Most salespeople are looking for the secret edge that will move them to the top of the sales ranking report. The truth though is that there isn’t just one thing that separates top performing salespeople from the rest of the pack. Instead the best of the best apply a number of best practices within their daily routine.
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Key Takeaways: The Sales Best Practices That Separate Top Performers
- Set your own ambitious goals. Top performers don’t wait for company quotas—they set higher targets and plan their quarter, month, and week, not just the day ahead.
- Go in with a plan. They define a clear objective for every call and anticipate likely objections before they ever pick up the phone.
- Ask better questions, then actually listen. They probe with high-value questions, listen instead of waiting to talk, and clarify rather than assume they understand the prospect.
- Don’t pitch too early. They hold back their solution until they fully understand the prospect’s situation, then position it around that.
- Keep it about the prospect. Their presentations focus on the customer’s needs and situation—not their own company or product features.
- Always set the next step. They lock in a clear next action before every call ends and follow up without waiting to be chased.
How Top Performing Salespeople Stay on Top
1. They set HIGH TARGETS and goals. Top performers don’t wait for their manager to issue an annual or quarterly quota. They set their own goals which is usually more ambitious than the corporate targets.
2. They carefully PLAN their quarter, month and week, as well as their daily schedule. Too many sales people fly by the seat of their pants and only look at the day or week ahead instead of planning their month and quarter. Look at the big picture.
3. They set OBJECTIVES for every sales call. It is essential to know exactly what you want to accomplish before you make your call (face-to-face or telephone).
4. They ASK high-value questions that probe to the heart of the issue. Sounds simple but most sales people fail at this and ask weak, feeble questions. Top performers are comfortable asking tough questions that make their prospect think.
5. They LISTEN carefully to what their prospects & customers say. You can ask all the questions in the world but if you don’t hear what people tell you won’t be able to present the proper solution. Instead of waiting for your turn to speak listen to your customer.
6. They CLARIFY the issue when they are unclear what their prospect means. People often say things that are unclear and most sales people assume they know what their prospect means. Top performers take the time to fully understand by asking “What do you mean by that?” of “Can you clarify that for me?”
7. They WAIT TO PRESENT their product, service, solution or idea until they know exactly what their prospect’s situation is. The majority of sales people jump too quickly into their ‘sales pitch’ but top performers are patient and wait for the right moment.
8. They begin every sales presentation with a brief RECAP of their understanding of the prospect’s situation. Again, a simple concept but one that is greatly ignored by many sales people. A quick summary of your customers’ situation give you the opportunity to ensure that your presentation addresses their key issues.
9. They know how to ADAPT their sales presentation if their prospect’s situation has changed. Making changes on-the-fly is challenging but it is one way to stand out from your competition. Learn how to modify your presentation when customer’s situation has changed from the time you initially met to the time you are delivering your presentation.
10. They know how to properly and effectively POSITION their product, service or solution. The vast majority of sales people fail miserably at this. They talk, talk, talk but usually end up talking about aspects of their product or solution that have little or no relevance to their customer’s situation.
11. Their sales presentations FOCUS on the prospect. Most sales presentations focus on the seller’s company, their product, or other trivial information that is of no interest to the customer.
12. They are PREPARED for potential objections. Top performers anticipate objections and plan their response before their sales call.
13. They always establish the NEXT STEPS. Decision makers are busier than ever which means they are more difficult to connect with. Avoid losing contact with a prospect by agreeing on the next steps after every sales call. Do this in face-to-face meetings and telephone calls.
14. They FOLLOW-UP after the initial call or meeting. Many a sale has been lost because the sales rep failed to follow up after the initial call. You cannot rely on your prospect or customer to call you; you need to take this initiative. Set this up during your call or meeting.
15. They PROSPECT continually to keep their pipeline full. It’s not uncommon for sales reps to experience peaks and valleys in their sales. This is usually a result of failing to prospect for new business on a regular basis. Avoid the highs and lows and schedule time to prospect for new business every week.
16. They deal with the DECISION-MAKER whenever possible. Dealing with people who have little or no buying authority is a waste of time. However, many sales people fall into this trap because it is easier to connect with people other than the decision maker. And that may be true. However, in the long run, they end wasting their time because they don’t close the deal.
17. They look for ways to KEEP IN TOUCH with their customers. A sale is not a one-time deal. However, you need to find ways to keep your name in your customer’s mind to prevent a competitor from squeezing in. Top performers incorporate this into their schedule and make it a priority.
Incorporate these strategies into your routine and you will quickly become a top performing sales rep too.
Learn sales best practices, that will help you elevate your performance and income, from 50 of the world’s top sales trainers, authors, and experts on the incredible Sales Gravy University.
FAQs: Sales Best Practices
Sales best practices are the repeatable habits that consistently produce results, regardless of industry or product. The most important ones include setting ambitious goals, planning ahead, asking high-value questions and listening closely, waiting to present until you understand the prospect, keeping the focus on the customer, setting clear next steps, and prospecting continually. Top performers build these into their daily routine rather than relying on talent alone.
There’s no single secret—top performers simply apply a set of best practices consistently. They set their own high goals, prepare for every call, ask better questions and listen, hold back their pitch until they understand the buyer, and follow up and prospect relentlessly. It’s the discipline of nailing the fundamentals every time that puts them ahead.
Only after you fully understand the prospect’s situation. Most salespeople jump into their pitch too early; top performers stay patient, ask questions first, recap what they’ve heard, and then position their solution around the specific needs they’ve uncovered.
High-value questions that get to the heart of the prospect’s real issues, not weak or surface-level ones. Top performers are comfortable asking tough questions that make the prospect think, then they listen carefully and clarify anything unclear instead of assuming they understand.
They prospect continually rather than in bursts, which prevents the peaks and valleys most reps experience. They also set clear next steps after every call, follow up consistently without waiting to be chased, and stay in regular contact with existing customers so a competitor can’t squeeze in.
