Invest In Your Sales Success

Decision makers in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton and Calgary make considerable investments in sales training when they hire our company to increase revenues.  While it makes business sense to do this, consider that every Salesperson who receives the training has the ability to increase their personal commissions and career skill set.  It’s only fair that each Salesperson make a personal investment and commitment when given the opportunity to grow.  Start with this great list.

Top performing Salespeople in any field have many common traits.   The ability to listen, address the client’s needs and provide great service are matched by their winning philosophy of being open-minded, adaptable and willing to keep pace with current trends.  A consistent trait is their dedication in making a personal investment in themselves.

A great list to choose from

Here’s some common behaviors of  successful salespeople:

• Make a regular commitment to read great business and sales books.  Consciously decide to read at least one good book every quarter and apply the learning to your field.  That’s four books per year.  If you have the time for Facebook, YouTube, Netflix or TSN, you most certainly have the time to better your skill set and offer your clients a better Salesperson.  Perhaps you could consider starting with SHUT UP! Stop Talking and Start Making Money.

If you are convinced you don’t have the time, then listen to audio books while commuting and travelling to sales calls.  On a tight budget?  Visit a second hand store or book fair and pick up some of the business classics that will stand the test of time for less than the cost of your café latte.

• Subscribe to Blogs, Forums, Webinars and Podcasts.  This is a great source of education readily available free of charge.  While some of the no-charge resources may also promote paid-for services, the smart providers offer great content as a means of building audience and participation.  A quick Google search will reveal many great sources of free training.

Consider subscribing to THE PROSALESGUY BLOG, as I dedicate a great deal of time creating practical, useful information that will make you a better Professional Salesperson.  You will find the subscription section on the right side of this page halfway down.  A list of recent posts is located directly below.

• Join a business Group on LinkedIn.  LinkedIn can an excellent source of free education.  Type those words into the LinkedIn search engine for a list of great groups.  I’ve always felt that all Professional Salespeople should be given the opportunity for free sales training.  I’ve made it easy for you on THE SALES FLOOR .  Every week, I find great online articles to post and welcome you to check it out for yourself.   Read the articles that appeal to you and participate by commenting.  You are now writing and offering opinion.  Watch your skill set grow the moment you start to share your thoughts and personal experiences.

• Enroll in a Course and Attend Conferences and Workshops.  Check out your local college and make it a priority to gain knowledge by accessing the experience of industry experts.

• Find a great Mentor.  Many of us have access to a respected colleague who has reached high levels of success.  Many great mentors are happy to share their philosophies and techniques.  These people are an amazing source of inspiration and practical advice.

• Spend time coaching a willing Protégé.  While mentors can pull you up to a higher level of ability and performance, there is nothing more powerful than a protégé to keep pushing you to climb the ladder of success.  If you believe in leading by example, the knowledge that your protégé is watching you is an incredible incubator on the path to becoming a great leader.

• Find a Willing Partner.  Look around your office.  Is there a sales colleague that wants to make a similar commitment to professional growth?  You could easily share lunch together and discuss ways to further your development mutually.  The buddy system works extremely well in this regard.

• Ask your Sales Manager for suggestions.  Your Sales Manager can be a great resource of material for you.  He or she would be happy to point you in the right direction based on their personal experience.

• Save the Top 10% of your Monthly Commission Paycheck.  Successful Professional Salespeople make above average incomes.  Top producers often exceed incomes of $100,000 per year.  Saving the top 10% of what you make before paying any expenses means that you will never run out of money before making good investments.

If you have the privilege of a matching company RRSP, pension or stock purchase plan, take full advantage of all of them.  Here’s an excellent book from MoneySense – The Guide to Retiring Wealthy.

It has specific sections for making the right financial decisions in your 20’s, 30’s and 40’s right up to the day of retirement.

• Take care of your body – Regular checkups, workout and skip the fast food drive-thru.  Professional Salespeople who make a commitment to physical health invest in their well-being.  A regular exercise schedule is a great way to burn off stress.  Healthy eating sets the tone for smart living.  Don’t skip this step to find yourself with declining health later in life regretting your previous choices.

• Go on a two-week vacation.  Another common characteristic of committed Salespeople is their reluctance to take a full two week vacation.  For years, I never took two weeks off for fear of the mess I thought I would come back to when returning.  In my opinion, Professional Salespeople need to take a two week vacation to properly recharge.  The very thought of three weekends away automatically brings a sense of happiness and relief.  Educate your clients well in advance that you are taking two weeks off and buddy up with a trusted sales colleague and cover each other’s business during your vacations.

• Take pride in your personal appearance.  Look in the mirror.  Would you buy from a Salesperson who looks like you?  I’m not suggesting that you need to look like one of the hosts on Entertainment Tonight but neither should you look like Borat.   Your self-image is a major influence on how you and others perceive you.

• Be nice to everyone – no matter who they are and what they do.  Top performing Salespeople viewed as leaders and mentors have an undeniable quality of being nice to everyone they meet.  My personal #1 Rule of Sales Success – Don’t be a Jerk!  Nice people deserve success because of their lack of agenda to personally gain from their interaction with people.

Your Sales Success

Make a commitment to just a few of these suggestions and you have now taken major step in making a personal investment in your own success.  Imagine the results if you did them all!

What do you think?  I’m always interested in your opinion.  Do you have other great examples that have worked well for you?  If you liked this post, please offer your comments and share it on your favorite social media platform.

Thanks for reading!

   Author of SHUT UP!

   Stop Talking and Start Making Money.

   Available on Kindle and paperback.  

   Click the link for a preview of the book

   and its  5 Star reviews.