Many people have searched for the secret of success in the business of sales, myself included. In all my efforts, one truth has borne itself out time and time again. There really are no secrets. The business of selling things is a highly disciplined one, repeated day after day, moment after moment. Many sales people fail in their efforts, not because they lack the drive, but rather because they ignore the fundamentals. The next paragraph, from the Book of Proverbs provides a great illustration of what I mean.
“I went by the field of a lazy man. And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles. It’s stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man. ”
So how do you keep your field from becoming overgrown? How do you keep your sales figures and prospects changing and transforming into new and returning clients? There are a number of resources out there, and one of my favorites is the book How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Sales by Frank Bettger. It was written back in 1949, but still holds quite a number of insights even for today. It truly is a sales profession masterpiece of instruction. Here are a few of my favorite gems from the book:
- “Selling is the easiest job in the world if you work it hard- but the hardest job in the world if you try and work it easy.”
- “You can’t collect your commission until you make the sale. You can’t make the sale, ‘til you write the order. You can’t write the order ‘til you have an interview; and you can’t have an interview ‘til you make the call!”
As you can see, making the sale, getting the next customer is really all about taking the right steps, and beginning at the start. In order to be successful in sales, or anything else in life, you have to make the choice to start, and see the project through. The field won’t plow itself, and the sale won’t be made unless you make the effort each day to make it happen.