There are many skills,
secrets, keys, or traits of successful sales professionals. Hundreds
of books line the shelves offering the secrets to making it big in sales.
As a sales trainer, I have read many of these books. I have interviewed
many successful sales professionals, and have observed hundreds of others
who seem to be on the right track for success. I see (4) areas where
successful sales people shine. They are:
1. PASSION
2. EXCELLENCE
3. VISION
4. VALUE
The Greek word for value is AXIA. Value is one of the
(4) traits these successful people possess.
Passion: This comes from an internal source. You cannot buy,
rent, or lease passion. There are no classes available that teach passion.
Passion comes from the gut. The desire to win, to solve problems, to
be competitive, and to express this desire to others in the form of
selling. Passion can be developed over time and by associating with
other sales professionals who have this passion. It can be learned by
example and by mentoring.
Excellence: This too is internal. Excellence is a disciple, learned
over time. The successful sales person wants to provide excellent service,
have excellent selling skills, and settle for nothing less than excellence
in their selling approach. You can become excellent with daily practice
of the basics. By setting goals that are just out of reach and pushing
yourself to reach them, you will create excellence in the pursuit.
Vision: Sales
success comes when you picture what it will be, before you begin the
construction. Architects see the building completed in their mind and
on paper before breaking ground. Sales people see themselves breaking
sales goals before the year is over. They see themselves at President's
Clubs before the awards are given. Sales success is the ability to show
your prospect how they will benefit from using your product or service
before they buy it. Vision is the driving force, with passion on the
left and excellence on the right.
Value: Adding
value is the only thing that can separate sales people in today's competitive
marketplace. Most products and services are so similar in function that
the value offered by the sales professional and their company is the
main differentiator today. How do you add value? Where do you add value?
In the eyes of your customer, these questions have to be answered early
and often. It is not the value you think you add, it is the value your
customer believes they will get by working with you and your company
I have created a
sales training model built around these four traits. By using a selling
process, AXIA Sales Training is a successful investment for sales people.
The ideas, techniques, and principles have been used as I teach at the
Univ. of Houston, as I manage a group of profession sales people, and
as I engage with other companies who hire me for sales training.