| How many friends, family and associates do you | | | | much harder... |
| know who have been employed in sales at some | | | | You've probably worked with or recruited a |
| time in the past? How many of them weren't | | | | salesperson who had all of the right attitudes but |
| very good at it? | | | | was light on skills. They probably did pretty well. It |
| The answer to the first question is easy, probably | | | | usually gets put down to "beginner's luck" but it's |
| quite a few. At some point or other in their lives | | | | not "beginner's luck", its "beginner's attitude". |
| many people have had a go at selling even if only | | | | And it's at this point that many people not in sales |
| as a student or in their first job. You may not | | | | might be tempted to conclude that sales and |
| know the answer to the second one... it's probably | | | | selling is easy. Something for thickos, something |
| most of them! | | | | that anyone can do. |
| Probably most of them. | | | | Just so wrong! |
| Oh, for sure, they'll tell you that they did well. | | | | The hardest thing in the world is getting, keeping, |
| They'll tell you that they sold bucket loads! They'll | | | | maintaining and improving the right attitude. In |
| tell you that they were a top sales performer. | | | | sales you never know when you might run into |
| They'll even talk knowledgeably about how to sell. | | | | someone who is going to be your best ever client. |
| It's amazing what a good game people who only | | | | You never know if the next sales call is going to |
| sold for a few weeks and never had any sales | | | | win you a multi-million account. You never know |
| training can talk! They'll talk about open questions | | | | which meetings are going to convert and which |
| and wants and needs like they know what they're | | | | aren't... |
| talking about but... seriously... most of them failed! | | | | And this makes it hard because you have to be |
| Not all, but most! | | | | on top sales form for every call. Top sales form |
| Top salespeople lead an enviable life. They earn | | | | for every presentation. Top sales form for every |
| great money. They win promotions. They have | | | | meeting. Top sales form for every negotiation. |
| job security. They have respect, opportunity and | | | | Top sales form for every conversation. Top sales |
| friends. They have freedom, career choices and | | | | form for every communication. Top sales form. |
| financial independence. They have fun, challenge | | | | Top sales form. Top sales form. |
| and variety. | | | | Not for you the mindless "going through the |
| So if you had all of that, why would you leave? | | | | motions" that some non-salespeople can get |
| Mostly only if you weren't getting those things at | | | | away with for periods of time. You have to be |
| all! I met a friend of a friend in the pub the other | | | | switched on, tuned in, fully focused, up for it, |
| night and he looked scathingly at me when I said | | | | raring to go, playing from a 10, on the ball... |
| that I was a sales training expert and told me | | | | Salespeople often say to me that cold calling (for |
| that he left sales for "more security" and | | | | example) is repetitive and boring... |
| opportunity. He earns in a month what I earn in a | | | | Wrong attitude! You have to be on top sales |
| day. I recently heard that his company are looking | | | | form for every call. It could be your umpteenth |
| to "cut back" in his department. Nuff said! | | | | call of the day but it is the initial contact with you |
| But why this tirade? And why today? | | | | for your potential clients. You have to be on top |
| Simple. This week I worked with a really great | | | | form, you have no safety net! |
| team of salespeople. They were enthusiastic, | | | | To make matters worse, salespeople get faced |
| interested, open and up for it. They embraced the | | | | with problems and challenges every day. |
| fact that selling is simple and they wanted to | | | | Problems, complaints, rejections and client |
| master those simple skills. Sales is so simple in | | | | objections are something we have to deal with |
| fact that nearly anyone could be very successful | | | | every day and we must stay on top sales form. |
| in sales. Selling is straight forward enough that | | | | So if selling is so simple, why can't everyone do |
| everybody in the training room could achieve | | | | it? |
| phenomenal success if they commit and take | | | | Because selling is about taking personal |
| action... | | | | responsibility for your own attitude, your own |
| So if selling is so simple why can't everyone do it? | | | | behaviours and your own results. Selling is about |
| Because selling is about attitude. Selling is an | | | | smiling when you don't feel like smiling. Listening |
| attitude. Selling is an attitude that leaves behind a | | | | when you don't feel like listening, Caring when you |
| trail of techniques. Now don't get me wrong here... | | | | don't want to care. Standing up when you feel like |
| sales skills are very important, very important | | | | lying down. Pushing on when you feel like giving up. |
| indeed. Anyone who has been through a sales | | | | Firing on all cylinders when you feel like throttling |
| training programme with me or who has attended | | | | down. Taking responsibility when you want to |
| one of my sales seminars will know just how | | | | pass the buck. |
| important I believe sales skills are... | | | | Selling provides virtually unrivaled opportunities for |
| But they're not the key factor in this equation. | | | | anyone who is prepared to commit themselves. |
| They're only a part of the equation. And on the | | | | Your degree won't help you. Your qualifications |
| other side of that equation is attitude. Without the | | | | and exams won't help you. Your CV won't help |
| right attitude you won't be able to access your | | | | you. The only person who can help you is you. |
| skills. Frankly, without the right attitude, you're in | | | | And that's too much of a leveller for most people. |
| trouble. If you can get and maintain the right | | | | Handbrake off, safety net removed, crash helmet |
| attitude then you will make a success of yourself | | | | discarded. |
| in sales and selling. Period. If you can't, you won't. | | | | Most people want to blame someone else. It's all |
| It's goodnight sweetheart! | | | | about what they didn't get, who didn't help them, |
| I would far rather hire someone with all of the | | | | who let them down, whose fault it is, why they |
| right attitudes and potential and train them on the | | | | weren't on top form, why they deserve another |
| skills side than I would wrestle with someone with | | | | chance, why they should have done better... |
| all of the skills and experiences who cannot be | | | | If you want to maximise your sales performance |
| bothered any more! The former salesperson I can | | | | and be a top sales performer you need to let all |
| train because they want to learn, the latter I | | | | of this go now and focus on delivering the right |
| have to re-motivate and re-educate. Possible but | | | | attitude at the right time, no excuses. |