The sales profession is competitive and there’s probably no exact formula or model to making it to the top in your company. We all have our unique style and so many dynamics come to play when trying to the best sales professional.
Yet, there are specific steps that you can take toward becoming the best sales professional in your business. The first shift you need to make is in your mind’s eye. You need to see yourself as the best salesperson your company has ever seen.
In fact, that is exactly what I’ve said to myself just about every time I ever opened the door to any company: “I’m the greatest salesperson this company has ever seen.”
It’s an old habit and I believe one that has led to success over the years. Anytime I grab a door handle to go into any company, I make that statement to myself.
You may believe its hocus pocus, but I’m convinced that its helped orient me to the right place, and it has provided me the confidence and certainty that I can go and make that happen.
Let’s try a little experiment. Hypothetically speaking, let’s say that I’ll give you $1,000 if you can get your shoes shined in the next hour.
What did your mind immediately do? It began to formulate solutions didn’t it? You may have thought of the local hotel, airport or drug store; regardless of which alternatives, it’s likely that your mind began to provide solutions. Do you know why?
You Are Wired for Success
As soon as your mind has a goal or objective, it immediately begins plotting toward that end. It’s because we are all wired for success. Sometimes the journey we have to travel to get where we want to go is actually within us – in our hearts and minds.
As your vision on the inside becomes more compelling than external impressions, change is in the making.
As you begin to think of yourself as a new person, one that executes at a very high rate, you begin to develop the confidence and certainty that you can make the journey.
Reticular Activating System
According to experts, the synapses in the human brain fires at the rate of one million per second in the conscious mind. In the subconscious mind, also known as the unconscious mind, the synapses fire at about 40 million times per second. Your subconscious mind has the power to process billions of bits of information per second.
The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is the mind’s gatekeeper. It works to filter information so only the data that is important to you gets through.
Let’s look at an example. You likely remember a time at a busy party where you can barely hear the person next to you and suddenly you hear your own name from across the room. Or, perhaps you purchased a new car and suddenly began to see that very same model at every intersection. It’s because your mind recognizes those items as important to you, so it prioritizes that information.
The same is true as you begin to see yourself as the number one sales professional. The mind takes over and begins to allow the world to play out to you consistent with your vision. It may sound like hocus pocus, but the reality is that you are wired for success. So, grab a vision of your future and let your mind guide you through the journey.
Now that you’ve got a strong vision of being the best sales professional in your company, here are the five ways to become the best.
- Vision. Have a vision of being the best. Remember, as your vision on the inside becomes more compelling than external impressions, change is in the making.
- Commit. Easier said than done. Commit to quality in everything and commit to quantity. How often have you heard people say about superstars: “He’s always the first one to arrive and the last one to leave.” If you want to be the best, you had better be committed to the journey.
- Read. It’s not just about doing more than the rest; it’s also about having strong perspectives and being in the know. Know your product, know your customer and know your competition. Be the source of quality information and people will regard you as number one.
- Build positive relationships. I’m not talking about politicking, although there are good lessons to be learned from successful vote getters. I’m talking about supporting people in departments outside of your normal zone of interaction and developing warm connections, over time, across the enterprise. Don’t make it a distraction to your focused work, but those little investments have a way of coming full circle.
- Be passionate. Nothing great was ever accomplished without passion. If you can’t get excited about what it is your doing, your doing the wrong thing. You’ll never get to the top if you’re in the wrong line. Find your passion and go from there.
I hope this article is beneficial to you in your journey. Someone is the best sales professional in your company; why shouldn’t it be you? Empower yourself for sales success!
