When I first started my career I wanted to be the guy. I wanted to be the manager, the director, the person that’s always in charge. The go to person! I thought that’s who I was, what I wanted to do, who I should be. Not realizing the hard work it was going to take to get there. I thought I was owed something since I went to college and got a degree. I was owed something since I had an MBA. Someone has to pay me now!
Here’s the thing. You have to work for it. I knew I worked hard, or so I thought. I was at work on time, I showed up, I called people and sold some stuff. That was about it. That was my life. I was on my way. I was good at sales because I could call more people than anyone else.
A great trait to have.
What I didn’t have was the tools, tips and techniques. I didn’t ask for referrals, I didn’t know how to set goals, create emotion, plan my day, give a great presentation, get past any fear I had, use social media to build my business, practice my scripts, be a student of the game, read books, listen to people, be coachable, positive self-talk or even be that leader I strived for. I just didn’t know, and when you don’t know, you don’t know.
This is when things started to go differently. I then moved into a Sales Director role. I didn’t know how to manage people, but I thought I did. I went to be a District Manager. Again, I didn’t know how to manage people. Then I went on to being a Division Director with a global company. Still didn’t know how. And notice, I was a manager, NOT A LEADER. Not realizing I couldn’t just transfer my work ethic to others. I didn’t know how to meet people where they are.
I was a manager. I became a leader.
Then I came to Southwestern Consulting. I learned how to practice a script, and just how important that is. This can sometimes be a bad word in sales, but it makes you smart enough, to be dumb enough not to have to think about it. I also started asking for referrals. I practiced it. I started reading and listening to books. I worked on mind set. I read modules and watched videos on how to become a better sales person, a better leader and just an overall better person. When I called people I knew what I was going to say. I practiced. Every day. We all know; and a wise man once said:
“Success is never owned, it is only rented, and the rent is due every day.”
It means if you want to be successful it’s about the hard work. You have to understand what hard work is. If you aren’t practicing, learning, adding to your vocation, getting past those excuses, taking action and developing yourself you will always stay stagnant.
Do these three things:
- Practice your scripts. If you don’t have them, find someone to help you
- Watch videos. Get a coach, mentor or something to hold you accountable
- Set goals. Personal and professional and do everything you can to achieve them
Give yourself permission to get better. The people that are successful aren’t lucky, they aren’t better than you. They gave themselves permission to keep going when it was tough; figure out what they can do more of, be better at. Give yourself permission.
Teach yourself and find those people to hold you accountable, and you’ll go from a Sales Boy to a Sales Man! Or a Sales Girl to a Sales Woman!