Financial Services Journal

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How to Build Your Sales Success
on a Solid Foundation
Tom Beal

Even small children can tell when the tower of blocks they're building isn't going to stand much longer. They also understand when they will not be able to build it any taller. Some try hastily to reinforce their newly built structure to keep it upright...but it's usually too late by then. Why? The foundation was not built properly.

As the child matures they understand that if they want it to be a tall structure they have two options. (1) Either they carefully build the structure on a solid foundation and build higher than all of their friends, or (2) they remain watchful as they build and notice the faulty structure prior to it starting to fall and then digress to reinforce and stabilize their monument before trying to build it taller again.

How about you and your sales career? Which category do you fall under...or do you just keep building aimlessly and starting over every time it falls?

Let's take a look at four foundational questions:

Can your sales position meet your financial goals...and at least your needs? Who's the #1 rep in the company and what did that person make last year? Who's the #1 rep in the office you work in and what did that person make last year? What was the average income for the whole sales force last year? Now ask yourself: Is this a company that will meet my income goals and at least my income needs. (Needs = your total overhead plus various living expenses.) Be realistic. If there's only 1 person in the whole company that is at the level you need to be, and they've been there 21 years...chances are you'll be disappointed with your income for a long, long time.

You've got 2 choices if that is the case: you can either begin negotiating with the company to pay you what you're worth or start looking for another position! Don't forget the fact that we're in sales. The more you sell the more you make. (If that's not a true statement for you in your sales position, you're not really in sales.) Remember a life in sales means there are no ceilings on the money you can make, but there are often times no floors either.

Are you running your sales territory like a business? As President of your territory would you be thrilled to have an employee like you on board? Would you be promoting a person with the work ethic and habits you bring to the table consistently...or would you have fired that lazy bum a long time ago? Once it clicks in your mind that you and only you are responsible for your sales success or failure...you are on path to becoming a sales champion. TAKE TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY! The old saying, "If it's going to be, it's up to me," reigns supreme. This doesn't mean that you can't surround yourself with other champions that you can delegate responsibilities to, it just means that you don't point the finger to anyone or at any circumstance if and when things go wrong.

Are you with a strong competitive company with a great product/service? How does your company stack up in the marketplace? Is the product or service in demand? Who are your top 3 competitors? Research them diligently...that's what your prospects will do. You'll see firsthand what your prospective clients are seeing about you and your competitors and you'll notice, just like your prospects will, who stands above the rest.

Do you truly feel, believe and know deep down that if someone gets your product or service from someone else that they will lose out in the long run...that they've made a terrible mistake...and you feel sorry because you must not have explained something properly to them...because if you had, they would have seen clearly that you're the only sane choice to make to provide such a product or service? Once you know without a shadow of a doubt that if/when someone is in the market for your product or service, they must have you as their provider if they want the best...you're on track to becoming a sales champion.

You Are a Champion!

This article was submitted by Tom Beal, THESalesChampion.com. To subscribe to the Free "Become a Sales Champion" E-zine go to http://www.thesaleschampion.com.