Being in sales most of my career, I often think of two unforgettable salesmen. As Tina Turner would say, they were "Simply the Best, Better than all the Rest".
I was fortunate to work with and learn from both during the 1990's in New York City (NYC). They worked for separate companies yet were similar in that they sold "high end" sports sponsorships (print, TV, radio, arena, signage) to major companies like American Express.
Each consistently performed at the top and brought in millions of dollars each year. I cannot imagine a salesperson better than either of these men. Since they sold in the same industry, I witnessed many similarities of success. Watching them perform on a daily basis made me a better salesman.
Below are common elements they shared that helped them produce tremendous results:
-- Appearance - Both were attractive and that helps immensely in life. First impressions can make or break a potential deal especially in sales. I frequently talked with one about how important it is to have quality suits, shirts, shoes and ties. He often conveyed to me that even if one lacked the advantage of good looks, dressing properly and caring about one's image were essential. A great lesson!
-- No Small Talk or Wasting Time - From the moment they walked into the office, it was ALL business, ALL the time. One would occasionally talk to someone while the other NEVER talked to anyone other than customers or those who could help him with a sale. I admired their discipline and wondered how they were able to act that way day after day. Personally, I like a little down time during the day and most people do but I respected their style.
-- No Paperwork - Both did very little paperwork, leaving most to their assistants. Their day was spent selling. I learned a valuable lesson from this because I shared the same assistant with one and followed his lead. Many of our colleagues were spending 1-2 days per week doing administrative work that was wasteful to the selling process. At first, top management thought our way wasn't ideal although they soon realized our efforts were producing improved results. Needless to say, the department started working in this manner. We often talked about and agreed that a salesperson should sell, not do paperwork. Unfortunately, many organizations haven't figured this out and suffer lower profits because of it.
-- Focus and Discipline - They went after the sale aggressively, particularly if they knew the potential was there for closing the sale.
They were focused on business they could obtain not in business that never had a chance to blossom. Their discipline in staying on the proper course of a potential sale was impressive. One was so focused that he was able to work shorter hours than everyone and go to the gym every day yet still perform better than his colleagues. He proved that working smart is sometimes better than working long hours.
-- Relentless and Tenacious - They kept great prospects in their pipeline which meant they were always focusing on new business. In addition, their existing clients were cared for brilliantly with the aim of selling more advertising to them. Dogged in this pursuit would be an understatement.
-- Athletic and Competitive - One played college basketball in the Ivy League and the other hockey at a level below professional. That athleticism and teamwork gave them fierce confidence not to mention the discipline and focus it takes to succeed at high level sports. Both were competitive in that Tiger Woods sort of way. I played basketball with the hockey player during a client outing and even though it wasn't his sport, his work ethic was inspiring.
-- Customer Service - They were exemplary in providing customer service to their existing clients and were steadfast in giving the same passion of service to those customers they were aiming to close. They would do whatever it took to please their customers as long as it was ethical.
-- Charm - Both had this characteristic and I don't think it is something that can be taught. Their charm was invaluable as they often had to sell to women responsible for advertising decisions and meet new people in various settings. Charm goes a LONG way in sales and networking (invaluable in selling). If you have it, use it.
-- Knowledgeable and Great Presentation Skills - They would welcome the task of doing any presentation as long as it meant moving a sale forward or closing a deal. Both had wonderful presentation skills and usually had the audience eating out of their hand. One was a fantastic orator and effective in selling his clients on why it was important to advertise. It was a thrill watching him perform. Their knowledge of the product was never lacking as they knew their business inside and out! In sales, knowing your product thoroughly is a must.
-- Thrill of Going after the Sale - With sales, no day is typical and it usually involves a variety of people which has always been exciting to me. If one doesn't enjoy the thrill of going after business and building relationships with people, sales will be a bumpy road. Both embraced being in sales and their enthusiasm was infectious. They had fun everyday.
-- Listening - Even though it was tough for them to do at times, they listened intently to their prospective customers in order to uncover ALL their needs. If one asks good questions, needs usually come to the surface. Without uncovering needs, it is difficult to sell effectively.
-- Enthusiasm and Passion - High levels of enthusiasm and consistent passion were their trademarks. I never saw them deficient in these areas. Sometimes their passion worked against them as they could be curt with people that presented an unnecessary obstacle to their performance. During a long meeting, one showed obvious displeasure to a superior who was wasting our time with endless talking. This boss asked, "what is your problem"? The swift response was "I want to sell not talk". Another salesman might not have been so bold but he could afford to act in that manner as he was the best salesman in the company.
-- Closing a Sale - The hardest part in sales is the last, closing the sale. Sometimes customers will make you work or not know what they want and it is a good salesman's job to figure out the NEEDS and jump over any roadblocks to close the deal! Not only were both great closers, they were often quick to the close which meant that they had more time to chase new business.
People tend to buy for one of 4 reasons.
A) To keep or save their job
B) To advance their career
C) To save time or money for their organization
D) To make the company more competitive
If a person had a need to advertise, my former colleagues quickly found it and closed it.
-- Results - In NYC, results are usually the most important element for a company and both sizzled in their annual sales figures. They were top performers every year, sometimes outselling their colleagues by $500,000 dollars. Their main concern was producing results and they were paid quite handsomely for their efforts.
Every good salesperson should be concerned with results first and foremost.
I am grateful to have met and worked with these men. They have impacted my life significantly in the way I approach sales, utilize time management, deal with customers and go after results.
If you want to be a great salesperson, focusing on many or all of the aforementioned areas will help you to be successful. You may never become as good as these super salesmen but a step below will make you competitive in any industry. In addition, we all sell (some not so good) daily with wives, boyfriend's, parents, jobs, siblings,etc so brushing up on your selling skills can be beneficial in accomplishing your goals and/or dreams.
Remember, the most important element in sales is to CLOSE THE SALE. I have seen many salespeople who were very talented yet never seemed to produce quality results. Why? They couldn't or wouldn't do the hard or sometimes uncomfortable work of closing the sale. If one doesn't close effectively, success will remain elusive.
Legendary American football coach, Vince Lombardi once said the following; a line which has some good insight although it is a bit harsh in my opinion:
"Winning isn't everything...........it's the only thing"
Let's change those words slightly to make it more sales friendly so that it reads like this:
"Closing the deal isn't everything in sales, it's the only thing".
Happy Gswede Sunday!
The American Club of Sweden's (http://www.amclubsweden.org/) Third Thursday networking event - Successful salespeople master the art of "Networking Effectively". There will be an article on this topic in the coming weeks.
The courtyard view of an English School - Stockholm, Sweden
