At Alate we're all about looking forward at how to be successful in an ever-changing sales world but sometimes it’s fun to take a look back.

I’ve been writing articles on sales and people development since the late 1990s. In this occasional feature, we’ll share some of the archive to explore what’s the same and what’s changed over the years.

The first is an article from Infomatics in March 2002 (wow, that’s 17 years ago!) looking at what it takes to be a top performing sales professional.

Could you be the greatest?

What’s the difference between a good salesperson and a great one?

Back in 2002, Anna Britnor Guest put together the recipe for exceptional performance for specialist IT sales publication, Infomatics.

The foundations of what we now know as the ‘Challenger’ sale are there and the 7 most important skills for salespeople highlighted by contemporary research are still relevant.

The nuances have perhaps changed and additional skills are now highly prized. Focus, tenacity and adaptability are all cited as important according to a 1997 study and we see these as even more key today. Being strong in ‘non-selling’ activities is also highlighted and the onus on this is ever greater in today’s complex world.

What do you see as the biggest changes in what’s required to be a top performer in 2001 versus 2019?

Read the original article here - hope you enjoy it!