How to Be a Champion Salesperson: 4 Steps to Elevate Your Sales Success and Income

Superstar salespeople take the right steps, which pays off in income, success, and happiness! You want that kind of success as a salesperson, don’t you?

Now, isn’t true that when you take shortcuts in the sales process, it often catches up with you later? Short cuts cause problems that potentially reduce your ongoing sales and income? As a salesperson, would you agree with me that it is right to:

• Be positively prepared to sell every day!
• Prospect intelligently daily!
• Build rapport with customers!
• Identify a need!
• Sell product benefits!
• Address concerns, positively!
• Close the sale!
• Follow-up, follow-up, and follow-up!

By doing the above better and better, you will help many more customers, sell much more, and make more money. This is supported by our study of top salespeople.

Think Right

It has been said that success is simple. Just do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time. However, to do what’s right, you have to think about what’s right. Thought always precedes action. Poor attitudes and negative thinking don’t sell products or make you any money. In other words, to take the right actions, you need the right thoughts. That’s the beginning of being the best in sales, and the key to achieving your sales career goals.

Motivator Zig Ziglar wrote, “It’s your attitude not your aptitude that determines your altitude.” You have tremendous talent, skill, and potential. With the right thinking, you will put all your capabilities to use more consistently and passionately.

Believe You are a Top Salesperson

In order to believe in positive results, you must work at it. There are too many variables that adjust our attitudes. We know them by heart: rejection, disappointment, frustration, illness, the news, complaining friends, and other elements. According to research, the average person thinks more than 80,000 thoughts each day and 85 percent of those are negative. You cannot leave your attitude to chance. If you do, you are destined for failure or worse yet, mediocrity.

How do you work at being positive? Start by thinking better about yourself – believe you are the best version of yourself. Here are two questions every salesperson should consider after every sale (especially after a lost sale):

1. What did I do right?
2. What can I do better or differently next time?

Often, salespeople get discouraged by a no and don’t try again. Rather than doing this, when you get a no, think of how you feel when you get a yes. Review what you have done right, remind yourself that you’re the best, and then take appropriate action. Contact another customer promptly. Always remember that the best time to make is sale is right after a sale, right? That’s a good time, but it is even better after rejection. You see, you build sales success through successful sales activity. So, when you get a no, ask the two questions, and then call another account! It creates greater momentum.

Learn to be a Top Salesperson

Do you have insurance? Auto? Health? People buy insurance for protection, don’t they? In case of an illness or accident, insurance protects us from financial loss. As a salesperson, your most important personal assets are your skills, attitude, and experiences. Why not ensure that your assets are protected and that your ability to make money is established? Don’t be content with the way things are. Always keep learning, expand your comfort zones, and work at developing new skills, tools, and approaches.

Every year, as the baseball season begins, someone refuses to play because of a contract dispute. Consequently, the player misses part of training camp, and usually, starts the year poorly. In baseball and in sales, a lack of training yields poor results. Absorb all you can from your sales training and coaching sessions. Work on fundamentals by listening to CDs, reading books, reviewing sales articles online-like this, and attending sales seminars. Your thoughts will be more positive, your skills will improve, and your results will follow. This will help you become a champion salesperson that others talk about.

Act Like You are the Best

A goal is the most powerful motivational device known to humankind. It is a documented fact. I’ve seen goals inspire people to lose weight, to finish a degree, to achieve new results, to sell a product, and to make a lot of money. Are you attracted to any of these results? First, set the goal, and then, regularly review your progress.

How can you offer more value to customers? Did you earn the money you wanted this year? What’s your goal for the new month or quarter? Take the time to plan and go for it, now!

Bottom-line, selling today is about partnerships. What value will you bring to the customer? You must know their needs or wants. Ask questions more and talk less. Do your homework, study your industry. Excellent selling is excellent service! Excellent service is excellent selling!

Arlene Lenarz wrote, “All the beautiful things that are going to happen in the future are the seeds of today. This is the year of your dreams. No matter what, if you want it badly enough, and you’re willing to pay the price – your dream is possible. No dream is too lofty, no goal is too high.” To succeed, you must be willing to do what others won’t do. Implement these three sales ideas: believe, learn, and act to acquire the right thinking, and you’ll become a sales champion.

By the way, do you want to achieve your sales goals-faster? If so, download our Success Practices Guide.

Finally, do you want a ramp up your career success by applying sales best practices? If so, check out Rick’s new Superstar Sales book.

Also, go here for our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website. Micro-learning and career advancement at your fingertips!