If you’re going to be truly great in sales, you are going to have to master the fine art of being two-headed about your work.
Let’s pause for a moment to let the 15-year-old boy in each of us have a good snicker – “She said two-headed, dude!”
Being Two-Headed In Sales
Back to our regular programming.
The thing about great salespeople is they have their head completely in the game.
But, they are playing two games simultaneously – each at 100%.
GAME #1
Truly great salespeople are in it to win it! They are ambitious and strive to be #1 – no matter what. They are going to crack the code, find the secret sauce.
You can see when you’re sitting or standing (prefer standing) in a confident manner – which comes through on the phone.
You can relax and be yourself – instead of all stiff and weird – and that comes through on the phone!
I urge you to get a full-length mirror (if you have an office set up for that) – or at least a small one on your desk. You will see gi-normous results!
And, if you happen to be in a setting where you are selling on an open floor – and this just doesn’t work for your office environment – print out the article below and take it to your manager!
“Why is your life so hard?” Shirley MacLaine asks her granddaughter in the movie Carolina. “Makes me think you’re living somebody else’s instead.”
Made me think of you.
Are you in the zone in your life, your business, your sales?
Does it all seem like a great, big struggle?
I invite you to look.
Are you living somebody else’s dream? Somebody else’s version of what a salesperson should look like? Somebody else’s idea of what your life should look like?
Try going off-script for a day or two. It takes a bit more thinking, and maybe even uncomfortable choices, but it’s the fastest way to the zone and to the success you know you deserve.
Didja ever notice how your best ideas come to you in the shower? Or while you’re at the gym? Or on a really long hike?
Didja ever notice how awesome it feels when you look at your day’s schedule tomorrow and there is NOTHING there?
Didja ever notice that time management experts don’t really talk about that stuff?
Wide Open Spaces Release Natural Genius
I have been a top performer and producer for many, many years and I have had the profound privilege to know some of the most innovative and important people of our time. These are CEOs of Fortune 1000 companies, world-renowned experts in their fields of science and math and marketing, business leaders who change the way people live their lives with the products and services they bring to market.
And they all have one thing in common. They work hard. There is no doubt about that. And they are very, very focused on mastery of their craft. To be sure.
But, they also have another very important thing in common.
They have wide open spaces in their schedules.
Wide open spaces that allow their natural genius to fly free. To lead them to the right answers, to explore the book in front of them, or meet the person on the plane next to them.
I believe that our brains do not work in a linear fashion. I believe there is no such thing as control and we fool ourselves when we try to exert control as a way to get where we want to go.
I believe we are all blessed with natural genius and it is a joy when it is let loose upon the world.
Look at the greats! Every one of them had some part of their schedule that they gave over to wide open spaces. Edison with his “lights out, doors closed” quiet time. Churchill with his morning “constitutionals”. Leaders who schedule themselves three weeks non-stop on the road and one week completely off!
The list goes on and on.
As an example, one of my friends – ex-CEO of one of the most successful tech firms ever – told me that when he has a really tricky problem to solve or a big deal to land – he goes to the ski slopes for the day.
Can you break the addiction of control and linear thinking to allow your true greatness to shine through?
We all know that slow and steady wins the race, right? That tortoise story is ingrained in our psyche. The Hare LOOKS like he’s hot stuff, but it’s the Tortoise who crosses the finish line and leaves the Hare looking like a big fat blow-hard fool.
That is all well and good.
Unless you’re the Hare.
How about adding some Tortoise to your Hare?
What if you are the one who makes big things happen from time-to-time? Like breakthrough things? Things that open new markets? Things that make people say Ooooh and Aaaaah? Where does that leave you?
Or, what if you are more like the Tortoise when it comes to delivering your service, but you are more like the Hare when it comes to selling your service (as many small business owners are) – on again and off again as the mood strikes?
Maybe, just maybe, you can have both! I am discovering that you absolutely can. And it requires just one little magical thing…
Consistency
I’m not so sure WHY it works, but I am finding that it absolutely DOES WORK. And, I’m learning over-and-over that it doesn’t just work for me. I am hearing that putting this magical power to use is the key to many professionals’ success.
The Paradox of Consistency
The crazy thing about consistency is that quantity plays almost no role in it and quality plays less of a role than you would think.
In other words, if I want to reach a particular sales goal or business goal or financial goal, putting even a small, consistent practice in place makes a surprising amount of difference.
I just found a great new sales tool and can’t wait to tell you about it.
But, let me first set the stage…
The Feedback You Will Never Receive
Great salespeople are greedy for feedback! We record ourselves selling, we videotape ourselves giving presentations, we role-play and invite coaching. We work to get better and better.
But, there is a silent killer and it is especially dangerous because you don’t even know to look for it!
This killer is greedily devouring the top of your sales funnel. Effectively blocking entrants who could be your best prospects.
But You Will Never Know Because They Will Never Tell You
This beast is right now lurking in your email account.
“What is this terrifying killer?” you are compelled to ask.
IT IS YOUR VERY OWN WRITING STYLE!
You are very likely clueless as to how readers perceive your messages. You may have insight into which prospects are opening your emails, but you have no idea why they immediately hit the delete button or sighed in disgust and passed right on by!
As a salesperson, you are defined by the messages you leave behind.Your voice messages, text messages, emails, InMails, and social posts are your go-to moves. So, they had better be good.
This word will leave the Status Quo shaking in it’s boots!
I have been selling for about a million years. Day in and day out. I have read nearly everything I can get my hands on and I have heard many of the super pros speak.
The pure and simple question that unlocks doors and allows you full access.
WHY?
Three little letters.
My good friend, President of Dialogue Consulting, revealed this secret to me and I was amazed! She is notorious for turning unprofitable businesses to profitable! And it’s no wonder. She is phenomenal. And this is one of her most powerful tools in her tool kit. The question…
This is one of the most dis-arming comments you can make in a tense sales conversation. It immediately makes your conversation personable. Here’s how it works:
