There are numerous skills and characteristics that help to define successful salespeople. These traits are beneficial regardless of whether you sell products, services or your own ideas. Developing these skills will benefit every salesperson, entrepreneur and business owner who must deal with others in order to transact business.

Consider the following as your personal assets inventory. Each is well beyond any amount of monetary value, yet the mastery of each is capable of helping you generate great financial returns.

1. Be sold on yourself.

You must believe in your gut that you are both worthy of success and capable of achieving it. You must believe that you offer great value to others, confident of your worth in any transaction. You must confidently accept yourself as the most capable person in your field, able to offer your customers amazing value.

2. Develop and maintain a sales plan.

Just as you cannot hit a target you cannot see, you must have written goals and a detailed plan to achieve them if you are to have any direction and success in your career. Once your sales plan is written, you can begin executing it in a logical, step-by-step manner. Subsequently, you will achieve those goals and fulfill your overall plan. A sales plan gives you necessary direction to act upon.

3. Understand the value of a strong first impression.

Our customers begin to size us up within seconds of our first contact, whether you are calling on the phone or visiting them in person. You must wow them, convincing them that you alone offer the solutions they seek. You must instill a seed of faith so that they will trust you for a continuing relationship.

4. Pursue continuous learning and training.

If you want to earn more, then you have to learn more first. Our world is changing so quickly, demanding that we stay current with our existing skills while concurrently developing new ones to allow us to adapt to changing markets and requirements. Continuously learning new skills is critical to your ongoing success.

5. Become an effective communicator.

Communication begins with our first exposure. It involves not only our oratory skills, but even more importantly, our listening skills. We must develop the art of effective questioning, while listening carefully for our customers to tell us exactly what will be required to complete the sale. We must also become skilled at reading the basic body language of our prospects and customers.

6. Use time wisely. Become highly productive.

Many people tend to meander through their work day, floating from task to task or simply doing whatever comes along. This is not the schedule of a successful salesperson. You need to work your plan, scheduling appointments and completing planned tasks in a timely manner. Non-productive time during the work-day will cost you. Eliminate distractions. Focus and stay focused.

7. Realize that technology is a tool, not a crutch.

I enjoy using high-tech sales tools as much as anyone, but they do not define my presentation. Are you capable of delivering your sales presentation if your projector burns out or you experience other technological failures? If not, your tools have likely become a crutch. Remember, you are the presentation. It is your knowledge, skills and experience that will provide the solutions your customer needs.

8. Genuinely care about others.

People sense disconnect. We sense dishonesty. We sense insincerity. If your attitude is all about yourself, that selfishness will permeate the environment you work in. However, if your desire is to genuinely help others, your customers will sense that as well. You will be welcomed as the sort of person that they want to do business with. This is not something you can fake.

While quite important, these are not the only effective habits and traits of successful salespeople. Additional skills will develop and are built on the backbone of these core strengths. Being successful in your ability to influence others begins with your belief in yourself and the depth of your values, extending then to the people around you. Master these eight skills and you are well on your way to enjoying a successful and rewarding sales career.