Month: August 2014

5 Things Every Salesperson Should Focus On

On By Joe DeRosaIn SalesLeave a comment

focus

Sales people are an interesting breed.  They’re high-strung, often funny, and witty, sensitive and many times high maintenance.  I know this because I am one.  I’ve sold, managed, led, and built sales teams for the better part of the past 2o years.  I’ve had months when I hit my numbers and months when I’ve missed.  I’ve had sales teams that have blown the number out of the water and those who have drowned while trying to hit the number.  Yet over the years I have heard one question that continues to be asked over and over again…”what is the secret to success in sales?”.  Here’s the answer…there is no secret.

The difference between successful sales people and those who fail in this profession is simple.  Over the years I have identified 5 traits that separate those who succeed from those who fail.

  1. Clarity of goals – knowing exactly what you want to achieve and when.
  2. Discipline – being committed to perfecting your skills.  Starting your day before others and ending it after they’ve long given up.  Putting in that extra time when others are out having fun.
  3. Curiosity/Inquisitiveness – an insatiable thirst for knowledge.  Betterment.  Desire to outsmart, or out-understand others.  Constantly absorbing, learning, refining.
  4. Time Management – successful people know that time is their biggest asset.  They don’t waste it.  In Sales this means selling when people are available to be sold to.  Don’t do paperwork at 10 am.  That’s a waste of time.  Sell at 10 am and do your paperwork at 10 pm.
  5. Self-Reflect – 15 minutes a day to reflect on what you did, what results you generated, what you learned, what you’ll do different tomorrow.

Make these 5 things part of your life and success will find its way to your doorstep, not because it simply wandered over but because you attracted it through these strong and powerful habits.

 

Can Really Anyone Succeed?

On By Joe DeRosaIn LeadershipLeave a comment

Doubt

It all begins with setting clear goals.  Knowing what you want along with a rough idea of the time frame in which you want to accomplish those wants is where success begins.  No one stumbles into success.  Without clearly defined goals even winning the lottery will lead to failure as the bankruptcy rates for lottery winners seem to indicate.  We’ve managed to create a society in the United States where success is demonized and those who acquire it are viewed as the bad guys.  Lines continue to form for hand-outs and entitlement programs.  We’ve more than doubled the ranks on government assistance in the past 8 years, and the news is littered with stories on just how little the rich and successful do for those less fortunate.

Those who don’t succeed often whine about the who, the how, and the what.  Who prevented them from succeeding how they were derailed from success, and what’s missing from the system that if there would enable them to succeed.  These folks just don’t seem to get it.  They must have slept through history class…not just ours but civilizations across the globe.  Remember the caveman wasn’t born with fire or a wheel.  It took thought, vision, hard work and persistence.  Our country was founded on the basic principle that anyone willing to work hard while applying their God-given talents could succeed.  We never guaranteed success…only a chance at it.

People who complain about success will never attain it.  I’d propose that the biggest reason they will not achieve success is that they haven’t taken the time to identify what success is.  They simply look at the material things that they associate with success.  They have no idea what is required to obtain those things, they see only the after-results.  Whether it’s a heart surgeon, a mutual fund manager, a business owner, or a school teacher, those who are successful have a clear idea of what success means to them and for most it’s never about the money or stuff.  It is however always about the personal accomplishment, achievement and having the ability to say “I did it.”  That alone defines success.  You know, Frank Sinatra got it right in his song My Way, more people should listen to it.

So if you’re feeling low and not sure where you’re headed remember it’s up to you.  You have to think about what you want.  You have to answer the question how hard you’re willing to work to get it..  You have to be willing to put the time in.  You have to take complete responsibility and accountability for your successes and failures.  Once you do that success will find its way into your life.