to challenges, motivated, and energetic.

Sales is a challenging and demanding occupation and becoming a top salesperson is no easy task. However, having an idea of the many attributes experts have identified in their most successful salespeople will certainly help you on your journey to the top. The sales profession provides many rewards, both tangible and intangible. When those rewards do not come, it is most likely because you have lacked something along the way: energy? Product knowledge? Clear goals? Tenacity? Perhaps a combination of all of these?

Whether you are a novice or a seasoned veteran, careful examination of the traits listed above may help you answer the question, "Do I have what it takes to be the best?"