Award Winning Sales

Hypnotic Rhythms

From the beginning of my sales career many years ago, I have won sales contests and set sales records. I have enjoyed the reputation in many people's eyes of being a great salesman. I've never thought of myself as a great salesman. I've always thought of myself as being goal-directed, disciplined, willing to do with consistency, the things most salespeople aren't willing to do.

And here is the secret to success in sales and life: In order to be great at building relationships and mastering your craft, (attracting and growing businesses) you must make, as Albert E. N. Gray says in "The Common Denominator of Success", a habit of doing the things failures don't like to do. Failure can take many forms including career. Failures are so busy doing the things they like to do; worrying about their percentage of quota, fighting over commissions and the "good leads," and servicing their declining customer base - that they don't have time to do the lead activities - the "demos" and pre-demo activity essential for success today, and ensuring business for the future.

My promise to you is this: when you apply consistent, persistent discipline and determination to the concepts that follow, you will out-manage, out-market, and out-sell any competitor any day and every day. And by the time we're finished, you will be well on your way to truly managing your business. You will have the best customers with the business you want for fun and profit.

So where does it all begin? You start, you begin with a very clear understanding of the value you bring, the positive difference you make in your client's world.

With this clear picture in mind, you develop a profile of your ideal client - those who can benefit most from your products and services. Now you know who comprises your target market. What do you do better than your competitors?

Now, what is your elevator presentation? A succinct (20 seconds) presentation, that tells the would-be client how you can benefit them and who you are. Writing your elevator presentation up front will help you clarify in your own mind the answers to the following questions:

• How will you find and gain access to those who can benefit most from your offering?
• What is your way of creating shelf of the mind awareness in and with your market segment?
• Will you begin with an email campaign, followed by phone calls?
• What is your free offer, your intro offer?
• What is your demo deal?
• Will you secure a third-party sponsorship?
• Start with your own warm market?
• What is your phone track?
• If you get lucky and talk to someone on the phone, what will you say?
• More likely, when you get a voice mail what will your message be; what action will you ask for?
• Your follow up email - what will it say?

When you have answered all the above questions you are ready to start. How many first calls must you make a day? Now do it - today and every day. You are on your way to becoming an award-winning salesperson.