Are you a good selling or business development professional? What distinguishes you from the remainder of the pack?

With more than 27 years' experience, I find the following characteristics in those who develop business and sell for a living:

1-    Seek relationships, not a commission check

2-    Do not procrastinate, but use the hours in the day wisely, being with prospective and current clients

3-    Do not waste “windshield time” on wasteful things or nothing

4-    Read voraciously to understand competitive intelligence that aids the client

5-    Establish a strategic account profile to understand prospective client opportunities and limitations

6-    Know the economic buyer in their accounts and do not waste time with gatekeepers

7-    Think strategically, not tactically, to engage buyers

8-    Learn the client’s business and discover methods to assist them now and in the future

9-    Prepare provocative questions that engage and enlighten

10- Know when to listen and when to speak

11- Network constantly to meet new buyers

12- Engage a sales process

13- Create emotion and have a passion for the sales process

14- Believe in what they are selling

15- Nurture relationships with proper customer service, returning all calls and emails in a timely manner

16- Use and respect the relevance of CRM, reporting useful data to upper management

17- Understand the importance of customer-to-customer influences on account management

18- Think in terms of client outcomes, not units sold

19- Dress professionally and are ready to engage with every client

20- Have poise and the flexibility to ethically engage gatekeeper and buyer

Use the following as a checklist for your selling professionals if you are a manager or for you personally if you sell for a living. Check back periodically to discover methods to make you a more effective seller, to make best use of time, and to develop more business.

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

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Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on business development and customer satisfaction. Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Fitness. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization to increase their business development skills visit him at www.stevensconsultinggroup.com