5 Habits of Highly Successful Sales Agents

By Leandra K., Independent Sales Agent 

My time at FlashBanc has helped me better get to know myself and grow in ways I never thought possible. Today, I’d like to share a few pieces of advice for finding success as a sales professional. 

Plan and Organize Your Day

To me, the most important step of ensuring your success is thoroughly planning out your daily schedule and goals. As a Sales Agent, your schedule might get a little hectic sometimes, so having a designated place where you write down all of your scheduled meetings will really help you stay on top of your plans. Personally, I recommend utilizing a journal, planner, or app to keep track of your meetings, daily and long-term goals, and to-do list items. At first, it might feel like a hassle to sit down and plan out your day, but it will ensure that you’re able to stay on track for achieving your career goals. 

Get Comfortable With Rejection

One of the hardest parts of being a sales professional is learning how to not take rejection personally. There are a thousand reasons why a potential client might not be ready to move forward with you at the moment, so it’s important to take their “no” gracefully and keep your head up. If you treat every rejection as a personal loss or failure, you’ll get beaten down easily and prevent yourself from achieving your goals. There are plenty of fish in the sea, so it’s important to stay positive and keep contacting prospects even after you receive a rejection. 

If you receive a “no,” I recommend that you take a moment for yourself and either listen to some calming music, read a chapter of a book, or buy your favorite snack to recharge your batteries. Once you feel like you’re in a better, more peaceful headspace, get back out there and keep going! Great salespeople don’t stay down for long and they are experts at bouncing back from adversity. By the way, this type of resilience is a learned skill, so practice makes perfect. 

Make Sure You’re Punctual 

Being late to a meeting with a prospect can significantly hurt your chances of landing their business, so it’s important to stay on top of your schedule and make sure you have enough time to get to your engagements. I recommend getting there at least 10 minutes early, so that you’re not stressed out or flustered when you meet with a potential client. If you have 10 minutes to spare, you can use the extra time to catch up on your emails, plan out what you’re going to discuss in the upcoming meeting, brush up on your FlashBanc product knowledge, or simply take a moment to relax. 

Listen More and Speak Less

When some people think of what a salesperson looks like, their mind conjures up a vision of a used car salesman, who talks a million miles an hour and pressures people into signing on the dotted line. While there are definitely salespeople out there that behave like this, successful salespeople take a much different approach to acquiring new clients. 

In a meeting with a prospect, most of your time should be spent listening to their individual business needs and translating that into product recommendations. In order to land a new client, your prospect needs to feel listened to, respected, and like the star of the show. By intently listening to their unique needs and concerns, you’ll get a better understanding of how you can help them, in addition to building a strong business relationship built on trust and respect. 

Emphasize Customer Service

As a Sales Agent, your top priority should be to help your client’s business be more successful. It’s a win-win situation because as they process more payments, their earnings will go up and so will yours. When you sign on a new client, make a heartfelt commitment to them that you will do everything you can to help their business succeed and thrive. Fully committing yourself to their success will make them feel secure and comfortable with your service, and it will help you retain them as a client for years to come. 

Ask For Help 

If you’re struggling to close deals, I definitely recommend reaching out to your Sales Director for advice. They’ve been exactly where you are in your career right now, so they will be able to help you get through whatever you’re having trouble with. The entire FlashBanc team is rooting for you!