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“You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.” ~ Charlie Parker
If you want to be a sales rockstar, I invite you to explore what a true rockstar, Charlie Parker, has to say about your own path to fame and fortune.
Charlie lays out three stages of success, and we will add a fourth. Each has an unexpected twist – the twist that makes the difference between wild success and miserable failure.
In other words, learn the basics of selling. The best way to succeed at stage one and the thing most people miss is getting the right teacher. Many a person fails miserably in stage one because they are taught badly. Or, worse, they are not taught at all. They are simply thrown into the wild to see if they survive. No wonder so many people are terrified of selling. No one has taught them how to do it. So, instead of finding the right product to sell, the right commission structure, the right books, CD’s, training videos – instead find the right mentor.
When you are interviewing for you first sales job, find out who will be getting you up-to-speed. What is their track record for creating successful salespeople? What is their plan to get you trained? Trust your gut. You will know when you find the right person for you. This person will take you out with them. They will educate you about the product, the industry, the competition. They will teach you to uncover leads, get referrals, set appointments. They will teach you to make a powerful presentation, ask for the sale, get the paperwork right. This person will invest in you. They will know when to turn the process over to you so that you get some successes under your belt from the very start. Find that person!
Pretty obvious, right? The best way to succeed at stage two and that most people miss? Resist getting "clever." Resist trying too many things at once. Resist “fine-tuning” your style and your methods. Resist selling new products in innovative ways. Resist new tactics and flashy strategies. That will all come later. You are not ready yet. You may have some rockstar moments, but you will not have a rockstar foundation for lasting success.
This is the time to play the scales. Every musician will tell you that the first thing they had to do was play the scales. Over and over and over and over and over. Get out. Do the work. Find what you are good at and what you need help with. Ask for help. Listen. Do the work. Win some deals. Lose some deals. Keep at it. Do the work. Do the work. Do the work.
You will know you have gotten to this stage when you are certain in your step. You are confident about your product. You are getting sales meetings on your own and you are consistently improving your conversion and closing rates. You are getting recognized by leadership and you are buying better shoes!
The best way to succeed at stage three and that most people miss? Don't compare yourself to anyone else. As you enter stage three, you will start to notice the sales professionals who are doing way better than you. You will attend sales conferences and find that you are jealous of the speaker – thinking that you can never become as good as they are. You will obsess about the salespeople in your company who are doing better than you and become disheartened when you learn that they have closed another gigantic deal.
If you are feeling this way, it means that you are seeing in others what you now know you can achieve. This is your time to shine and find your own style. Your turn to create your own story that others will want to hear. This is your time to get out there and see what you can do. Take some risks. Make the phone call that scares you. Be unconventional. Strut your stuff! Enjoy the ride! Be yourself! Find your rhythm. Trust your processes. Toss the things that do not work. Find new things that do. Be willing to stumble – be willing to soar. In other words, get out there and wail!
Wait! What? There is no “fine tune” in Charlie Parker’s quote. Nope! This one is The Irreverent Sales Girl’s very own stage four. The best way to succeed at stage four and that most people miss? This is no time for laurel-resting. You have found your stride. You have found your style. You have done the work. You have a foundation of trust in yourself and your abilities. But, you will not remain a star if you do not continue to grow and push yourself.
More than almost any other career, sales requires every bit of you. Your heart, your courage, your resilience, your intelligence, your sheer tenacity. This is the time to really dig in and study what other experts have to say about selling. There are no less than a million books, CD’s, coaches, trainers, experts, videos, technologies, strategies, and tools available to help you fine tune your mastery. If you indulge in learning them all too soon, you will likely become overwhelmed and miss your opportunity to wail!
Stage four is the time to keep your edge. You have the confidence to explore and keep what works and toss what doesn’t. Keep growing, re-inventing, and enjoying the rockstar you have now become.
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Bringing a Dash of Dignity, Adventure, and Poise to the Art of Selling, The Irreverent Sales Girl encourages her clients to seek new horizons and honor their own muse. She offers compelling messages that remind you of who you are and what is possible; a message of hope, challenge, and new thinking – just when you needed it most.
For much more sales inspiration, check out the free ebook Grow Sales: How to Hire, Inspire and Close Deals.
