At EVIT, we explain sales in a very practical way.
In B2B IT, deals are not closed by charm or pressure. Instead, they are closed by clear skills used over time.

The strongest salespeople combine three core skills. These are empathy, persistence, and rejection resilience. At the same time, they use confidence, competitiveness, and belief-based assertiveness in a controlled way. Because of this, they can close long and complex international IT deals.

Sales Skills That Close Deals in B2B IT – EVIT

Why Sales Skills Matter More Than Personality

Many IT founders believe sales success depends on hiring a charismatic person. However, our work with IT companies across Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US shows this belief is risky.

In B2B IT services, deals are high-value and high-risk. They also take time. Therefore, clients do not buy because they like the salesperson. Instead, they buy when risk feels reduced and trust builds step by step.

When the right sales skills are missing, companies typically face:

• Long sales cycles with no clear progress
• Heavy founder involvement in every deal
• Repeated sales hiring failures

As a result, many companies fall into founder‑led sales, where growth depends on the founder rather than a repeatable system.

The 3 Best Sales Skills That Actually Close Deals

1. Empathy – Understanding Risk, Not Emotions

In IT services, empathy is often misunderstood. It is not about being friendly. Instead, it is about understanding real business risk.

Most clients worry about clear issues:

• Delivery failure

• Poor communication across time zones

• Hidden costs or scope creep

• Internal blame if outsourcing fails

Strong salespeople understand these fears and address them directly.

At EVIT, we see that top performers sell risk reduction first. Only after that do they sell solutions. As a result, sales becomes risk management, not persuasion.

This approach also matches how enterprise buyers make decisions. In complex B2B deals, many stakeholders are involved. Each one wants to avoid risk.

External source: McKinsey – B2B Decision‑Making Dynamics

2. Persistence – Staying Relevant During Silence

Silence is normal in international IT sales. Deals pause for many reasons. These include budget timing, internal approval, legal review, or shifting priorities.

Weak salespeople see silence as rejection. Because of that, they stop following up. Strong salespeople act differently. They stay present, calm, and respectful.

At EVIT, we see that most closed deals include 7 to 12 follow-ups over several months. Therefore, persistence is not chasing. It is staying visible until timing is right.

This skill is critical in long B2B sales cycles, where decisions rarely move fast.

3. Rejection Resilience – Turning “No” Into Data

In B2B sales, rejection is common. However, it is rarely personal. Most “no” answers relate to timing, budget, or internal alignment.

High performers treat rejection as information. They track actions, replies, and results using numbers. As a result, they stay stable and consistent.

EVIT observes that salespeople who measure rejection keep higher activity levels. Over time, they also close more deals. They understand sales as a probability game, not an emotional one.

The 3 “Worst” Traits Founders Often Misjudge

Some traits look negative at first. However, in B2B IT sales, these traits can help deals move forward when used correctly.

1. Arrogance – Reframed as Confidence

Many founders dislike confident salespeople. However, clients expect certainty when choosing an IT partner.

Confidence signals:

• Experience
• Control over delivery
• Reduced execution risk

When a salesperson hesitates or sounds unsure, clients interpret this as delivery risk, even if the technical team is strong.

2. Competitiveness – Fuel for a Difficult Role

B2B sales includes rejection, long delays, and unclear outcomes. Without competitiveness, motivation drops fast.

At EVIT, we often see competitiveness expressed through:

• Sports or competitive hobbies
• Personal performance tracking
• Clear self‑set goals

This inner drive helps salespeople survive long sales cycles where results come late.

3. Aggressiveness – Reframed as Assertive Conviction

At EVIT, we align with Alex Hormozi’s belief‑based selling logic.

The idea is simple. If you truly believe a decision will help the client, avoiding clarity becomes a mistake. That belief creates assertiveness, not pressure.

In B2B IT services, this belief must be grounded in reality:

• Proven delivery capability
• Clear understanding of client risk
• Evidence from similar projects

When belief is strong, assertiveness helps buyers move forward. When belief is weak, aggressiveness feels like pressure and destroys trust.

The best salespeople balance:

• Pushing for clarity and decisions when the value is clear
• Respecting buyer autonomy and internal constraints

Why Most IT Sales Hires Fail

Most sales hires do not fail because of talent. Instead, they fail because expectations are wrong.

Common mistakes include:

• Hiring B2C sellers for long B2B cycles
• Expecting deals within 30 days
• Measuring activity instead of progress

EVIT advises founders to assess sales readiness before hiring rather than expecting salespeople to “figure it out alone”.

Final Thoughts

Sales skills in B2B IT are often misunderstood. Many founders judge sales by personality instead of results. However, our work at EVIT shows a clear pattern.

Deals are won by reducing risk, staying present, and guiding buyers with confidence. Empathy, persistence, and rejection resilience form the base. Without them, confidence and assertiveness fail.

For founders, the shift is simple. Do not hire salespeople who only sound good. Instead, hire those who can carry belief, discipline, and clarity through long periods of uncertainty. That is what closes long-cycle B2B IT deals.

The content is based on our direct work with IT companies across Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US, and is adapted from our video here.