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The 5 Traits That Make or Break Construction Tech Sales Leaders
Owen Drury
May 28, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes
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edINDUSTRY INSIGHTS
The 5 Traits That Make or Break Construction Tech Sales Leaders
We've spent the last few months speaking with the greatest sales leaders in construction tech. Each leader has their own unique approach to building successful sales organizations. But common threads emerge when they describe what makes someone exceptional in this industry.
After distilling hours of conversations with these folks, we've identified five essential traits that separate the good from the truly great in construction tech sales leadership.
TL;DR: Want to Crush Sales in Construction Tech? Start Here
We interviewed top sales leaders in construction tech - here are the 5 traits they all share:
💪 Grit: Handle rejection like a pro
🤝 Help-first mindset: Solve, don’t sell
🧠 Ownership: Figure it out. No hand-holding
🏗️ Industry curiosity: Learn workflows, speak the language
🤝 Team-first: Expansion is a team sport
1. The Hunter's Grit
The construction tech sales landscape can be particularly challenging. Long sales cycles, traditional industries, and complex stakeholder relationships mean rejection is a daily reality. What sets the best leaders apart is their unwavering grit.
This resilience shows up as consistency through the inevitable ups and downs of sales cycles. The most effective leaders maintain emotional stability regardless of whether they're closing big deals or facing repeated rejection. They demonstrate perseverance by continuing to pursue opportunities even when progress seems slow.
"I hire for hungry, humble, smart with a fire in the belly to get up in the morning and do something special. That competitive drive to find a way to win. No excuses."
Action tip: When interviewing potential sales leaders, ask about their most difficult rejection and how they responded. The best candidates will demonstrate resilience and learning rather than bitterness.
2. Help-First Mentality
In an industry built on relationships and trust, successful sales leaders put solving customer problems ahead of pushing products. They understand that construction professionals value partners who genuinely understand their challenges.
This approach builds credibility and establishes trust with clients who are often skeptical of salespeople. By focusing first on understanding workflows and pain points, exceptional sales leaders position themselves as trusted advisors rather than transactional vendors.
"When you get on the phone, stop trying to angle them towards some pitch that you think you're trying to land on. Just try to help."
Action tip: Start sales conversations by asking about your prospect's biggest challenges rather than launching into your capabilities. Document these pain points before ever discussing your solution.
3. Resourcefulness & Ownership
Great construction tech sales leaders take ownership of their results and find creative ways to overcome obstacles without waiting for direction.
The most effective leaders demonstrate versatility, functioning as "Swiss Army Knives" who can support multiple aspects of the business when needed. They learn from past failures rather than resting on previous successes, continuously improving their approach based on what hasn't worked before.
"Do you have the figure it out genes? Can you go, or are you the person who every time you hit a roadblock, you turn around and say, 'I'm stuck, I need help'? We need to see you being resourceful."
Action tip: Create an environment where your team feels comfortable sharing failures and learnings without judgment. Use these insights to build better systems and processes.
4. Industry Knowledge & Curiosity
Construction is a complex industry with many stakeholders, workflows, and nuances. While technical sales skills are important, the best leaders demonstrate genuine curiosity about the industry and its challenges.
Top performers continuously study patterns in how buyers make decisions, adapting their sales processes to match customer buying behavior rather than forcing an artificial structure. They invest time in understanding the specific workflows their solution enhances, recognizing that construction professionals prioritize tools that integrate seamlessly into their existing processes.
"I'm a firm believer in whatever that you're selling has to match the workflow of the individual. Workflows are so important in this space, whereas workflows aren't as critical to other organizations and sectors."
Action tip: Spend time on construction sites observing workflows firsthand. Real-world exposure to the problems you're solving builds credibility and deepens understanding.
5. Collaborative Spirit & Team Focus
The best construction tech sales leaders recognize that success requires collaboration across departments, especially when expanding customer relationships.
They build environments where knowledge sharing is rewarded, avoiding the "sharp elbows" mentality that can create toxic competition. This collaborative approach is particularly crucial for expansion revenue, which requires coordination between sales, customer success, product, and marketing.
"Expansion is a total team play. 100% team play. You can't expand by yourself...the new is very much a marketing-sales kind of motion, whereas expansion is very much a combination of customer success, sales, marketing, but also product."
Action tip: Create team-based incentives alongside individual goals. When the entire sales organization hits its target, everyone should benefit, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Enjoyed these insights? We go even deeper in our GTM Guide.
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