摘选并翻译分享：马国宜
TOM HOPKINS是美国最知名的销售培训大师，他所著的How To Master The Art Of Selling 一书销量超过一百万册。书中的一个章节The Twelve Sources Of Sensational Selling Success讲述最优秀的销售人员的12个特点, 可以成为从事销售职业的人可以参照的标准。根据这些特点规划面试问题，也会有助于甄选优秀的销售人员。
一. 当一个销售冠军进门的时候，仅观察他们，你就会感受一种强大的力量-那是因为面前的这个人心中有目的感并准备最大化的实现他们的意图。这些特点反映了独特的个人特色以及他们对自己价值的坚实认可，比任何好看的外表都更让人印象深刻。
二. 在培训中，我们见过的所有最优秀的销售都以销售职业和做一个很好的人为骄傲。供他们骄傲的资本是他们对自己责任的认真态度以及对自己潜质的最大发挥。他们骄傲，不仅因为他们赖以谋生的方式，也因为他们供职的公司和他们为客户提供的产品与服务。
三. 销售冠永远由内向外散发信心。如果你对自己信心不足，潜在客户一定会感觉得到并会选择从其他人那里购买。打动客户的一定是我们对自己产品的信念、我们在介绍产品与服务式表现出的说服力和信心。为做到这一点，销售冠军会学习掌握每一个能帮助客户做Yes决定的工具，这样以来，你会自然而然的由内向外散发信心。
四. 最优秀的销售和客户会在融洽欢喜的感受中成交。这种销售在前期会寻找匹配的客户，真正的关心客户利益，并确保客户最终获得的价值超越他们支付的价格。
五. 大多数销售冠军都只会向一个人寻求肯定－那就是他们自己。他们会很小心的选择应该采取什么最有效的方式。无论做什么，他们都能自主决策并举动笃定。
六. 销售冠军都想挣更多的钱。在以使客户受益的同事挣到钱，这没有什么不合理的。
七. 这是一种我不知道如何衡量的品质，但所有需要销售人员的公司都会希望招到具有这样品质的人，这个品质就是热望－对有所成就的热望。如果你有成为销售冠军的潜质，那么无论遭遇怎样的痛苦和挑战你都不会退缩，因为和你希望成就的意愿相比，那些困难都不值一提。（注：这里不是说对任何客户都一味跟进，早期判断目标客户是否可以成为真正的商机也是销售所需要的能力）
八. 之前我曾讨论过这一点，我希望再次提出，因为这是决定销售职业是否成功的关键点－这就是不要被任何担心和恐惧阻挠你的行动。销售冠军会意识到让他们害怕的是那些事情，之后他们会选择做的是客户这些恐惧。一旦他们一次次击退恐惧，他们自然会整个人都散发着信心。
九. 有很多销售人员只会在其他人都选择做一件事的时候自己才选择去做一件事。他们的选择基于他人及外部事件。优秀的销售是自带阳光的，无论今天运气好还是运气坏，他们坚信事情会变化。假如遇到怒气冲冲的客户，他们会处理并在解决问题后继续前进。他们自己给自己带来运气，拒绝让小事困扰自己。
十. 顶级销售是投入感情的人，他们真正关心他们的客户，客户可以清晰地感受到他们诚挚的关心并因此愿意给他们介绍更多客户。
十一. 你会认为客户拒绝是针对你个人么？顶级销售明白，许多潜在客户拒绝时并不是针对自己，而是拒绝这个产品与服务。他们不会把这种拒绝放在心里烦扰自己。
十二. 最优秀的销售员以及他们的公司最后一个重要的特征就是对继续教育的信念。他们研究技术、学习新的技能，公司鼓励员工参加研讨会、培训并阅读有关销售以及人际沟通的书籍。因为他们知道改善自己生活环境的起点是自己的大脑。他们知道当头脑中装满了更好的想法时，自己呈现的业绩自然更好。本杰明富兰克林说：掏空你的腰包去投资给自己的头脑，你的头脑会让你的腰包里装满金币。对于一个销售冠军来说，你无需推动他／她去学习，因为他／她会这样选择。
英文看起来也很有意义，节选文字分享如下：
The Twelve Sources of Sensational Selling Success
One. You know the Champions when they walk in the door. Just by looking at them, you know that you ‘re in the presence of a powerful force-people who have a purpose and are ready to carry it out to the fullest. They reflect a sense of unique individuality and a solid consciousness of worth that’s far more impressive than mere good looks.
Two. The Champions we’ve trained take tremendous pride in the profession of selling and in themselves as human beings. They base that pride on the serious way they have met their responsibilities and capitalized on their potential. They are proud, not only of what they do for a living-helping others-but also of their companies, their products, and the service they provide.
Three. Champions radiate confidence. Potential clients will sense your uncertainty and, even if you do a good job in presenting your product, buy from someone else. The people you come in contact with are moved by your belief, by the conviction and confidence you display in your offering. The preparation you need is having every tool necessary to help people make the yes decision, have faith in your worth and you’ll radiate confidence.
Four. The top people close warmly. This breed of enlightened salespeople qualify their prospects, care about their customers and make sure their clients get benefits from their purchases that outweigh the prices paid.
Five. Most Champions look to only one person for their self-assurance, and that one person is themselves. They are always careful to put their efforts into activities where they can be most effective. In everything they do, they believe in themselves and act with assurance.
Six. Champions want to get rich. There’s nothing wrong with getting rich as long as the people you serve along the way benefit.
Seven. A quality I can’t measure, but I know it’s always present in Champions, is the burning desire to achieve. If you have the potential to be a Champion, your answer will be that you don’t quit no matter how much pain and how many challenges you encounter, because those things are nothing compared with your desire.
Eight. I’ve discussed this point before, and I’ll discuss it again because it’s the very lifeblood of success. Champions learn what their fears are, then they attack what they fear and overcome it. Once they’ve done that, they radiate the confidence that comes only from overcoming fear.
Nine. A lot of salespeople are only up when everything else is. Their enthusiasm depends on other people and outside events. The champions know that no matter whether they’re having good or bad luck today, it will change-but what won’t change is their superior performance regardless of circumstances. They bring their own sunshine. They make their own luck. They don’t let little things bother them. If they have an irate client, they handle it. They solve the problem, then they move on.
Ten. The top sales people get emotionally involved with the folks they serve. They really care about their clients and this true feeling comes through loud and clear to the people they’re selling. That’s why they get a lot of referrals, most of people think of them because the technique of caring.
Eleven. Do you take rejection personally? Top sales understand that many prospects reject your product, not you as a person.
Twelve. This final characteristic of great salespeople is also true of their companies. They all believe in continuing education. They study technique. They learn new skills. The company encourage their employee to go to seminars and to read books on selling and people skill.
You never have to push Champions to invest in their minds. If you’re a Champion, you know that when you put better ideas into your brain, better performance will come out. You know that the place to start to improving your environment is inside your own skull. Invest more time, money and efforts into your mind, and finer things will start gravitating to you. Benjamin Franklin said, “Empty the coins in your purse into your mind and your mind will fill your purse with gold”.