#1 – Prospect. The top sales people I know and with whom I’ve been privileged to work never miss their prospecting time. There are two reasons for this. First of all, they have developed a habit and flow to their weekly schedule which creates no room for flexibility. I still believe one of the biggest dangers in moving from W2 to 1099 sales is the lack of structure. If you want to “be your own boss,” then be a boss. Bosses set schedules, require reporting of daily activities, provide a certain number of sick days and vacation days, etc. If you actually become your own boss, you will have all of these things, too.
The second reason why top reps prospect every day is that, unlike average and below average sales people, they do not limit their own potential. They are not trying to make $500 per week or even $5,000 per week. They are simply trying to make as much as possible. Below average reps make one sale or do one presentation and then call it a day feeling they achieved their potential for the day or the week. Top sales people are never satisfied. There is always one more prospect to contact which could lead to a big sale!
#2 – Close. Hard work is a requirement for success in sales, but it doesn’t guarantee success in sales. If you asked me what one attribute was shared by every top sales person with whom I have worked, I would not hesitate to answer: they knew how to close the sale. In other words they knew how to sell. On the last CCSalesPro Show I mentioned that although in every other profession people take skill seriously, in sales I often hear under-performing sales people make excuses such as, “I got unlucky in my market, etc.” Imagine a doctor saying that the loss of ten patients on the operating table was just bad luck or that the patients were the real problem. Would you let this doctor operate on you?
Sales is a skill. Yes, there are some people who have a natural gift in sales. On a scale of 1 to 10, natural ability can allow you to start at a 3 where most people start at a 1. My point is that at least 70% of sales skill is learned, practiced, and implemented outside of natural ability. I believe anyone who is willing to prospect and put in the work can get to a 7 on the 1 to 10 scale and become an above average sales professional. If you are blessed with natural sales talent, you should be able to reach a 10! So, what do top sales people do every day?
- Read sales books.
- Listen to sales audio programs.
- Attempt to close every deal at least two or three times before giving up!
#3 – Network. Top sales people know the amount of difficulty involved in closing an account and how much time and effort goes into making that client happy. As a result, they are constantly leveraging these relationships to generate referrals. Let me provide you with two ways you can network with your current clients today in order to generate leads.
First, READ THIS ARTICLE on how to use LinkedIn to generate referrals. ( http://www.ccsalespro.com/the-power-of-linkedin-for-merchant-services-agents-repost-webinar/ ) I believe you could take two hours and implement these strategies today in order to see tremendous results.
Secondly, walk into at least one client’s location today. After asking the client how everything is going and confirming that he or she is satisfied, try this line: “It is great seeing you again, Susan. I am glad everything is working out well for you. Since I am already out in your area today, do you know the names of any other local business owners? I would like to make some new contacts.” You’ll be amazed at how many names you will get!
To be a top sales person is well within your reach! You can do it! Just follow these three steps above and make sure you are consistently prospecting, closing, and networking every single day!
Make it a great day!
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