Always Be Closing, Grasshopper
We’ve all known salespeople who seem to be the the marketing equivalent of “The Natural.”
They know everything; about their offering, their clients, their prospects and their competition. They’re prepared for and calmly overcome every objection.
They never get flustered or seem desperate, never take “no” for an answer. When they are faced with unavoidable rejection, they take it in stride, knowing that each “no” takes them one step closer to their next “yes.”
They consistently lead the team in production, win all the contests, make the most money and enjoy their eternal position at the top of the leader board.
These people have achieved a state of mind I call Zen Selling, an almost unconscious level of sales skill.
In this state, all traditional aspects of the sales profession are turned on their heads. You don’t chase leads, they chase you, happy fish jumping into the boat, anxious to engage with the clear benefits you have to offer.
Zen Sellers know exactly what attributes constitute a great prospect, focusing their energy on only the lowest-hanging fruit and leaving the rest for others to fight over. They know how to find and expose pain, often creating pools of great potential where others saw nothing but frustration.
Prospects are closed before the presentation even begins, with the pitch taking on an almost perfunctory value – simply a process which must be followed in order to complete the paperwork and move on to the next meeting.
How does one achieve such a state of mind? As with any other form of mastery, the answer is an unwavering commitment to learning through focused repetition.
And how can management help every member of the sales team to become a Zen Seller? Through ongoing training and role-modeling.
It has recently been postulated that, in order for one to achieve mastery, at least 10,000 hours must be spent in pursuit of a given skill. That’s about five years at 40 hours per week.
So will management have to wait five years to see production from their green grasshoppers? Of course not. Because, as with any other aspect of growth in our lives, it’s all about the journey.
Every bit of sales and product training takes the salesperson one step farther down the path. Every opportunity to learn from and model after top producers on the team subtly alters the newer rep’s consciousness.
Over time, not overnight, the novice becomes the master – provided that both they and their leaders are committed to the process.
“See the Master, Grasshopper. Become the Master in your mind first and you will truly become the Master yourself one day.”
Perhaps five years from now.
Frank Felker
frank_felker@yahoo.com
866-949-2661
For more information:
Join The World’s Greatest Sales Team LinkedIn Group
Join The World’s Greatest Sales Team Facebook Group
- Always Be Closing Grasshopper
We’ve all known salespeople who seem to be the the marketing equivalent of “The Natural.”
They know everything; about their offering, their clients, their prospects and their competition. They’re prepared for and calmly overcome every objection.
They never get flustered or seem desperate, never take “no” for an answer. When they are faced with unavoidable rejection, they take it in stride, knowing that each “no” takes them one step closer to their next “yes.”
They consistently lead the team in production, win all the contests, make the most money and enjoy their eternal position at the top of the leader board.
These people have achieved a state of mind I call Zen Selling, an almost unconscious level of sales skill.
In this state, all traditional aspects of the sales profession are turned on their heads. You don’t chase leads, they chase you, happy fish jumping into the boat, anxious to engage with the clear benefits you have to offer.
Zen Sellers know exactly what attributes constitute a great prospect, focusing their energy on only the lowest-hanging fruit and leaving the rest for others to fight over. They know how to find and expose pain, often creating pools of great potential where others saw nothing but frustration.
Prospects are closed before the presentation even begins, with the pitch taking on an almost perfunctory value – simply a process which must be followed in order to complete the paperwork and move on to the next meeting.
How does one achieve such a state of mind? As with any other form of mastery, the answer is an unwavering commitment to learning through focused repetition.
And how can management help every member of the sales team to become a Zen Seller? Through ongoing training and role-modeling.
It has recently been postulated that, in order for one to achieve mastery, at least 10,000 hours must be spent in pursuit of a given skill. That’s about five years at 40 hours per week.
So will management have to wait five years to see production from their green grasshoppers? Of course not. Because, as with any other aspect of growth in our lives, it’s all about the journey.
Every bit of sales and product training takes the salesperson one step farther down the path. Every opportunity to learn from and model after top producers on the team subtly alters the newer rep’s consciousness.
Over time, not overnight, the novice becomes the master – provided that both they and their leaders are committed to the process.
“See the Master, Grasshopper. Become the Master in your mind first and you will truly become the Master yourself one day.”
Perhaps five years from now.
Frank Felker
frank_felker@yahoo.com
866-949-2661
For more information:
Join The World’s Greatest Sales Team LinkedIn Group
