Seven Scientific Predictors That Set Million-Dollar Sales Performers Apart
Article by Shiran Danoch, Ph.D. Selling Power Author
How ELAvate Builds these Principles into their Sales Programs
4 minute read
Dr. Shiran has outlined the seven principles here. Want to know what truly separates exceptional B2B sales performers from average ones? A groundbreaking analysis of 139 studies(1) across four decades has uncovered the scientific answer. Let’s see how these principles link to excellent sales performance.
ELAvate’s Note: What is interesting here is these principles were confirmed many times by our former principal, AchieveGlobal, Inc, since the 1980’s. All Seven Principles have been built into our ELAvate Consultative Selling Skills (CSS) workshop with Asian focus and examples!
1. Adaptive Selling: The Chameleon Effect
Adaptive selling emerges as the strongest predictor of B2B sales success. Top performers excel at reading customer cues and adjusting their approach in real-time. They seamlessly shift between different selling styles based on customer needs and they modify their strategies when current approaches aren’t delivering results. ELAvate: Our sales training employs the attitude and skills to adapt to different customer behaviors and motivators employing TTISI DISC, Motivator and EQ profiles and training. Great salespeople have excellent Sales EQ to adjusting to buyer styles and needs: People buy from people the trust and can relate to.
2. Customer Orientation: The Trust Builder
Customer orientation ranks second in importance. The most successful salespeople prioritize solving client problems over hitting immediate sales targets. They invest time in understanding customer challenges deeply and focus on building long-term relationships rather than quick wins. This approach naturally leads to stronger client partnerships and sustainable revenue growth. ELAvate: Successful salespeople are curious problem solvers who are truly “servant leaders” who collaborate with the customer for Win3 outcomes for the customer, their sales team, and themselves.
3. Self-Confidence: The Inner Game Master
Self-confidence – distinct from arrogance – stands as the third crucial predictor. Top performers display resilience in the face of rejection and maintain composure under pressure. They approach challenging conversations with a calm assurance that comes from knowing their capabilities and limitations. ELAvate: self-confidence with resilience and humility that doesn’t argue or debate, but listens and responds in an I’m OK – You’re OK manner. Our training teaches this based on the scientific approach of Transactional Analysis in the Asian context.
4. Sustained Effort: The Marathon Runner
Sustained effort manifests as consistent high activity levels regardless of circumstances. Top performers maintain their energy and focus through lengthy sales cycles, and they continue executing their strategies even when facing setbacks. They’re distinguished by their ability to maintain momentum when others might slow down. ELAvate: B2B salespeople run the marathon, we believe our Key Account Strategies process combined with the sales coaching skills needed to guide and support salespeople is a must.
5. Core Salesmanship: The Professional’s Toolkit
Core salesmanship skills remain fundamental to success. Despite the evolution of modern sales techniques, mastery of presentations, objection handling, and closing techniques continue to separate top performers from their peers. These foundational abilities enable effective execution of more advanced strategies. ELAvate: We completely agree and our CSS B2B sales training teaches both the core selling skills (Prep and Earn the Right, Probing, Communicating Your Solution, and Closing) as well as the advanced CSS Skills of Active Listening, Resolving Apathy, Price Objections, Doubt, Misunderstandings and Solution Resistance are still the standard and will always be a must. Train them in a customized, blended learning interactive environment!
6. Interpersonal Skills: The Strategic Orchestrator of Relationships
Interpersonal skills prove especially critical in B2B environments where multiple stakeholders are involved. Top performers excel at active listening, demonstrate high emotional intelligence, and skillfully manage relationships across complex buying committees. Their ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders accelerates deal progression. ELAvate: Selling is all about interpersonal communication as mentioned in Point One. In Asia, effective trust building that leads to long-term customer relationships is built on effective communication: active listening with excellent probing, demonstrating empathy to a variety of different customer styles and needs. The interpersonal B2B salesperson in a “strategic orchestrator” of buying committee members and his/her support team.
7. Technical Knowledge: The Trusted Advisor
Technical knowledge rounds out the key predictors. The best salespeople possess deep product understanding and industry expertise that positions them as trusted advisors to their clients. They can architect solutions that address complex business challenges while maintaining credibility in technical discussions. ELAvate: Becoming a “trusted advisor” for your customer doesn’t happen with the “flip of a switch” or just because of technical knowledge. Salespeople need good market or industry knowledge with the people skills of the previous six points! Combined with the attitudes of servant leadership, being curious, and resilience is a winning combination.
The Path to Long-Term Sustained Sales Team Success
These seven scientifically proven predictors of sales success provide a clear framework for ELAvating your sales team success. Organizations looking to build high-performing sales teams should implement standardized, quantifiable assessment and training methods that measure and build these critical capabilities. ELAvate can assist you in both the assessment and hiring of high-potential salespeople as well as provide the world-class, Asian-focused B2B selling skills and attitudes for your salespeople to run the B2B sales marathon!
Here is the scientific study mentioned in this blog:
(1) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001985012030818X
If you want to read the Selling Power article, you can source it here.
Build your Sales Processes, Coaching and Training around the Seven Principals for B2B sales success!
Michael J Griffin
CEO & Founder of ELAvate
Believer of the 7 Principles!
Global Servant Sales Leader & Consultant
michael.griffin@elavateglobal.com
+65-91194008 (WhatsApp)