Are you a winner?

I received a telling piece of feedback from the GM of a large financial card manufacturing company, “You taught us a very valuable thing here today, that is, if you don’t enjoy winning business, you’re an account manager.”

He then recommended his 80 person sales force be defined as such. BDM’s win business and AM’s manage accounts. Anything in between is out. Smart move.
What sort of a salesperson are you if you don’t enjoy the thrill of the chase and the feelings associated with bringing in a big deal? You’re probably an account manager.

“Closing” or better the “gain agreement” phase of any sales process is a real buzz. Having a client invest substantial amounts of money (in you) to trust and buy what you sell, is not only healthy for your esteem it should be every committed salesperson’s outcome.

It’s not uncommon for me to consult with a company and find salespeople who are losers. I say that respectfully of course. These people don’t win business often enough to be called winners, some not making a sale for months on end. Why are they still employed?

Perhaps it’s not all their doing, maybe they don’t have the right support, training and leadership. All these elements are fundamental to just about every sales team. However, I’ve always invested in my own training and development, so despite what’s going on around me, I’m learning and growing.

Success is contagious and addictive. When you get on a roll it feels like nothing can stop you. Meetings go from grey to back or white. And provided you don’t get too full of yourself this is winning mindset.

Expect nothing less than to win. Don’t take overzealous risks, but push yourself to achieve more. Customers want to buy from someone who is prepared to back themselves – a winner – so don’t let them down.

For more Selling Strategies advice, click here.

Trent Leyshan is the founder and CEO of BOOM Sales! a leading sales training and sales development specialist. He is also the creator of The NAKED Salesman, BOOMOLOGY! RetroService, and the Empathy Selling Process.