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As a salesperson your ability to set expectations in the sales process will help you work towards closing a deal. As you set expectations with your client they can "see" or "hear" the goals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a salesperson, your roles, responsibilities, and self-image will evolve over time. This evolution is something you can take within a few years or over your lifetime of sales.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to prepare for a sales job  There are multiple approaches to interviewing salespeople. If you have never been in sales there is a feel to the interview. Some people fly off the seat of their pants while others use a full structure. It is important to note that some Business Owners and or Sales Managers like to see salespeople squirm. You will want to be prepared for an easy sales meeting or a difficult one. Either way, it will come down to your skills, conversation, rapport, and charm. You can learn from sales job interviews as to things  Why do sales interviews matter  A sales interview is a way for a company to decide to hire you or not. This seems simple enough. Some companies cant find a closer and are willing to hire someone to train. Sales interviews can range from easy to difficult. The better you prepare and the better your answers are you can improve your chances of getting hired. If you are looking for a sales job, this content could prepare you for what to expect.  Questions you may get on a sales interview for a new job  To start with this is not really a question but a view of an action. In this day and age people, can't say they didn't know how to get somewhere. Most employers will look at: Did they show up on time prepared with notes, pen, and or paper?  Do they initiate the conversation at the office Are they friendly with the office staff? Are they a closer and can they prove it – do they have docs and or awards Can they deal with pressure – Are they relaxed in the conversation even with no rapport Can they deal with the pressure of constant questions and also deal with constant interruptions Are they Good looking, funny, or socially awkward (pay attention to the laws in your jurisdiction Do they have a slight edge, chip on their shoulder, or anything similar – confidence vs arrogance Can they hold a conversation Do they engage in the conversation / do they get annoyed easily Can they deal with tough follow up questions? Do they have direction in the conversation, Are they leading or trying to lead Have they found achievement in their life? Sports – college Awards Degree Health Adversity – Jail to redemption, broke to money What is their favorite adversity story? Are they willing to follow a system? Are they willing to make a cold call on the phone live or at least willing to attempt it? Are they willing to role play in the appointment and if so why? Do they know how to articulate what they want? Will they push back or will they agree with anything? Do they ask for the next steps? Do they love people or hate them, do they have a disdain for others? Can they talk about good and bad experiences in their life? Are they a people pleaser and go with the wind – this may be a problem – they will get pushed around from they buyers? Do they seem eager about the job or the role Do they push back with rejection – Call me back - Questions to ask new salespeople When someone is new to sales the questions asked may be different than questions asked to veteran sales reps.  Would they be willing to start with just following up or at a lower level position? Have they achieved anything in the past that they are proud of? How did they prepare for the call? Can they hold a conversation with questions, directions or anything else? Do they ask good questions or look for clarification? What happens when they get pushed back? Are they willing to talk about their fears of selling? Are they overly confident, this can be a problem? Are they willing to try to sell in the appointment? What is the most expensive thing they have recently bought – ask them to see “you buy how you sell” You have tons of options when looking for a sales job. Just so you know sales interviews are not supposed to be easy.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why a structured sales processes help you close deal Flying by the seat of your pants nets nothing except frustration. Your clients know what you are doing, they feel it.  Your buyer deserves your best effort. If you really want long-term success in sales you need a system. Consistency in sales only happens what you have a solid game plan.  The power of structured sales processes  Masterful presentations demand attention, you get out what you put in. You may hate the structure, it really gives you freedom. There is a common pattern where newer salespeople push against the process because they think it’s the process not closing the deal – in all realities the sales presentation isn’t that good or prepped. Secrets of sales success  Top salespeople use a consistent process that they built or had someone build for them. You may hear the phrase “It's not a sales call it’s a performance”. If you need a generic formula to a sales presentation here it is: Mind Prep – get in the game Intro – there is all sorts of work in here, positioning, priming, frame control Rapport – masterful stories are used here Agenda – Control, assertion, and future pacing – If we can't get to a budget there is no reason to be here Discovery – Pain, problem, pleasure / budget / commitment – 1 of these 3 is missing and the sale doesn’t happen - Presentation – Refer back to the discovery Objections – this really happens through the whole call – buyers feel the hammer coming Closing – Asking for the sale How to build a powerful sales presentation  You will want to figure out your game plan. You may need to ask yourself some tough questions about what you are doing:  What format are you using? What questions are you asking? How consistent is your process? You will want to map out what your sales process is and then find a way to stick to it, with everyone. If you do need to make changes make them when you are on top and make them slowly. Why people panic in sales: They feel like the constraints are holding them back They fly by the seat of their pants to speed up the sales process They are not making the money The quit just before they get good What you can do Find a solid presentation for your industry Practice it a bunch of times – practice with purpose Get used to saying things over and over again Be willing to get used to a boring conversation that you make interesting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The power of learning how to be assertive in sales  To take your sales skills to the next level you will need to learn how to communicate better. Being assertive in sales is one way for you to move towards being a closer. You have to learn your own path and process. You can take and model what you learn but you will need to expand your zone.  How to stand up for yourself in sales  You must learn how to stand up for yourself in sales and not get pushed around. The people who meet with you need to see you have a direction to your process, you will say what you need to and you can deliver content to them. You must learn how to take comfortable control. What you need to know is this idea can be controversial. Some sales training concepts are anti-sales as some scripts and word tracks will get you in trouble. How to build powerful scripts in sales  You must be careful with your scripts. It’s a case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr hyde when you are building rapport and then you go on the script. You have to learn how to meld the 2 concepts of your ideas and your words.  You have to get good with a script first so you can become you as a salesperson. Most salespeople never ever realize the personalization happens after you become comfortable with the sales process. The way the world works conversation  If you were going to look towards an idea or concept around this process it is the "This is the way the world works" conversation. You may even use a phrase like "I gotta set the record straight" You have a friend that says what they are thinking. Sometimes what the person says is very elegant and sometimes the people we know are very gruff. When you meet with people they want to know they are being told the truth. Sometimes people say they want the truth but they also cant handle it. Why new salespeople struggle with being assertive  New salespeople don’t know what to say or what to do. New salespeople don’t have their sea legs under them. New salespeople don’t have enough experience. What you think sales is may or may not be true, in fact, you can be 180 degrees off.  – when I first looked at Sandler-type sales in the 2006 – 2008 era it made me uncomfortable. The more closers I was around the more I adopted their conversational flow You never know who is going to have an impact on you Coworkers  Trainers Friends  Industry leaders  Enemies  People don’t want to be lied to and they want to be told the truth. People want to be the bold guy or girl and say what they are thinking and admire those who are masterful at it. You can use the framework"I want to make sure you understand I am not saying to be a jerk". In order to be assertive in sales, you have to learn how to disassociate from being friendly and saying what needs to be said.  You can make an agreement with buyers  “I really don’t know how to sugar coat, I will give you the good and the bad and if that isn’t going to work you will need to let me know”. The thing is if you say these phrases it better be accurate. This is a shot across the bow early on in a conversation, it's positioning, its priming.    When someone makes a request that doesn’t work, you have to know how to shut them down: Yeah, that’s not going to happen (because) Most salespeople are supplicant and will beg for the deal. You have to be able to deliver powerful messages using your personality. If you don’t like how someone else says it, figure out how to use it as a framework.   Your gameplan Look for the people you list out and look up to. Be willing to have tough conversations in your real life. You can spend people who say it like it is. There is a whole generation of people like this. It's not about being mean or abusive to others. Your confidence in what you say matters – you gotta get the skills to sell and deliver information. Take improv classes to get used to the timing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why I spend so much time putting content together This episode may sound like its all about me, its not. I have to share my experiences to build the road map. This isn’t a cheesy covert hypnosis or inception all about myself. With 2600 YouTube videos and nearly 200 podcasts episodes, you have to know I have an agenda. Every chance I talk I get to refine my content, my thoughts, and my skills. How my past helped me build content  I was made fun of relentlessly for my speech problem as well as my weight. I was told to be quiet my whole life. When I started in sales there was not the level of coaching, youtube, podcasts, or blogs as prolific as they are now. If you are just getting into sales you have more content available to you to choose from. The building of content is a reminder for me of a path, a digital journal of sorts. How my content creation process was jumpstarted and why it matters  In 2014 my house was broken into and I was in a slump. This was the time that the ice bucket challenge. In May 2014 the conversation and viral video process was really amplified. Deb Cole @coachdeb challenged me to create content. I went for 100 days in a row adding videos to YouTube. I was told that the skill of being in front of a camera or video would work out for me. I added 2600 pieces of content to YouTube over time. In March of 2020 the Pandemic made Zoom videos prolific.  My extra reason why for creating content   It's my hope that an episode will help someone who is struggling. The feel of a bottomless pit is real and it's scary. I want to leave a legacy of my journey and how to help others. Not everyone wakes up with killer confidence. Some people have to work at it, I have my moments. Some days I am superman and some days… I just don’t have it.   How content creation helps me  Refined ideas and thoughts equals wisdom when done properly. I drive for hours sometimes talking into a headset or microphone to refine, shape, and shift a concept. Teaching content allows for you to command control of your ideas – a few people have told me that my recall skills are unparalleled for various topics – it's because I have internalized the thoughts and beliefs. I look for concepts, correlations, questions, hypotheses, and patterns. I build out note guides for other people to help me remember – I have done this for multiple courses or events. At the end of the day, it makes it easier for people to find me Content creation is bragging rights  There are not many people who have as much content online as I do. There are a few people who have more. There is so much bad advice out there.  I can think of a few people I have zero respect for that think they can train. I put things out there to counter their bad content. The challenge for you is to come up with 10 pieces of content. You also need to be interviewed. When you get interviewed you are the expert.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Sings of being in a toxic sales environment You can start working at a company and everything is fine. Over time the office can go sideways. You need to know what to do when your company becomes unethical. The company may have been great before but then they change. There is a point where some companies become toxic. This is a process and evolution of a business. Sometimes the change happens overnight, sometimes it happens over time and sometimes you didn’t see the signs. Why toxic business environments start: Profits were weak the previous year An old manager is fired – average time on a job is 3-5 years The company is being prepped to be sold Bad professional advice Management can encompass managers, owners, and even new owners. These issues can happen with people you know and people you have never met.  Management or ownership is abusive to employees: The way employees or other managers are treated is like hazing, some managers treat the employees poorly Management plays games to get people to purposely quit instead of doing the adult thing and asks the person to leave – this happens to salespeople Outside vendors are allowed to treat employees poorly New managers are trying to prove their power Old managers are trying to keep their job and appease the new managers / owners Management or ownership pushes for the wrong thing to be done: All the standards and the “norms” are no longer followed New management brings in their squad Management is opportunistic Management and ownership sour to salespeople and highly skilled staff Salespeople are called names and treated poorly Long term employees are ushered out, they know the lay of the land and know where all of the “bodies are hidden” The 3 bounce – when someone is moved 3 times in an organization it’s the kiss of death – pay attention to if this is you Management builds teams Poorly skilled managers are always looking at the “my team vs your team” scenario. They take sides and want you to pick one Sometimes its pick a side or get out – you have to read the subtext Management plays with the commission structure Commission structures are played with Your money and or bonuses are never paid out Your game plan At some point these games are going to be played with you: Here are 5 things you can do to prep Create your own authority site and content and let your buyers know you have done this Constantly evolve your skills so you can sell anything Build your resume and keep one handy Foster relationships with vendors as well as managers from other organizations Be willing to leave when things go bad – if you are a closer you are the prize, someone will love you somewhere else Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 skills all closers have  There are common traits of salespeople in all sorts of industries. When you take a look at styles and skills here are some of the places you can learn from: In home sales Commercial sales  Real estate sales  SaaS sales  Car sales Enterprise sales  Phone sales These are the 7 traits closers have. If you look long enough you may find different ideas. You can build out your own list or concepts. You can take and compare notes for what you find. Watch other salespeople and see what you would come up with or if you would use the same list. The top traits of closers When you look at the skills and the talents closer have you can then duplicate them. In NLP this would be modeling. You copy somewhat the things you see and duplicate them. You then evaluate where your skills and capabilities are. You must be willing to dig in and ask if they are the real things you feel or if they feel fake.  7 traits of top salespeople  These traits are for the most part in order of the presentation you will give. It doesn't matter the industry you are in or the product you sell. These 7 traits of closers are universal.  Self-image – this is what they think about themselves. Their confidence, their aura in a room. Delivery – how they talk, communication, and interaction with the person or the people they meet with. Delivery happens from the moment a salesperson walks into a door to the time the sales call ends. Timing – study comedy = improv classes Rapport – this is all about how they connect with the person or the people they are meeting with. Rapport is the feeling of being similar Questions – Questions, and stories are in my mind are the 2 most powerful forms of communication. Most top salespeople can flip an idea with a question “is it possible” “its impossible unless – they turn the tables on buyers Presentation – this is how they talk to people in the presentation, how they explain what they offer and how they talk through their offer. This is narration, this is conversation and this is story. Objections – How they deal with the problems the buyer has – the calmness, the walk into the fire belief Negotiation – What they do to get the deal closed, how they get the buyer to the horizon The traits to target to be a closer  If you are struggling look at how much rapport you are building. If you want to target a skill to increase your closing rate look at the questions you are asking. Make a list of all of the questions you know and be willing to add to them. The one place you can start is to learn how to deal with difficult people and or buyers. Learn to deal with the worst of the worst, this makes it so much easier to deal with anyone.  The 8th trait of top closers  If there was a bonus skill that was needed for closing it would be critical thinking. This skill is a combination between questions and correlation. You do want to get better at looking at cause and effect. You can utilize follow up questions to get better answer as well.      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would sales be a good career for me? A common phrase that comes up in Google is "Is sales a good career to get started in". This is something sales trainers and sales experts get asked as well. Know that sales is a great service to be involved with. You get to help people with problems and issues they face.  Common fears about sales  There is always the fear about taking advantage of people – you don’t have to do this Living on commission Asking for the sale What you get to take with you for life. When you know how to sell, you get whatever you want.  How to ask for what you want Negotiation Better confidence Ability to speak in front of a crowd Talk yourself out of stations Up your income You get a better understanding of people Sales is a great career, you can move to different positions and or locations: Industries Services Locations Systematized sales processes can be used in multiple locations. Here is what you may have to put up with: The learning curve Management - Product changes - No set or guaranteed pay – there is the opposite and a huge upside Unethical people Who sales is not for Liars, cheats and frauds – they will always be in the industry (that’s the list) 3% Where can you learn Network marketing (MLM) Start small think in terms of a low dollar item Look a place good reputation 2nd party sales – garage sales, FB market, craigslist Focus - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Overcoming your money fears in sales  Most fears of rejection come in around money. You may be the cause of objections with your buyer. You have to be willing to ask for what you want in sales and that includes money.  Salespeople who don’t make money tend to make decisions for the buyer. If you wanted to look for a similar type of energy this can be compared to asking someone out on a date.  You sell how you buy  You sell how you buy or you buy how you sell really is your operating system. If you had pre-sales programming this is it. Your own internal money fears create your objections. You literally talk yourself into your greatest fears. Your buyers feel your fears, your buyers know your fears. Buyers hear it in your voice and it betrays you.    Price reluctancy in sales is real   You talk circles around your fears. Kids talk circles around things they want or people they are interested in. Salespeople may tell themselves "I don’t want to ask the buyer, the client or otherwise for that much money". Salespeople can build too much rapport to avoid getting to the money. Salespeople can ask endless questions to avoid getting to the money. Tips to get over money fears: Watch closers talk about “the money” See how its “just the money” with no real energy – it's factual Role play at 10x to 100x your cost. If its 10k role play at 100k etc Role play saying price 100 times Be willing to talk about money early on Be willing to talk about money a few times in the sales process You can price condition – number, phrase, color – hypnotists do this You can use phrases like “I don’t want to spend all of your money, I just want to spend some of it” – focus Can we agree early on that I share with you what you need – yes, you might hear something that you were not expecting. If you need a 100K product ill let you know. If you need a 10k product Ill let you know. Im not scared to let you know what you really need. At the same time, ill let you know if there is something you don’t. Place the blame for your own internal objections  To begin with its your fault if you are not closing deals. You can buy into messages from the buyer. You can get caught up in what others are doing. Some of this is the buyers' fault since they are nervous and you buy into it. Some of this is sales fault. This can come from bad sales training. You do have Homework, go watch other salespeople present.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How sales systems and processes help you close more deals  You listen to enough successful people it's all about systems and processes. This framework is used to get consistency in their life. You can look at interviews with billionaires and or highly successful people. They have a repetitious element for the most part. Most salespeople early on look at systems, processes, and routines as a detrement.  Systems and constraints  Look at management as a system even though there are constraints they help. Looking at the numbers is a system, using time is a system, setting up funnels is a system and having the right managers is a system. Look at how many systems are out there.  Some systems are better than others. Some systems are more difficult and time-consuming. You have to find the right ones to help you and push you. If you don’t have a system and process you have one by default – not having a system is chaotic and sporadic.  Systems and processes are everywhere in sales  The commission structure is a good example of a system. This is all about steps and actions.  look for where you do well and struggle. Look for the places where you struggle that can have the most impact. You have to work towards consistency. It will difficult in the beginning, what you need to know is most people give up.  Why closers have systems in sales  When you watch closers in sales it doesn’t look like they have a system. One of the most common concerns, when salespeople work with closers, is “it just feels like they are talking” that’s a closers system. Most salespeople say they want the freedom of random presentations and then complain about the results they get.In the beginning, you do have to learn how to use scripts, word tracks, and stories until they become second nature. If you work out and you want the max results you have to have a system If you drive a race car you have to have a system for max results If you do your taxes you have to have a system for max results If you do a diet you have to have a system for max results How to figure out your system You do need to take the time to figure your system out. You may have to ask people for help t find your way.  Use one already built and stick to it Pay someone to build one for you Try to come up with one on your own The challenges are: We fight for autonomy We don’t like constraints and being told what to do We get bored Without guided practice, we get off track A few examples of systems in your personal life – high examples : What time you get up - How you work out The food you eat How much sleep do you get The training  you are willing to take  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is sales so hard and why cant I just be a closer? The question of sales difficulty comes up often. This happens in all services and all industries. Sales is a business decathlon it's not just one event or topic it's multiple you have so many things to look at. The more expensive the item the more things to remember. Low ticket items are easy to sell, there is no real risk. The more the investment, the more the risk. As you start in your sales career you have to get the basics down.  How to get started in sales  Most salespeople find some sort of job start early. It can be mowing lawns, selling candy or even a paper route. If you are thinking of getting into sales you are going to get a glimpse of what it is like. If you have been in sales get ready to nod your head for a few reminders. Look at all of the things you need to know how to do when it comes to sales for bigger ticket items. As you look at the list of what you need to know it is overshadowed by the list of: Bad training / coaching Bad information  Poor implementation or becoming stagnant  Jon Benson uses the line "Its not your fault but now that you know its your responsibility". Find the best sales training you can pay for tat the time. Figure good sales training will make your money back at some point. You have to get good at figuring out skill and: Emotions Inadequacies Personal conflicts The right product for your buyer There are so many things to know, it's not just about personality and communication. You can work years to master these skills and always work to improve them. Here are the 10 items you must know how to do to be a master closer: Keep a strong mental state – this isn’t always easy. Boundaries Deal with rejections – a pile of it and just when you think its done, you get more Put up with office politics – you have haters on the outside… haters on the inside. Some of your worst haters are managers that have never done sales Give a good presentation (content mastery) scripts, delivery, conversations, interruptions Ask questions and answer questions – getting good at knowing what to say and not to say Tell stories – good stories, emotional stories, sales stories. Know about the product, service, competition, rules – this is the in-depth knowledge that people cant have off the net or from a book – this is what you get paid for Overcome objections – you have 5 major objections for most industries and then their hybrids. It's not just the 5 major it's really a combination of 25. You have to get good with the base 5 Deal with delivery and timelines – you have to know when and where and also negotiate to make it happen with vendors, staff, and even legal issues. Deal with upset clients – not everything goes well Every one of these items could be an episode in itself. Every category could be broken down into more categories. Just in objections alone you can look at: 3 bids  Buying criteria  Personal beliefs  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sales rep failure rate and sales failure reasons Being a salesperson can be weird. Most salespeople fail more than they close. Some salespeople want something they cant have early on. What the salespeople want is a career without failure.  Most industries have an average of 20 – 30% closing rates. This means 1/3 appointments are closed. The better salespeople are 2/3 sales deals closed. Getting past fear of failure  Failure is part of life. The more risks you take the more failure you can face. It's your job to fail often and figure out how to make things work. As you fail you are supposed to learn. There are a few ways for you to get past failure and the feeling of it: Take notes Fail, beyond the training Know that attempts are tests  Read biographies of successful people How to get through failure in sales  Salespeople can be seen as unusual.  Salespeople look at going into the fire, taking the bullets, and then running out with a client on their back. Plenty of people have a fear of not doing well in the face of adversity. People freak out about being told “no” but they don’t know that the key to getting to the yes is figuring out what people don’t want. Read “Start with no from Jim Camp” and Never split the difference from Chris Voss.  Getting through a sales slump  If you want to get to the next level in sales and or have success in business you can look at sales as a bell curve. You can become obsessive about routines and processes.  It’s a closing rate measurement contest not who you are. The only way you can get better is by putting in the reps. The pattern for success in sales is this: New content – role play – fail – role play fail less – fail – role play – fail less – role play = comfort = close. The closing deal Framework How do you think and think about yourself? This question can be for your looks, your abilities, your skills and so much more. Your external belief in yourself has an impact on your sales process. The worse you feel about yourself the tougher it is to close deals.  7 rules of sales failure You must want to really close deals – opportunity in the future You must learn to be ok with failure and problems with losing deals You must be willing to look back at deals to dissect them You must be patient – you need You must see that in the long term sales is cyclical You must be ok with no as much as or more than yes He or she who asks, gets – you only get from life what you ask for The 7 skills closers have Self-image Rapport Presentation Questions Objections Negotiation Delivery   7 skills all closers have   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone wants to be a closer until they have to put in the work  Every time you solve a problem you create a new one, this is true and life and business. This is a lesson you must understand. Once you get this sales does become easier. Sales failures and sales slumps are a normal part of the job. There are times where people say they want to be in sales and that they want to be a closer until they have to take aciton.  Different ways to think about sales  Think about this, you sell a product and or service and its new to the buyer. They know what life was like before they bought but they don’t know what life is like after. You need to build comfort, consistency as well as commitment. Salespeople don’t know how to do this, they think its all bout the price. You must be able to resolve the issues of the past, present, and future. You don't want to be an emotional punching bag for someone so they feel better without them taking action.  Tough conversations in sales  Tough conversations are something you must learn how to have. Most salespeople are scared or upset and or angry buyers. You must get past the worry and or fear of tough conversations with your buyers. Angry and upset people will still purchase goods and or services. You can have candid conversations with people about their fears and or worries.  Turn problems into opportunities in sales  Whatever "problem" your new product or service creates should have an opportunity to fix it.  Every problem should be looked at as an opportunity. Most salespeople get caught up on one side of the coin. Here are just some of the problems you can, will or may face. Other salespeople who are knuckleheads – they don’t practice, they don’t know their product, they sell on price, they call and dump on the closer, they need help with mommy or daddy close the deal. They have to deal with the office who doesn’t care about deadlines, promises made – by all means they get paid by the hour and hate closers They get difficult clients – and close them - They have to answer questions – and do it well They have to close – and ask for the sale They have to deal with post close issues – products, services as well as logistics and or vendors They have to deal with paperwork – lots of deals = lots of paperwork They have to deal with upset clients – not everything goes right with set up, processes and delivery They have to deal with haters – show me a closer and I will show you a line of haters They have to deal with managers that don’t get sales (accountants, HR and managers don’t understand closers) office staff love pliable salespeople – they don’t ask, they don’t push and they don’t get. Closers learn how to say what they are thinking in a way that’s bold – it drives insecurity in others so it creates problems Walk sales into the horizon and the future  Not everyone has it in them to deal with what closers create, in fact managers say “why cant we go back to the way it used to be". Closers are future-facing and move forward. Closer know when they meet closers, closers also know when they meet posers. There is a feel to someone who can and will close deals. There is also a feel of those who cant. Its in their actions, their voice and their overall persona. Game recognize game. Everyone wants to be a closer until office politics Closers will say what they are thinking, they don’t take crap from managers – they know they are the prize and can get a new job now (they take the arrows in sales meetings and don’t care) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The only shortcut in sales and business is hard work There are no shortcuts in sales except the work you put in. Sure on a Wednesday on a full moon where you stub your toe getting out of bed there may be an exception. Some training isn’t quick, its slow. You have to put in the repetitions. There isn't such a thing as instant learning. Everyone learns at a different pace, some people may be faster or slower than you. Your learning comes from your life experiences.  You must put in the hard work to learn how to sell  It's all about the reps you put in. You have to get multiple items down in order to sell. Sales is like a business decathlon. You have multiple items you must get good at. In Happy Gilmore its said "Its all about the hips “go with it, feel the flow”. In sales its about taking a path of learning what needs to be done to close the sale.  Momentum in sales takes effort  You have to put in the effort to make gains. Most salespeople say that they want to close deals but they don't want to put in the work. You will have wins and you will have losses – as you grow the losses are more than the wins. There will be a flipping point where the wins are greater than the losses. Natural talent isn’t normal, it actually hurts naturally talented people more to fix. Anyone who sells an instant fix isn’t really telling you the whole truth. You can train for a weekend, your sales pump up and then go down. It's all about the repeittion.  Why you must use a sales system  What system are you using? How is your system working for you? Do you do the same thing every time? What do you tell yourself? How is the conversation going in your head? How committed are you to your own personal improvement? These are just a few questions you could ask yourself to get going. You dont want to be a graduate of the: Wild E coyote school of sales George Costanza school of business Negative content and the positive rebound Its you against you first in sales, it's you against everyone else second. Who cares what other people are doing? if they are liars, cheats, or frauds it will catch up to them at their worst moment, it's not your worry or your reputation. It sucks when you are at the bottom looking up and it seems impossible.  Dr. Alan Baranrd likes to use the phrase "it's impossible unless". How can you use this phrase to your advantage? You can look to movies for inspiration. In Batman Returns Bane threw Bruce Wayne in the deep hole. Bruce Wayne had to decide he was going to get out. The hard work in sales  If you really want to make an impact in sales you can start with consuming positive content. You will also want to Role play not just a little but a ton. You can encourage others as it costs you nothing and opens up new receptors in your brain. Gratitude is one thing you can do as well you can start with a gratitude journal.  Coached failure is faster than learned failure  You can move faster with Coached failure get someone to help you do it better, faster and easier. You have to put in the work and the effort others are not willing to do. You will learn on your timetable and not others.  Be willing to do what others will not: Go online – buy courses Read books Interview experts  Keep track of your numbers        Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Confidence in sales – the 7 steps of confidence There is a path, this isn’t automatic, it takes time, energy, and effort. You must put in the hard work to be a closer in sales. This means you have to practice, drill and rehearse. Another way to say this is role play. Your personal life has an influence on your business life. Daily struggles can turn a closing streak into a losing streak. You can over time find your confidence and keep it until something knocks you off your feet.  Restore shaken confidence  Your confidence can get shaken. Your confidence will get shaken, this is part of personal and business life.  Losing confidence is normal and happens to everyone, it's how you deal with it. When you have confidence and when you lose confidence think through what you tell yourself and what you say to yourself.  You can model confidence  You can use an NLP technique and do what others have done. This "modeling" is a way for you to borrow the traits of those who are confident. Look at people who are confident, what do they do. You can model confidence by people watching wherever you go out and when you do things.  How to get your confidence back  There is a recovery period associated with The timetables for recovery are different for everyone. How you think about your wins and losses matters. The bigger the change in your life the larger the possibility of having shaken confidence: No sales – getting told no Sales slumps  Break up  Deaths Personal image issues Not hitting personal goals Feeling stagnant Losing something Being overweight Missing a deadline Why confidence in sales is so important Confident salespeople with a bad message cant sell. Someone with confidence and a strong message can sell anything. It is important to have confidence in the sales process. Here are 7 steps to confidence.  Choice – you get this choice. It's all about what you tell yourself Clear – You have to get clear on what you want Commitment – Once you know what you want you to have to make a commitment Capable – this comes from repetition Consistency – Repetition over and over again Certainty – When you are certain people around you know it Confidence – Confidence has a feeling Compound (Bonus) – This is a force multiplier – follow up 2nd greatest feeling iwn the word If you disagree how would you put the list in order, what would you change, how would you say it? What is your recipe?   Ways for you to grow your confidence It's you against you in sales first - Know there are haters that love to bring you down - What you intake matters – food and ideas books/ podcasts Exercise Read - Motivational content Encourage others – good job, keep going Stay away from negative people Make a journal of what you are thankful for – gratitude Awesomeness swipe file – episode 144 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Sales Hack formula for coaching and training  There are hacks to sell more goods and better coaching. What you need to know this is hard work. Being in sales is not supposed to be easy. H.A.C.K. is an acronym for you to work from.  Most salespeople say they "want it" until they have to put in the hard work.  The failure rate in sales and closing deals  Most salespeople and entrepreneurs don’t see the failure to success ratio (this is the number of times you fail vs the times you succeed). Most industries look at a 30% closing rate as good which means you fail 2x more than you succeed. You will have to take the hits to up that level. You need focus, skills, dedication, and a knowledge that failure isn't permanent unless you make it permanent.  Bad experiences in sales and business  As salespeople we have all been through bad experiences,  thank goodness you are looking to learn and improve. Correction in sales may lead to tough conversations. Sometimes you need to find a new coach because they cant help you. Salespeople may get their feelings hurt when they think coaching is what they want to hear and not what they need to hear. Sales coaching only works when you do. This explicitly means you must put in the work. You have to be willing to be uncomfortable, take the steps and implement.  Testing your process in sales  You can learn from the world of marketing,  test to see if something works and then reframe your position. You must get past the feeling of looking dumb, silly, or otherwise.  When you get coached you have to put in the actions. If you have had coaches you may have been corrected over time and been OK with it. You must have a good belief between coaching and success   The HACK formula for sales success  If you need a framework for sales success here is the acronym you can use: Help ask for it – At the end of the day it helps when you want the help Salespeople who have no skin in the game don’t really end up doing anything with the training or coaching You have to be all in with the ask and be humbled You can ask someone at work, a manager or even hire someone Tough conversations are part of the ritual – sometimes you want to hear something and your are shown another way. Action This should be self-evident, not all salespeople think about this You will have to step out of your comfort zone It's going to be hard – you will have good times and bad times Coaching Coaching isn’t always easy for the salesperson or the coach. You have to put in the effort and not just do the minimum There is time involved – which means there is risk for you A good coach is going to want for you to win and not just get paid Kick butt The process is all about calibration There is a time where things may seem slow you also have to build up to momentum There will be a point where you get stuck again and need to get the coaching or training – will probably evolve over time   How to pay for coaching and training in sales  If you want to get to the next level in sales you have 2 options. You can learn on your own and this process takes longer and can be costly. You can hire someone to show you what you need to know. Here are the ways you can get coaching: Save for it and pay for it  Ask someone to help you out  Trade and or barter for sales training  See if you can get someone to underwrite you and or pay for it  MIH - Make it happen  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why am I struggling in sales Questions about struggles in sales are more common than you would know. When it comes to sales you have to know what is normal and what isn’t. Finding yourself without closed leads can happen over time or it can happen quickly. Distractions are common, you have things going on in your life besides closing deals.  Sales is repetitive and so are struggles  You must get the reps in, it's just like going to the gym. You have to put in the work and the effort. There are cycles to sales, you do good and then you don’t You have to get used to: Your presentation – Comedians go to small towns to work on their sets to get their timing right Your timing in the conversation and interactions with your buyer  Your comfort – the average salesperson takes 200 – 600 presentations to feel normal It took me 500 videos to get used to being in front of a camera Confidence is felt, heard, and spotted – On the spectrum so is a lack of confidence and arrogance What happens when you face emotional meltdown How you hold and keep your Attitude Why am I so bad at sales No preparation or lack of presentation to the buyer  No role-play or practice  No patience with people and their objections  Not putting a sale on the horizon – future pacing – if vs when (this takes 7-10 times) urgency. No networking with other salespeople and or closers No working with others to increase your sales skills.    Why is sales so difficult?   So many books say build rapport with your buyer. The problem is at some point rapport works against you and your process. Rapport can help you close deals and at the same time when you cross the line of interaction you end up hurting yourself. Yes, you do need to build rapport and interact with your buyer and you also need to have some tension in the sales process. You cant always agree with the buyer, you need surprise and you need tension.  Sell on price and die poor So many salespeople say raise the price to discount it. This doesn't require sales skills it requires a calculator to make something happen.  It's also common for salespeople to say to price match in order to close a deal. The problem with price matching and is that it becomes addictive. When you sell on price you will die poor. Comfort in sales   What they don’t tell you is you need to be comfortable for the buyer to feel comfortable – the go-to move is rapport but fake rapport is felt. Most salespeople ask the questions that every other salesperson asks. There is not point and it feels like a routine. You can't just stay in the learning lane forever. There will be a point where you have to put in the work and the effort.  You will be beyond the book at some point, which means your skills and talents will have to increase over time.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Costly Entrepreural mistakes I have made – please learn from them   As an Entrepreneur, I have made some mistakes over time. I am hoping that my mistakes will help you. Some of these have been very costly with time, energy, effort, risk or money. YOu have to look at the time you have vs the time you are spending on events.  Common mistakes made when growing  When listening to these mistakes you can take a look and do the opposite.  Trying to learn everything before moving forward isnt an option. There is a point where you are beyond the book. You do have to put in the action at some point and have it result in a profit.  If you are not using paid traffic you have a hobby and not a business – Todd Brown Not building a list like I should have Not maintaining Scottbellconsultant site Not creating articles on a consistent basis (podcasts as well) Doing more content creation than client acquisition Not building a Facebook group(s) Not networking enough Not partnering and or JV – its easier to work with the right partner (sometimes this doesn’t work) Not automating faster – Calendly to quiz to video (etc) Not buying the right tool – doing it wrong has cost me way more than just buying the right app, service or consulting? Not getting into consulting sooner - Not multi-purposing my content this whole time Not creating my own mastermind Not charging enough early on – really you must charge more Not having a few projects to work on (not too many) Not saying no fast enough Mistakes I have made with other people as an Entrepreneur    It's not just mistakes I have made by myself, there are also things I have done with other people. Being in business is not a hand holding sport by any means. There are actions you must take on your own.  Sticking in and waiting for people instead of jumping Recognizing the never-ending rainbow – realize when you are being led on Not setting drop-dead dates / walk away time frames (go – no go situations) Not hiring the best – Hire the best cry once Operation time suck Common - Trends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody is coming to save you in sales and business  The title may sound negative, its meant to help you understand what you are up against in sales and business. When you watch Shark Tank some entrepreneurs are left to figure out their problems and don't get any money.  Problems in sales are cyclical   We all go through cycles. Most entrepreneurs have lost it all before. Entrepreneurs go broke all the time. Stats say most millionaires have lost it all 2x before they made their money. The truth is you have to save yourself, this means you have to put in the work. Look for ways where you can talk out your problems and spot where you have issues.  Jay Abraham says "you are the solution to someone else’s bigger problem" Desperation in sales  Desperation is a tough spot to be in. Desperation has an inward focus (strong focus) everything is all about you especially when you are at the bottom. Solutions happen when you put your feet to pavement or action to marketing. When you struggle there may not just be one single silver bullet especially if you have tons of bad habits or crisis. The mistake can be looking for the easy way out (it may be the hard thing that saves you). You must be willing to put in the work and take action What if nobody is coming to save you in sales? What if you take the path that “Nobody is coming to save me”. How would this shift your world view? What new actions would you take? You must take action to move forward and create momentum. You must “want it” and know your reason why How to create momentum in sales  Network – does matter Your vision drives decision Work you put in place pays into the future  A warning about opportunistic people  Opportunistic people may be hanging out to take advantage of you. The more desperate you are the more danger you are in. In the end people who can and will take advantage of you will find you.  Emotions you face in sales and business  Anxiety Depression Frustration Resistance  Loneliness  Motivation Dopamine Positive – excited / aware Surprise Relief Actions Look for what inspires you Keep a journal – learn from your mistakes (by the way we all fail – its impossible to live and do business and not fail) Be willing to pay for knowledge Partnering may take you further  Look to grow your network Can you treat what you are going through like a puzzle How can you be creative Who can you call Podcasts Look at the gain and not the gap  Look to your drive and goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices