Sales superstars don’t just magically appear. They design their paths to superstardom through hard work and smart choices. They also master the sales techniques necessary to ensure success, which is especially critical. To develop great salespeople, or to become one yourself, devote attention to these 10 critical areas:

1. Learning. The best salespeople understand that knowledge is indeed power. They spend time reading about selling, marketing, leadership issues, and industry/economic trends. They’re also the first to sign up for training and personal development sessions.
2. Business acumen. In the modern world of selling, it’s not enough to know the features and benefits of a product or service. Salespeople must be able to “talk the talk” with customers, especially those at the C-level. That means developing a deep understanding of business terminology and concepts like revenue growth, cost of goods sold, turnover ratio, velocity, and net income.
3. Preparedness. Top salespeople understand the value of doing research before meeting with a customer. Not only do they come prepared, so as to not waste the customer’s time, they establish themselves as a valued business partner. Internet search engines are a great way to find information about your customers and theirs.
4. Industry knowledge. Knowing your particular industry intimately will help you to understand trends, business cycles, best practices, and other secrets. In turn, you can guide customers toward making better decisions about their business.
5. Questioning skills. It’s a fact: most salespeople talk too much. Instead, ask questions to help guide or educate a customer. Questioning can also help you learn what specific benefit or advantage certain solutions could provide for a customer.
6. Listening. By focusing on exactly what a customer is saying, you can better understand what’s going on in their world. Sales superstars listen for general statements and respond with a clarifying question for a better understanding of the situation.
7. Thinking like an owner. That means connecting all the dots. How does your team finish the sale with the customer? Does the customer feel satisfied after the sale, or is there doubt and frustration? Take time to think about customer satisfaction and what it will take to build a mutually beneficial long-term relationship.
8. Practice, practice, practice. Sales superstars do not practice a new or improved technique on an important customer. They work on their skills through role-playing and application exercises. Using video in practice sessions is the fastest way to gain immediate improvement in selling skills, but it is the least-used tool because of egos and the fear of failure.
9. Self-confidence. Confidence is the key to having a winner’s edge. Customers want to work with confident people because they feel they will get results. When you adhere to the first nine tips, confidence will come.

— Voss Graham, founder and CEO, InnerActive Consulting Group Inc. (inneractiveconsulting.com)

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