Superstar Sales Secrets

Better Good Than Lucky

People who move into sales are predisposed to the profession because they are gregarious, confident, articulate and able to motivate other people to act as they desire. These traits are a good place to start. But the gregarious salesperson must also be disciplined, because the ability to persuade is not the same thing as the ability to sell consistently. In fact, many salespersons with great potential fail early in their sales careers by trying to close a deal that is not ready to be closed. They have a product that they feel good about and a potential client who likes them and who could use their product. When the sale falls through, they take the failure personally. They feel rejected and they learn nothing from the negative experience. Several such failed deals can deflect even a salesperson with real potential from a career where he or she might otherwise succeed. Worse yet, amidst several failures, the new salesperson often makes a sale because of dumb luck. This reinforces the misperception that selling is not a process; it is an act of serendipity.

Chicken or Yoke

A salesperson who does the preliminary work that is necessary to...