Sell or Be Sold(11)

Years ago, I was selling a product to multimillionaires and quickly discovered that I had only a very short time in which to make my presentation to them, as time was of great concern to these people. In fact, time was more valuable to them than money. With one prospect, I knew exactly what his objection would be when I got him on the phone: “I’ll give you sixty seconds, son.” Having predicted correctly, I handled him without having to think about what to say or do. Because I had studied prospects like him and had formulated and prepared solutions, I was able to be responsible for the exchange and get results. This prospect, who started out difficult, became one of the best clients I have ever had and later launched my career in sales training.

How does one gain the skill of prediction? You have to start looking at everything that’s happening, observe it accurately without emotion or blame, and make a note of it. The ability to predict comes from assuming responsibility for what’s going on around you and believing you can control it. You have to pay complete attention to and record encounters; then you’ll start to see a finite set of patterns.

When I started recording my phone calls and making notes of every exchange I had with customers, I immediately tapped into my ability to perceive patterns, and then I started being able to predict. It was so easy and so fast. I carried around an “objections” notebook and wrote down every customer objection. Later I would study my notes and start to see that most of my customers were making similar comments. My awareness was raised and I was able to come up with solutions. It was amazing how fast I became aware of what was going on. One customer would tell me something and I’d write it down. The next customer would say the same thing and I’d write that down, too. When I began observing and taking responsibility for what was happening to me, I was able to predict what the prospect would say. More important, I was prepared to handle him. I had control because I knew. To know is critical to success, as knowledge equals power in life. To know means you end up with fewer noes. Fewer noes means a better life!

My production almost doubled from the simple action of observing. My confidence soared as my knowledge increased, and so did my income. Prediction! I could see the future, not because I was a psychic, but because I’d observed the past accurately. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I realize now that the ability to predict is one of the first benefits received from committing all the way. I had become responsible, aware, alert, and solution-oriented, and was able to predict! Until you become a dedicated student, you cannot gain the skill of prediction. All masters (in any career) are able to predict accurately.

Once you get some sense of possible situations that can occur, start taking notes and record everything you can. Record yourself on video so you can watch yourself. I started looking at what I said, my facial expressions, my responses, my tone, my voice, my gestures, and wow, there was so much to learn. I became addicted to knowing all that I could! To predict is to know, and to know is to handle situations correctly. This will increase confidence and increase sales. To sell successfully is to enjoy your job, which means you will continue to expand with more sales. Winning begets winning.





THE ONLY REASON YOU WON’T LIKE SELLING

(AS A CAREER OR IN LIFE)


Do you want to know the only true reason someone doesn’t or wouldn’t enjoy selling? There is only one real reason—and it is not what you’ve been told. It’s not because someone doesn’t like rejection. After all, who does? It’s not because they’re lazy. Everyone is lazy when they fail, and most people are trying to avoid failure. It’s not because they don’t like people. We all like people when we’re successful with them.

The only reason a person doesn’t like what he’s doing is because he doesn’t know what he’s doing! He isn’t winning, and that’s because there’s something that he doesn’t know. The doctor who can’t save lives won’t like being a doctor. The teacher who can’t get her students to learn will sooner or later become disenchanted with teaching. A salesman who can’t close deals won’t like selling. Therein lies the only reason you would not like being a salesperson. When you don’t understand something, you aren’t in control, and when you aren’t in control, you aren’t going to like what you are doing!

I met a guy named Scott Morgan back in 1995, and we were considering a new business partnership. I was giving a presentation in Vancouver and suggested that he come up for the weekend to talk about our new arrangement and get in a little skiing. Scott had never skied before, so I suggested that he take a beginner class. He arrogantly puffed out his chest and decided that a beginner class was beneath him. The next morning the two of us were at the top of Mount Whistler, one of the steepest mountains in North America. Scott looked down and then at me, and we both knew he was in big trouble. He knew nothing about skiing, let alone how he was supposed to get down the mountain. While I admired his courage, I observed that he didn’t understand the value of training. Scott spent the entire day making his way down that mountain, and to my knowledge, he never put on a pair of skis again.