Salespeople Control Their Own Financial Destiny

 Thirty-four years ago when I joined the ranks of professional salespeople, I was convinced that the harder I worked the more successful I would be.  I was also convinced that the more successful I was at selling, the wealthier I would become.  However, there was one small problem–I was paid a salary with the hope of a share of profits.  I remember vividly meeting with my boss, reminding him of my excellent performance and then asking for a raise (one that I thought would have come naturally as a result of my performance).  It was at that moment I realized for the very first time, as long as I was paid a salary, my boss controlled my financial destiny, not me.  A career as a commissioned salesperson is the only career where you have complete control of your earned income.

This past week I was reading the book Driven, the autobiography of Larry H. Miller.  He was explaining the possible reason for his ninety-hour workweek for most of his career.  He suggested that in part, it might have been the fact that he had no college degree to fall back on, so working long hard hours was the only way he could control his destiny.  If he always excelled at his work, he would be the last person standing in difficult employment times.  He wanted to provide for his family and hard work and long hours seemed to be his only alternative.

Let me identify five principles that will allow you to control your destiny and contribute to your financial success as a commissioned salesperson.  Commit yourself to these principles and pay the price necessary to achieve financial success.

1. TIME AND EFFORT:  A commitment to give your sales career the appropriate time and effort is critical.  I’ve seen too many salespeople over the course of my career that were unwilling to put in the time.  Since most salespeople aren’t monitored, they take advantage of the freedom of their position and don’t work a full eight-hour day selling.  Very few salespeople are willing to work as hard as they are able every hour of every day.  Time and effort are essential components for success.  Get yourself a time management tool and use it effectively every day.  Plan what you are going to do each day.  Prioritize the activities you have planned so the important things always get done.  Determine how much time you are going to spend on each activity.  Move each activity into a time frame or a block of time to ensure that you are working on the right activities at the right time.  If you don’t plan and schedule an activity, it is very likely that you will never do it.  Once you have determined what to do, you must determine how much time to spend and when to do it.  The best way to work hard is to challenge yourself to do more and then to do better each day.
2. SET GOALS:  Successful people didn’t stumble upon success, they set goals that led them to success.  Goals should become a part of everything you do in selling.  Set a goal for the number of each activity you want to achieve within a certain amount of time.  Set a goal for the sales dollars you want to generate each day, week and month.  Set a goal for the number of new prospects you want to contact within a specific period of time.  Always  be thinking in terms of numbers and time.  Everything you do in sales can be reduced to goals and all goals can be reduced to numbers and time.  Salespeople who set goals don’t waste time because they realize the value of their time.  Goals can be a salesperson’s  best friend.  Consistently focusing on the achievement of goals will guarantee that you will be working at your optimum level.  Goal setting creates the focus required to do your best effort.  I encourage all of my clients to use a monthly goal sheet that identifies where they believe their sales will come from, giving them the focus necessary to achieve their goals.
3. EDUCATE YOURSELF IN SALES:  No one ever achieved their best without first being educated in that thing.  Larry Miller admittedly did not have a college education.  He spent a total of six weeks at the University of Utah before deciding he was not programmed for college.  However, there was never a smarter more educated man in the fields he pursued than Larry Miller.  He learned, but not in the classroom.  His education far exceeded what he would have learned in college.  He gained an education the hard way, with ninety-hour workweeks teaching himself those things he needed to know to be successful.  He learned that knowledge was essential for succeeding in any endeavor.  It is not essential for a person to have a college degree to be successful in sales.  However, it is essential that you gain the specific knowledge that will allow you to be successful.  Knowledge applied correctly is the key to success in any profession and it is never more true than in selling.
4.  LEARN HOW TO FOCUS:  Developing the ability to maintain a razor sharp focus on your objectives is an absolutely critical element in controlling your destiny.  You must be able to determine precisely those things you want to achieve and then be able to determine how to achieve them.  The ability to stay on task or to compartmentalize is necessary for achievement.  You don’t have to work on something from beginning to end in order to be successful.  You need to be focused, however.  Knowing where you are in relation to where you want to be and how you are going to get there are critical.  When you can clearly see where you want to go, then you can work on the means to get you there.  Referring to the life of Larry Miller, I honestly believe he was focused on not failing, so he turned to something he was familiar with, automobiles.  He learned to identify every part in the parts department of the dealership where he worked in Denver.  He focused on gaining knowledge of automobile parts because that would make him indispensable and give him security.  In another chapter of his book he talked about getting out of debt and living within his means.  That particular focus allowed him to save the money he eventually used as a down payment for his first dealership.  Had he not focused on saving, he never would have been able to exercise the opportunity to purchase an automobile dealership.
5.  FIND BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE:  It is possible to control your destiny without achieving balance in your life, but you will pay a high price.  Years ago when I worked for the M.A. Hanna Company in Cleveland, Ohio, my boss Fred Heller encouraged me to find balance in my life.  He insisted that I always take my family on vacations, spend quality time with my wife and children and he promised me that the company would rarely, if ever, require me to be out of town on weekends.  He assured me that a balanced life would be more productive and rewarding.  He knew that if my life was in balance then I would be a more profitable employee and he would be a more successful Senior Vice President of Sales.  I’ve never forgotten that lesson and it has served me well for the past thirty-four years.  One of the themes of the book Driven, is finding balance in your life.  As much as Larry Miller achieved in his life, it came at a price because of his lack of balance.  Could he have achieved the same level of success with a more balanced life?  I don’t know and neither did he.  Finding balance in your sales career is totally up to you.  You will be richer in so many more ways through achieving balance than by not.  The reward is definitely worth the effort.  Don’t ever use finding balance in your life as an excuse for not managing your time and effort.  Finding balance in your life requires that you manage your time and effort.  You will only find balance in your life when you set goals.  Finding balance in your life requires that you educate yourself because education is a form of freedom and freedom is essential to a balanced life.  Learning to focus on important things is the essence of finding balance in your life.

The Similarities Between The 1980 U.S. Hockey Team and Sales Success

Coach Herb Brooks as depicted in the movie Miracle was speaking to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team as they were assembled for their first practice session in preparation for the Olympic games.  They were gathered in a room watching film of the Soviet team.  Coach Brooks said, speaking of the Soviet hockey team,

“Forty-two games in the last three months, forty-two wins.  Their main weapon, intimidation.  They know they are going to win and so do their opponents….  I know there is a way to stay with this team.  You don’t defend them, you attack them.  You take their game and you shove it right back in their face.  The team that is finally willing to do this, is the team that has a chance to put them down.  The NHL won’t change their game, we will.  The rest of the world is afraid of them.  Boys, we won’t be.  No one has ever worked hard enough to skate with the Soviet Team for an entire game.  Gentlemen, we are going to work hard enough!”

 How does this hockey story relate to sales?  There are a few of similarities, and certainly a few lessons that we can all learn.

First of all, no one and I mean no one gave the U.S. Hockey Team a chance in the world at beating the Soviet team.  Remember, the Soviet team was a professional team and the U.S. Team was made up of college players, none of who had any NFL experience.  This team did not have the talent of the Soviet team, but they had desire and the willingness to work hard enough to win.  In the world of sales, skills are very important for achieving success.  However, desire and attitude are just as important.  The combination of skills and attitude presents a winning combination.

Second, they were not afraid.  They believed in themselves and their ability to perform in the heat of battle because they had prepared.  They believed in their coach and they believed in their own abilities.  Many teams who faced the powerful Soviet hockey machine were defeated before they even set foot on the ice.  They didn’t believe they could win and they were paralyzed by fear.  If you are to be successful at selling, you must believe in your ability to be successful and be willing to stand up to your fears.  Once you stand face to face with your sales fears, they will no longer have power over you.

Third, they believed that victory would be found in a solid offense and not in just defending their goal.  They knew they would have to take the game to the Soviet team if they were to win.  Selling is not an easy career.  It requires hard work and preparation to be successful.  Successful salespeople work hard at finding opportunities to sell their products and services; they don’t just wait for the phone to ring.  Become proactive.  Create the opportunities you need to be successful.

Fourth, they knew that preparation and practice was the key to victory.  As coach Brooks said, “No one has ever worked hard enough to skate with the Soviet team for an entire game; gentlemen, we are going to work hard enough!”  Most salespeople have never worked hard enough at selling to really know what they are capable of achieving.  Until you have pushed yourself to the boundaries of your capabilities, you will never know how good you can possibly be.  Work hard enough to achieve your true potential.

Fifth, Coach Brooks had a plan; a specific plan based on what he believed was necessary to beat the Soviet team.  It wasn’t enough to just practice and work hard.  They needed to work hard and follow a plan.  As history has recorded, the perfect execution of a well-crafted plan allowed the U.S. Hockey Team to defeat the most powerful team in the world of hockey.  The typical salesperson spends their day doing “stuff.”  They do whatever seems appropriate for the moment.  They have never considered the value of developing a winning game plan to ensure their sales success.  There is nothing wrong, and everything right, in preparing a specific plan to achieve the success you desire with a specific prospect.  The world of selling has reached the professional ranks.  You are in the big leagues.  In this league, winging it is out, and planning is the law of the land.

To summarize the five principles taught by Coach Brooks to his young hockey players as they relate to selling, you must believe in yourself and have a positive attitude.  Don’t be afraid, but rather, stand up to your fears and defeat them.  Be proactive.  A strong offense is often the best defense.  Create the situation you desire, don’t wait for it to come to you.  Preparation is critical for success.  Study, learn, practice and apply the principles and skills of selling.  Don’t just wing it.  Develop a plan for your sales success and follow it.

Educate Yourself In The Field Of Sales

I was deeply moved this past week as I attended the University of Utah Class of 2010 commencement exercises. I was there to honor my daughter-in-law who received her degree in social work. It was a touching moment as President Michael Young acknowledged the extreme effort and sacrifice made by both the graduates and their families. He expressed his belief that the world will be a far better place for the contributions to be made by these exemplary young men and women. President Young was clear in his brief comments that the great hope for this generation and the world lies in the education of its inhabitants.

The advancement of science, humanities, medicine, law, engineering, business, and all other educational disciplines does not happen without learning. Knowledge applied correctly is the root element of advancements in civilization. Knowledge correctly applied, combined with experience, is the foundation for all success. As I pondered the magnitude of more than seven thousands new college graduates seeking to add their strength to our economic society, I felt confident and saw a glimmer of hope for our future.

There was one glaring omission, in my mind, as I witnessed the pomp and ceremony of this commencement celebration. With all the honors and degrees conferred on the graduates, no one received a degree in sales. Not one graduating student was recognized for his or her educational achievements in the discipline of selling. Recognizing that the bright hope for our future lies in education, what does the lack of trained salespeople mean for the commerce of this nation? Just because sales degrees are not offered at a college or university level does not mean an education in selling is any less important than any other field of study. It just means that a sales education and training will need to be acquired through other venues. The fact that a sales education is not found on the college campus makes it even more critical to find an education from other sources.

In the United States, sales training is a seven billion dollar a year industry. There are unlimited seminars, tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, and books available to anyone looking for knowledge. Most of the material contains some value and any person willing to read and listen will certainly come away with additional knowledge. Remember, knowledge is not the complete answer, it is knowledge applied correctly. The way we learn and the way we achieve is accomplished through a process referred to as “spaced repetition”. Spaced repetition is comprised of leaning and doing consistently over a period time. Spaced repetition is improved dramatically when combined with a mentor or coach who will fine tune performance and hold you accountable. Most of the training available in the world of selling does not involve spaced repetition, coaching or accountability.

Here are five ideas that will help you achieve your quest for an education in the field of sales. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

1. Commit yourself to learning in the same degree you would if you were going to college. Read, study, attend class, question your instructor, practice in the laboratory, grade your performance and understanding, spend the time necessary to perfect your skills.
2. Find yourself a coach, someone who will teach you the practical application of those things you have learned through reading the best books and listening to the best knowledge. Remember, knowledge applied correctly, combined with experience is the foundation for all success.
3. Find someone who will hold you accountable not only for knowledge, but for your daily application of the things you have learned. You need to be critiqued and graded for your performance in order to know where you stand. Once you know where you stand, you can strive to improve.
4. Be consistent. Create a habit of consistent performance and daily activity. Form the habit of doing daily, those activities necessary for sales success. There is no short cut for experience.
5. Never quit learning and correctly applying those things you have learned. Discover new applications for the core principles of salesmanship you have mastered. Your expertise will be built one sale at a time. Let each selling experience build knowledge.

Success in all fields of endeavor is built firmly on knowledge, application and experience. Don’t short change your current situation or rob yourself of future achievements. Educate yourself in the field of sales. You won’t find it in the curriculum of most colleges and universities; nevertheless, an education in selling can be achieved. When you have achieved that education, your world and that of your employer, as President Michael Young expressed, will be a far better place.

Don’t Sell Yourself Short

One of the greatest challenges that each person faces in this life is the challenge of “finding themselves.”  Everyone has had thoughts about which roads to pursue in life and what might have been different had you traveled one road instead of another.  Many college students struggle with which career to pursue or discovering their talents.  Many salespeople wrestle with making a career out of sales and if so, which company and what products to associate themselves with.  Most salespeople think in terms of finding an employment home rather than building security through their efforts.  They total miss the point by thinking the employer is there to take care of them, instead of understanding that they create their own security through their performance.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “What lies behind us and what lies in front of us, pales in significance when compared to what lies within us.”  Most salespeople have no concept of what they are capable of achieving.  They tend to think in terms of what their employer can offer them.  At the heart of the issue is the question, “what can you offer yourself?”  The greatest difference between salespeople is not the companies they work for or the products they offer.  The difference is found within the person.  Do you even have a clue as to what you are capable of achieving in your selling career?  You know what you have done in the past and you know what others have done.  But do you have any idea of the power that lies within your soul?  Have you ever stretched far enough to know the power that lies within yourself?

As I began working with salespeople I forced myself to use restraint in expressing what I believed they were capable of achieving.  If I came right out and told them, they wouldn’t believe me and would give up trying before we even began.  I met with a salesperson today that I trained a few years ago.  He was making a very comfortable six-figure income when we started working together.  He is making today more than three times the income he was earning when we began.  I don’t believe this salesperson, in his wildest dreams, ever believed he could earn that kind of income.  What made the difference?  It was not just one thing.  There is no magic bullet.  There were several things, working together that made the difference.  Let me list a few principles that he applied that will also work for you.

1. Don’t allow yourself to be tied to your past.  Regardless of what you have achieved in the past, you can always do better.  Many salespeople fail to reach their true potential because they naively believe they have achieved their best.
2. Don’t succumb to the deadly cancer of apathy.  Never accept the status quo.  Work and think outside the box.  Look for ways to improve your performance every day.  There is nothing in this life that cannot be improved upon, even you.
3. Many people over estimate others and under estimate themselves.  Reach deep inside yourself and discover you true potential.  If someone else has achieved greatness, so can you.  The average person has no realistic idea of what they are capable of doing.
4. Human nature naturally directs our thinking to the “negative” instead of the positive.  People tend to view life in terms of what they can’t achieve as opposed to what they can achieve.  Set your focus on turning “impossibles” into “possibles”.
5. Don’t allow yourself to be frozen by fear.  Fear is a form of ignorance.  When you begin to gain an understanding of your inner strength you will learn to stand firm in the face of fear.  Once you have stood face to face with your fears, they will no longer have power over you.
6. Remember, “successful people are not without their problems; they’re simply people who’ve learned how to solve their problems.” – Robert Seashore
7. Develop a positive attitude.  The only thing in this life that you have total and complete control of is your attitude.  Successful salespeople have developed an “I Can” attitude.
8. If you are to truly discover the “power within”, you must develop an overpowering desire to succeed.  Waiting for opportunities to happen is the legacy of all average performers.  Creating your own opportunities is how successful people live their lives.
9. Find a purpose in your life that is so strong and so compelling that you would move both heaven and earth to preserve it.  It is that purpose that we sustain you through difficult and challenging times.
10. Take responsibility for your actions and own the results of your efforts.  No one else can fulfill your destiny and no one else can walk the lonely road of success in your footsteps.  Success is a lonely road because so few people find it and when found, so very few are willing to walk it.  

The greatest joy you will experience in your sales career, will come at that moment when you discover a glimpse, ever so small, of what you are truly capable of achieving.  When you have tasted just a drop of the sweet nectar of your inner strength and long for more, then you will be on the road to achieving your true potential.  The saddest epitaph of life is never achieving the full nature of your creation.