Inspirational Reminders for Salespeople

During a recent trip to Hong Kong, I was invited to speak to General Managers and sales executives from two successful hotel groups.  It was not sales training, but they asked for an “inspirational” message to “fire up” the sales team.   Though the invitation was last-minute, I was delighted and accepted graciously.  If I have not mentioned this in any of my previous articles, nothing pleases me more than to be in the presence of salespeople.   To also have general managers listening to me made the opportunity even more special. 

With little time to prepare, I felt the best way to inspire may be some reminders of who we are and what drives us as salespeople.  We all need reminders periodically throughout our careers.   It is not to say we forget these principles, but reminders keep them forefront in our minds and lead us forward.  Here are some highlights.

AGGRESSIVE:  Sales is “AGGRESSIVE.”  There is no other way to describe selling.  It is not for the timid, and it is not for those who are not driven by performance, goals, quotas, and results.    The success of any business is directly related to salespeople.  If salespeople are successful, that means business is booked.  If not, it means there is NO business.  This is a heavy burden for one to carry, which in turn fuels the aggressiveness.

SELLING IS NOT FOR EVERYONE:  It is, however, for those of us who choose this profession.  No one forced us to be in sales; it is our choice.  All my life, that is all I ever wanted to be, a successful salesman.   I did not need to be famous, just successful in sales.

SALES MANTRA:  This is the principle that defines selling.

a.     Nothing happens in this world until a sale is made

b.    No product, no matter how good, sells by itself

c.    It is sold by a salesperson

d.    If it isn’t sold, it will not be bought

PRIDE:  Pride is what drives each of us every day to do what we do best.  This pride is developed and nurtured with each sale that is made.  Salespeople work diligently to develop and maintain this pride throughout their careers, for without it, there will be no career.

PROFESSION:  Selling is a profession like any other profession.  No one is born a salesperson or born into the profession.  We learn and practice the skills that make us professional.  It is a profession that is equally as important as that of a doctor, lawyer, and accountant, etc.

PROFITABILITY:  We need to make money, and we are here to make money; make no mistake about this.  We may take on other responsibilities, but the main one is to make money.   Red is a beautiful color on a necktie, sweater, or blouse, but it is a terrible color on a Profit and Loss Balance Sheet.

HUNGRY:  Perhaps the single most important word in a salesperson’s vocabulary.  Salespeople are “Hungry.”   They are hungry for a sale all the time, not just some of the time.  They survive by being hungry.  There is not a waking moment, not a minute in a day, that we are not making a sale.  That is being Hungry, and that is who we are.  Our life revolves around selling.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:  That is how you will be remembered.  You are only as good as your last performance.  Salespeople are always on stage, every minute of the day.  Nobody cares how you performed yesterday, last week, last month, or last year.  Nobody cares how you will perform tomorrow, the next day, next week, next month, next year.  You are known only by your last performance and how you will perform today.  That is your First Impression.  Sometimes, there may be a second chance, but rarely, so make the first impression count and your best.  LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD, BE STRONG, BE CONFIDENT, BE CONVINCING.

OPPORTUNITIES:  A salesperson’s role is to turn opportunities into a sale.  When there are no opportunities, we do not sit back but instead find and create an opportunity.

SOLUTIONS: Salespeople are not just selling a product; they sell “solutions” to someone’s problem.  People buy solutions.

IMPRESS CLIENTS:   The best way to impress a client is to show “EMPATHY,” show him you care about him, you understand his problem, and his position.  Be in his shoes.  The prospect will not buy if he doesn’t think you care.  Listen, listen, listen, and he will tell you what is important to him.  That is how you will earn his trust and confidence.  No one ever buys from someone they did not trust.

Salespeople are the core of any business, and they earn their respect.  They should have your respect as well.