Tip #533 - Three Secrets to Achieving Success in Sales

Is there a secret to success? Yes, according to a recent Inc. article which explores the findings of several studies revealing how to achieve more success in life. While the principles could be applied to any aspect of a person’s life, this post focuses on how to achieve more success in sales.

1.     Keep Your Eyes on the Prize—Consistency is Critical
Delayed gratification isn’t something with which most Americans are familiar, however those who succeed pursue it vehemently. Successful sales people understand that sales isn’t a ‘one and done’ thing. It’s a process made up of equally important steps—a puzzle comprised of rapport, relationships, knowledge transfer, strategic planning and heaps of patience. Some sales cycles take years; some months or mere minutes. Acting consistently, maintaining confidence and being persistent in following a proven sales process are all seeds to growing sales.
Writer James Clear wrote “Top performers in every field—field, musicians, CEOs, artists–they are all more consistent than their peers,” he writes. “They show up and deliver day after day while everyone else gets bogged down with the urgencies of daily life and fights a constant battle between procrastination and motivation.” Everyone encounters obstacles; the successful people overcome them no matter what.

2.     Take Your Social Skills to New Levels
Most sales professionals are friendly, charismatic and pleasant to be around. Those characteristics will not suffice in creating sales success. In fact, according to research conducted by economist Catherine Weinberger, those who excel in business have both high cognitive ability and social skills, something that wasn’t true for previous generations. By linking data of adolescent skills’ assessment in 1972 and 1992 with adult outcomes, she found that having both skills did not correlate with success in 1980, however today the combination does. “The people who are both smart and socially adept earn more in today’s work force than similarly endowed workers in 1980,” she stated.
It is, therefore, more important than ever to turn networking skills up a notch. Jump out of your comfort zone and learn some new social skills. Tried and true ways of establishing trust, building rapport and creating lifetime customers are revealed in the Dale Carnegie Sales Advantage course. Consider enrolling in the course if you truly wish to propel your success.

3.     Understand that Confidence and Competence Are Equally Important.
Many sales professionals know their products inside and out. They can explain the manufacturing and quality assurance processes, and the return policies. They rattle off every single fact about a service—yet they are unable to reach their sales quotas.
Often times, sales professionals lack confidence which results in inaction. As Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, authors of The Confidence Code explain, “Taking action bolsters one’s belief in one’s ability to succeed, so confidence accumulates–through hard work, through success, and even through failure.”
In the Dale Carnegie Sales Advantage course, sales representatives learn all of the tools required to take action, and do so confidently. All critical inputs to the sales equation, from building rapport to uncovering hidden buying objections are taught so graduates can succeed in sales.