| Techniques and styles among the best of the | | | | and the customer's company. They come back |
| best vary from one sales champion to the | | | | with new ideas and are not easily defeated. |
| next. If you study sales at all, you'll find | | | | This trait alone will guarantee you some |
| that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of | | | | level of success, provided you learn new |
| best ways. However, there are constants in | | | | things and bring value with each contact. |
| our world. I once sat in on a conversation | | | | When prospects see how tenacious you are and |
| between two of the most successful sales | | | | how much you believe in what you are |
| champs I have ever known. Their styles were | | | | offering, they, too, will get enthusiastic |
| as different as their personalities. Because | | | | about what you have to offer. |
| of their success, many tried to follow their | | | | |
| example, only to fall woefully short of their | | | | 3) Sales champs follow through. Sales champs |
| level. And while these followers certainly | | | | always deliver what they say, when they say. |
| had the right idea (find someone who is | | | | For a prospect or a customer, there is little |
| successfully doing what you want to do and | | | | that will repair the damage of a broken |
| follow them) they were only scratching the | | | | promise. Once a promise is broken, it is |
| surface. The real success comes from deep | | | | extremely difficult to regain that trust. A |
| down. So while these two great champions | | | | sales champion makes a commitment and then |
| disagreed on many tactics, they found common | | | | sticks to it. |
| ground on a number of issues. I call these | | | | |
| the "5 Pillars of Sales Champs." | | | | 4) Sales champs know their priorities. |
| | | | Sales champs don't just say, "I have to make |
| 1) Sales champs seek to understand. They do | | | | some calls today." Through practice and |
| not take their products and services on the | | | | dedication, they develop an ability to look |
| road without first seeking to understand | | | | at their list of tasks and set priorities. |
| their market. This means they need to know | | | | They do whatever is necessary to keep thins |
| all about their environment, including their | | | | moving forward so that they can end each day |
| customers, their industry and their | | | | with a sense of pride and accomplishment. |
| competition. Many salespeople get caught up | | | | Sales champions generate massive activity and |
| in the moment and rush off to peddle their | | | | get massive results. |
| wares. They have a carefully constructed | | | | |
| plan based upon their environment. When you | | | | 5) Sales champs know their attitude makes all |
| work from a plan, you can constantly stay on | | | | the difference. I saved the best for last. |
| top of where you are and where you need to | | | | Without the proper attitude, none of the |
| go. You can take smart, calculated action. | | | | other items on this list will amount to a |
| Champs are always questioning. They question | | | | hill of beans. Sales champs know they have a |
| each call, each presentation, and each | | | | helpful product or service and they are |
| tactic. Did it work as well as I imagined? | | | | confident in their ability to deliver. From |
| What went right? What went wrong? In short | | | | time to time, even champs may lose |
| they do a post mortem on each action and look | | | | heart...but only for a short period of time. |
| for ways to improve. They know that change | | | | Eventually action will replace any negative |
| is constant and the ability to adapt is a key | | | | feelings. If champs don't get a prospect |
| part of their success. Sales champs | | | | today, they make a plan for getting them in |
| understand that just because a door is | | | | the future. They study their failures to |
| locked, they may be able to go in through the | | | | make certain that they don't happen again. |
| window. But they also understand when to | | | | Sales champions are positive individuals and |
| stop wasting time and when to move on. | | | | refuse to let the world get them down. If |
| | | | they are unable to change their situation, |
| 2) Sales champs are bulldogs. When a champ | | | | they change their attitude about it. Sales |
| knows that their product or service is good | | | | champs are conquerors. |
| for their prospect or client, they do not | | | | |
| give up. This is not the same as pestering a | | | | Do sales champions embody each of these |
| prospect with something they don't want or | | | | attributes every hour of every day? Everyone |
| need. When you really believe that what you | | | | struggles from time to time. However, to be |
| offer will make your prospect's life better, | | | | a champion requires that you overcome |
| you owe it to them to keep plugging. When | | | | adversity on occasion. So either you can let |
| sales champs know they have something of | | | | it get you down and blame external |
| value for a prospect or client, they do not | | | | circumstances for your struggles or failures, |
| give up. If at first they don't succeed, they | | | | or you can take control of your future and |
| really do try again and again. They learn | | | | become a true Sales Champion! |
| about the situation, the potential customer | | | | |