Can your DNA really determine how good you are at sales?
According to a study by MIT Sloan’s Juanjuan Zhang and her team, the answer might be yes. They tracked 117 salespeople at an Asian telemarketing company over 13 months and compared DNA to sales performance using metrics like revenue, spotting opportunities and effort.
The verdict? Some people are just wired for sales.
This study was one of the first to link molecular genetics to marketing and showed that certain genetic traits can predict sales success. It also showed that genetics can often outweigh personality traits when it comes to selling power.
The most interesting part of this study, however, was that this “sales gene” seems to supercharge adaptive learning—the ability to quickly figure out new customers and sales opportunities on the fly. For example, some salespeople knew exactly what a customer needed just from an initial conversation, without being told what buttons to push. And even though they worked 11 minutes less per day on average, these salespeople were just as productive—if not more so—than their peers.
If you want to be good at sales, adaptive learning is key, says Darian Shimy, founder and CEO of FutureFund, a platform that streamlines fundraising and volunteering for K-12 schools. This type of learning lets you change your methods based on what customers say and how their needs change.
So if you’re not blessed with the “sales gene,” are you out of luck? Not at all–adaptive learning is a skill that you can developed. Here’s how to do it:
1. Tailor your approach for each potential customer
Selling isn’t just about a great pitch—it’s also about understanding the buying process for your customers. Most customers won’t say yes right away, no matter how brilliant your offer is. They may need to check their financials, compare competitors or get approval from a higher-up.
“Changing your sales approach quickly comes down to putting the customer first and showing that you’re not just there to sell a product but to really meet their specific needs,” Shimy says. “This focus on the customer has been a big part of our ability to help schools raise a lot of money and make their operations run more smoothly.”
To improve this skill, Shimy advises learning how to “read between the lines,” or pick up on subtle clues, and ask deep questions to understand what isn’t said directly. “To be successful, you need to know a lot about your product or service and be able to change how you talk about it to fit the needs of each potential customer,” he adds.
2. Conduct a sales debrief
A 2023 report by Quotapath, a sales compensation and commission tracking software, revealed that 91% of companies surveyed had trouble getting even 80% of their sales reps to hit their quotas. Surprisingly, less than a third of leaders blamed “unrealistic quotas,” and the biggest culprits were misaligned sales activities (35%) and lack of motivation (32%).
One way to solve this problem is by conducting a regular sales debrief after customer interactions. “In addition to standard performance reviews, we’ve implemented rapid feedback loops,” says Kevin Shahnazari, founder and CEO of FinlyWealth, a credit card recommendation platform. “It’s more informal and frequent, where team members get input on a specific customer interaction or tactic, usually within hours or a day after the event.”
This rapid turnaround keeps learning timely and relevant. “We make feedback a two-way street, allowing salespeople to share insights about customers’ preferences and challenges they face, [which feeds] back into training and strategy,” he adds.
3. Refine your skills through practice and experimentation
Adaptive learning is all about focusing on the client and staying flexible. A one-size-fits-all approach can lead to missed opportunities, but flexibility can instead improve results. The trick to having a flexible approach is to practice different scenarios.
“Experimentation in sales often means trying new approaches to see what works, whether [that’s] A/B testing email subject lines or trying out different closing techniques during pitches,” Shahnazari says. “We encourage salespeople to experiment with varying features of products or value propositions, depending on the prospect.”
Some of his team members, for example, experimented with more prominently highlighting security features when talking to customers in data privacy–sensitive sectors. “While diverting from the typical pitch was risky, it resulted in a higher engagement rate with those prospects,” he says.
Another great way to improve your sales skills is through role-playing. Practice with a trusted peer or manager to identify what works and what needs adjusting. This way, you’ll get real-time feedback on how your pitch flows. For an extra challenge, pitch to someone outside your industry—their questions will push you to simplify and clarify your message.
4. Use data analytics to inform your decision-making
By using AI-powered analytics to track customer interactions and identify patterns, FinlyWealth was able to achieve a “35% increase in conversion rates within six months,” Shahnazari explains.
In one instance, the company analyzed customer interaction data to identify a trend in credit card preferences based on income levels. “Initially, our sales team assumed that higher-income customers were more interested in luxury credit cards,” Shahnazari says. “However, after analyzing our data, we found that they were more interested in cards that provided travel rewards.”
FinlyWealth used this insight to adjust its sales strategy and “saw a 25% increase in sales among high-income clients” as a result. “Data allowed us to challenge assumptions and make more informed decisions,” Shahnazari adds.
But knowing the data isn’t enough—you have to use it too. Great salespeople take the numbers and turn them into action. Whether that means tweaking your approach, adjusting your timing or revamping your pitch altogether, the key is using the data to make real improvements that move the needle.
5. Invest in ongoing training and mentorship
Investing in ongoing, adaptable training is essential, both at the individual and the organizational level. But instead of using a generic, one-size-fits-all program, make sure to find customized learning paths that tackle the specific challenges you and your team are facing.
“I’m a firm believer in the principle of entropy,” says Henry Criss, CEO of Fraum Center for Restorative Health. “Things are either dying or growing. Nothing is status quo. There are no plateaus.” He adds, “The choice is not, ‘Do I want to maintain or do I want to get better?’ The choice is, ‘Do I want to get better or worse?’” One way to accomplish this is to set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals and continuously look at what you’re doing and measure it against your goals.
For Shahnazari, the key has been providing ongoing training on sales techniques, as well as market trends and customer psychology, to ensure that his team stays ahead of the curve. FinlyWealth also holds regular “post-mortems” on successful and unsuccessful sales campaigns to identify what worked and what didn’t while encouraging everyone in the organization to come up with ideas and celebrate small wins.
“It’s about building a mindset that thrives on flexibility and curiosity,” Shahnazari says. “In today’s fast-paced sales environment, those who are open to learning, willing to experiment and able to adapt quickly are the ones who stay ahead. At FinlyWealth, this approach is critical for long-term success—not just in sales but across all business functions.”
Photo by Fizkes/Shutterstock.com
