STUDENT + TEACHER = LEADER

I’ve been very fortunate in my business career. I worked with leaders who were excellent teachers. They understood the difference between a sales professional and a salesperson. They taught me the importance of becoming an expert on the products I sell and helped me become that expert. More importantly, they showed me what it meant to help customers. Not sell customers, but help customers. They invested the time to help me become a professional at helping people get what they need to accomplish their goals. Thank you Craig, Janet, Charlie, Kim, Bob, Russ, Doug, Steve, Augie and Todd. I’d like to especially thank my brothers Art and T.J. They’re also business coaches I’ve learned from and who have left a slew of talented, well trained sales professionals in their wake. I guess I’m lucky that way.

When I became an executive, I believed it was my responsibility to share what I’d learned. Since a leader’s role is that of a guide and mentor, I used the excellent example I’d been given and commenced to be the best teacher and role model I possibly could. To be a good teacher, one must be a good student.

One of the most important skills I’ve shared is the power of being decisive. Once you’ve considered all your options, you must act without hesitation. You may be right or you may be wrong, but you must act.

Many years ago I came upon a motivational piece that I found helpful in understanding the importance of action in sales. The piece is entitled Make Up Your Mind and it helped me clearly understand the power of commitment. I’ve searched high and low to find the author of this short sales gem, but I’ve been unable identify the writer. If you’re the creator of this excellent guide, please contact me and I will give you the accolades you deserve. I'll also spend quite a bit of time thanking you for making me a better student, teacher and leader. I will now pass this wisdom on to you. I hope it transforms your view of being a professional as it has mine.

MAKE UP YOUR MIND

Your power to persuade others originates from your philosophies and beliefs. Your selling philosophies determine the attitudes you develop and the habits you form. The principles of selling and living that you adhere to will move you up to join the successful people who get to the top and stay there. MAKE UP YOUR MIND to live by these principles.

MAKE UP YOUR MIND:

• That you are your most important customer. You must be sold on your job, your products and your ability to perform.

• That your product and service, properly sold, is of considerably more value to your buyer than any commission you can possible earn.

• That time is money and that learning to manage your time productively will be one of your most profitable achievements.

• To believe in the law of averages and the wisdom of knowing the dollar value of each of your primary activities.

• That honest, intelligent effort is always rewarded.

• That it is to always be a “win-win” encounter.

• That the power of your sales presentation will always lie in its simplicity.

• That the purchase must be “helped along” and is more often made because you guide the prospect’s behavior in an effective, organized manner.

• That people buy today, not nearly so much because they understand your product thoroughly, but because they feel and believe that you understand them, their problems and the things they want to accomplish.

• That almost all development is, in fact, self-development and that personal growth is the product of practice, observation and self-correction.

I love the lessons contained in this piece: Your first action must be to believe in you. Your consideration must always be the needs of the customer, not yourself. You must be efficient to be effective. Focus your efforts on the right things. NEVER LIE TO THE CUSTOMER. Everyone loves to win. Learn to deliver complex solutions simply. Help, don’t sell. Discover everything you can about the customer because all selling is personal. Never stop learning.

That’s all we need to know to be a successful sales pro. Now comes the hard part, doing it! Start now...

Gene

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