[This blog post comes from Mark Saghy of Exhibit Deal.]

It takes a unique personality to be able to sell a product to anyone interested. As a salesperson, much of your time will be spent getting to know people and taking an interest in them in return.

If you are looking to become a salesperson and want to develop the right skills, or if you are currently a salesperson and want to become better, there are a few personality traits you may want to work on and a few strategies you may want to perfect before you expect to become great.

Seven Sales Don’ts

The salespeople who work the hardest find immense pride in their jobs and are passionate about the product they are selling. Here are seven sales don’ts any good salesperson should avoid.

1. Don’t Think In Terms Of Specific Sales

When you are working to sell a product, don’t think of each visit as a potential sale. Think of your sales in terms of growing a business. It’s not about the numbers and the money you will make off each sale—it’s about growing your business and selling a product that you feel passionate about. Being a good salesperson means looking beyond each individual sale to the bigger picture and the potential growth of the business.

2. Don’t Ignore Clients After Making A Sale

Once you have sold your product to a client, don’t walk away and never look back. Keeping a solid relationship with those clients is part of ensuring that they are loyal to your business. A good relationship with new clients should also open the door to new business. New clients can be a pot of referrals if you invest time in them even after you have sold them your product.

3. Don’t Speak Too Much

The best salespeople are good listeners. When you talk too much, you make your clients feel like their opinions don’t matter and that you think what you have to say is much more important.

Practice listening while still getting in information about your product. When in doubt, always stop talking and listen to what your client has to say. You may very well learn the secret to getting them to switch over to your product if you listen carefully to what they are saying.

4. Don’t Depend On The Economy

Even in the worst of economic times, you can have a successful sales career. A good salesperson will focus more on their actions and what they can bring about rather than what is going on in the world around them.

Take responsibility for your sales record, and don’t blame bad sales on the economy. If you take the time to cement your sales reputation, the current economic conditions won’t affect your job or your paycheck at all.

5. Don’t Spend Time With Negative People

Having a positive attitude is a life choice. When you surround yourself with people who are positive, you are more likely to have a positive attitude yourself. If you spend time with negative people who are always focusing on what is wrong in their lives, your attitude will become more negative, and this will reflect badly in all of your relationships.

Your clients and potential clients will sense when you need an attitude adjustment. People want to spend time with those who are positive and happy in the hopes that it will rub off on them. If you are negative, clients will do what they can to avoid you. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to be happy and positive about life.

6. Don’t See Problems

If you ever have a potential problem, look at it as an opportunity to prove yourself. Good salespeople are also good problem-solvers, and any problem that arises gives you a chance to prove that you can handle anything that is thrown your way. Your clients will see this as an advantage, and your employers will love this trait in a salesperson.

7. Don’t Give Up

A good salesperson never gives up on a sale. If a client tells you no, don’t write them off. Think of them in the future, and look for opportunities to come back to them with new ideas or new products.

Don’t ever give up on a sale, and don’t ever give up on a problem. Stick with anything that comes your way and you’ll prove to your clients, your boss, and yourself that you can handle anything in the crazy world of sales.

Boost Sales and Customer Loyalty

Following these simple steps can make a huge difference in your sales. They are all tried and true methods for boosting sales and customer loyalty. You have an incredible salesperson hidden inside of you. All you have to do is tap into your full potential, and the sky is the limit!

Author Bio:

Mark Saghy is a Marketing Associate with Exhibit Deal, a wholesale trade show display company offering a vast selection of pop-up displays, banner stands, and digital signage.