Just because résumés and track records are being used to filter out and find the best sales people doesn't mean they're worth something. In fact, past success only means you did well in the past. It doesn't guarantee you'll be successful in the future.

Your past success can make future success pretty hard in more than one way...

"Sales is just like a piano"

For instance, successful sales people tend to be promoted. Most of them stay sharp, but some stop exercising that sales muscle, become arrogant and self centered and lose the edge they used to have on life. Oh, I know. Success can repeat itself, and it often does if there's talent. But let's face it. The success you had in the past doesn't prove a thing, does it? What matters in sales? Strictly speaking, nothing matters but the sales you will make in the future. Your current value is the sum of your future contracts. That's what you get paid for. And if you're a sales manager hiring sales people, don't you forget it! Sales is just like a piano. Once a key has been struck the music is gone - it's history - nothing but a memory. The only value of a piano key is the music it's producing, in harmony with every other key --at this time-- and for as long as he or she will be.

The real deal

Why are you in sales? Is it for the money?

Sure, I earn my living that way, and it's good. But you know what. The reason I love selling is because it puts me right where I want to be; in the hottest furnace of constant communication training. If there's one area I'd like to master then it's the ability to reach someone else with a message. And by "reach" I mean totally embrace, both ways, i.e. I embrace you and you embrace me.

If you're asking me, I believe this is the toughest most noble of all tasks in any person's life: To constantly increase the talent of bringing someone over - not to "my way of thinking" - but to a higher shared level.

To me, that's what selling is about, and also how past success (i.e. your track record) can destroy what you have. When you think you're good, you're at risc, because pride may get in your way and stop you from delivering results now and in the future.

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Are you in a world where people say "yes"? Are you surrounded by positive people? Or just maybe... do you ever find that whoever is in a position to ignore or deny your humble petition in fact responds with a clear and unmistakable "NO"?

The world of only "yes" doesn't exist. I'm sorry to be the one that has to break the bad news to you. The world needs "no", even though being in sales it can hurt - BAD! But you know what? Being in a world that doesn't care isn't quite so tough if you're positive and - over time - seek out likeminded people.

Can you see the flower?

...and that's just it! Inevitably, during all my years in sales, I believe the greatest comfort I've experienced is the ability to fall back on the good people around me. If you're going to be good at sales, of course you'll fail, and if you're going to be VERY good you'll fail even more. I don't believe any of us are super heros, but I do believe that those who stick around and succeed have family and friends that are there to support them when they need it.

Maybe you didn't know, but the best sales people have a sales strategy inside the sales strategy. The inside strategy outlines how you deal with failure (as well as success, for that matter). The inside sales strategy is almost like selling yourself to your own peers, but it's not what we tend to think of as being traditional selling. This kind of selling can be compared to "sincere goodwill".

You want to know more about that - have more of that..? Well, stick around this blog, and you've begun a journey that will lead you to understanding how to attract positive people that will say "yes" when you desparately need it and a network of people that will pick you up when you get too many "no's". Better yet, why not become the "yes person" the "no people" intuitively turn to when they themselves are rejected?

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Last month I did a quick webcast on This is Selling. If you look closely you'll find that a complete summary on selling is grouped into three areas. If you focus on all three, you'll discover that your skills begin to work as they should.

Regardless of what topic or expertise within sales you are looking into, it will always be one of the following three: Context (WHAT) Feelings (WHO) Technique (HOW) Whatever you say and do it will be perceived by others in three perspectives: (1) The context in which you say it, (2) the feelings behind what is being said and heard, and (3) the way you say it (i.e. technique or method). Consequently, to influence others, these three perspectives will decide your degree of success. All three of them!

Focusing only on technique is less effective

Context, feelings and technique are basic principles of communication. Context is WHAT you do to create the best possible setting and position. Feelings is WHO you talk with and the emotions you are filled with. Technique is HOW you say it and when.

These three areas are numbered because context outweighs feelings, and feelings in turn are more dominant than technique. Without context and feelings in place technique suffers. People often want to challenge the order of this, but without exception they fail.

Sales technique is not even secondary

Let's be very clear, especially because it really is this simple: Technique helps, but fails when feelings stand in the way. Also, feelings are powerful, but ultimately must give way to context and the bigger picture. If you want to influence others, even influence influential people, first work on context - your position, secondly work with feelings - your relationship with others, and thirdly practice technique - say it right and at the right time.

Remember this, unfortunately most sales training is aimed at technique only. Yes, technique indeed is poor out there, and technique is also mostly weak on a stand-alone basis. The deciding factor that gives technique real power is when context and feelings are taken care of first.

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Successful sales people deliver excellent results regardless of recession or not!

				I've been around long enough to see what makes the difference. Even though the market may be in an actual downward slope, some of us still deliver outstanding results. Why? It's not like throwing a paper plane, you know! "Oh no, the wind caught me. I no longer am in control!" Quite contrary to what most sales people expect, negative trends are just another opportunity to outperform the competition. How?

As a student years ago I majored in Finance and got my Masters degree in Influence Management, but this education makes little sense when everyone starts complaining about the market. I've witnessed great sales people drop like flies! The difference lies in knowing how to find business and then to maneuver in such a way that you become the most attractive alternative.

A year ago I wrote a blog post that introduces the subject of how the best sales people are flexible enough to adapt smoothly to circumstance. It will lead you to other blog posts that tell you more about how to be successful in spite of external conditions. It's not a secret!

In June this year we began organizing what is now known as a worldwide group of Elite Sales Professionals. Today we are more than 1.000 high performers and a powerful group of competent people. LinkedIn serves as the initial connection and meeting point, but it will soon be complimented by smart online solutions. These solutions will allow members three basic privileges:

• An evolutionary collaboration model for tipping-point results
• A network of quality people to visualize business opportunities
• An online framework to innovate new money generation activities

The current group definition reads: "High performing sales people with experience in strategy and positioning, network and relations as well as pure skills and customer centric concepts such as innovation and product development. Trustworthy and competent professionals able to create value balancing people with business and money."

Once we've reached critical mass and the beta versions of the online solutions are in place, the Expert Panel behind this group will introduce a second round of qualification. This is when we'll experience the long planned "explosion" of the quality network we're only witnessing the small beginnings of today. Let me assure you; the Expert Panel is not without ambition with this worldwide undertaking! (And yes, the Expert Panel is yet to be formally introduced.)

We can control our subconscious mind to become more influential. Here's a brief blog post about how you can make the subconscious mind work for you. It can both influence you and then others without manipulation.

				Thoughts precede actions I've long been a fan of James Allen's small book "As a Man Thinketh". The subject matter is that thoughts precede our actions - always. We are what we think. However, there is a deeper level. Thoughts, too, are merely the result of deeper choices we've already made.

Scientific background

Benjamin Libet's groundbreaking scientific research indicated that while we believe our actions are conscious decisions, the subconscious has already guided us in how we respond. This may seem to be in contradiction with Stephen Covey's maintaining there's a "gap between stimulus and response", meaning we can decide for ourselves and be proactive. How do these seemingly opposing views add up?

Desires precede thoughts I believe where it all starts is with our deepest desires. What we want is what determines where we spend our "thinking engine". So even though, actions are a result of thoughts, and thoughts are a result of desires, we can indeed make up our minds as to what we want.

Sales people, in particular, have ample reason to pay special attention to how we apply the subconscious mind in this respect. If, for instance, we simply want the money and the sales bonus, but don't care much about the product or service we offer, then it will shine through. Our desires affect our thoughts, our thoughts affect our behavior - and this is the key point - our behavior is read by the subconscious mind of the customer (Their mind will read: "insincerity" and "you don't really care, as long as you get your bonus and money".)

The customer may think he or she makes conscious decisions about you and your offering, whereas what really takes place is the projecting of your deepest desires onto them.

Decide NOW what you want! You're already getting what you didn't know you already want.

The greatest mystery of influence lies in how it increases and lasts only when applied unselfishly and altruistically.   Whereas it seems that manipulation, tricks and techniques, "politics", short term power fights and corruption all pay off, the paradigm of "seeds and fruits" always provides the same answer: Everything we do backfires. The recoil may not be instant as with a gun, but what we do always comes back at us eventually.   H. David Burton recently shared a beautiful quote, which really nails it:

Fireman helping old lady, Seminole USA.

Of course, nothing "disappears" - not even what we do "for ourselves", but the things we do for others seem to give added influential powers. My long time partner and friend, Bård Stranheim, lives by a wonderful principle, which he phrases like this:

In today's business environment there seems to be an increasing belief that "graciously caring for others" is not compatible with success. Our research clearly shows the opposite; that those individuals and companies who aim for both short term and long term success need the above stated value firmly rooted in their system, otherwise they'll always fail long term and quite frequently short term, too.

Simply put, influence increases when we apply it to make the world "a better place" and decreases when what we do is centered around our own selfish interests. You may call it religious. I call it a durable principle and indisputable fact. If we apply it, then it works in our favor - if we don't it works against us. Such is the true source and nature of real influence.

During the summer holidays I put together a quick survey on how we feel about sales people approaching us when selling a product or service. In one week only the survey had 52 respondents, and replies just keep coming in. The data retrieved and the information it provides is interesting, especially if we consider the negative side:

When asked how we feel when a sales person tries to sell us something, here's what we respond statistically:

In addition to this, of all respondents 11,4% explicitly stated they NEVER had a positive experience with ANY sales person trying to sell them something.

This means that when we approach someone about our product or service, 1 out of 10 has a 100% negative history with ALL previous sales people they've ever encountered. At least that's how they perceive it. To make it worse, 46%, i.e. pretty much every other potential customer, feels bad (and of those 1 of 5 "worse than bad") about you contacting them in the first place.

When asked to comment on simple questions about selling activity one overall answer and attitude or dominant "ground rule" clearly comes through: "I know what I need, and I'll go get it when I want it. I strongly dislike people contacting me about something I don't need".

What basic learning can we extract from empirical results such as these?

Actually, quite a few important principles surface more or less instantly. However, three of them I'd like to specifically point out, since they're core to everything else.

Successful (sales) people work on their:

1. POSITIONING - Operational dialog
   • helping others seek them out and come to them for help and problemsolving.
2. RELATIONSHIPS - Opinional dialog
   • helping others feel good about them as a person.
3. TACTICS - Optimal dialog
   • helping people take the lead and feel good about the message.

In sum these three make up what we call the SBP = SPP equation.

Here's a webcast about the 3 dialogs, explaining what this is all about.

In almost all sales literature you'll find clever advice about sales processes, techniques, models, structures, systems, programs and blueprints. The remainder of sales literature aims at human traits such as PMA (Positive Mental Attitude), enthusiasm, networking, values, politics, win-win and the like. Thus, in short, we find two categories:

1. Methods and
2. what I like to call "Effort and Talent"

As important as these two categories may be, the key to leveraging great performance - I mean SERIOUSLY outstanding and UNSTOPPABLE performance - lies in reality elsewhere. Where do you think unbelievable results come from?

Beyond Method, Talent and Effort

Introducing the subject in this way also reveals a most interesting aspect; each one of us intuitively and instinctively already knows, but it seems hard to put into words, and even harder to implement in the corporate world. Deep inside we know it's not method - methods are important, but not the ultimate and deciding factor. We even know it's not effort and talent, because they too are often waisted and held back. It's something else. What would you say it is?

Just think about it... Of course we need method - method is crucial. We also need effort and talent. Effort and talent are not only necessary, they're foundational. But... and this is my point; there's something way more important and significant lying underneath that determines whether or not someone succeeds beyond normal..! (Remember, we're not just talking about success. We're discussing unusual and remarkable success.)

Before I give you this pearl - this diamond of unique and simple value - I need to emphasize one crucial point, to help understand why this is so valuable, not only in today's business world, but also in every other setting; marriage, family, politics and every type of human interaction. What we see is this:

Whether a book or training event focuses on method, effort or talent, in reality it makes no real difference on performance. Good stuff finds good people anyway. In the end, real improvement in "average people" stems from another source altogether!

Influence is Energy

The One-on-One slogan "Influence is Energy" summarizes all there is to say about what really makes the difference. I've seen people be trained in the most extensive and excellent research-based programs and models, supported by management, economic as well as human resources, enticed by incentive programs and backed by values and follow up coaching. Does it ring a bell? Regardless of how much method, effort and talent an organization has or puts in, no TIPPING-POINT RESULTS will come unless something triggers individual energy.

Amazing success is born - first and foremost - when you IGNITE CHARACTER. A truly dedicated individual is not able to not influence others. Therefore, there simply is no such thing as the one and only perfect salesperson, because every one of us has the built-in capacity to influence others in our own unique way. We each have peak performance when intuition permeates our burning desire and every-day actions. That does not mean that methods, effort and talents are without effect. They are indeed the muscles and tools of success, but even muscles and tools are no good without a beating heart and the blood to provide the needed oxygen.

Apply individual energy to method, effort and talent and you've got a combination that works. Energy, however, is too often missing - in fact, almost always missing - and it's only haphazardly found even among high performers.

• Why do methods not work on a stand-alone basis? Because without unleashing individual power, methods tend to restrain rather than free influential ability.

• Why does effort and talent not work on a stand-alone basis? Because without the engine itself to wake them up, effort and even talent merely remain "mis employed tools" without purpose.

First release energy, then apply method, effort and talent!

During the past 7 years we've discovered a set of principles that trigger energy in individuals and organizations making them influential through empowering character. It's not quick fix, but it's a LOT quicker than "quick fix", because quick fix only has a short term effect and no real bearing on true and lasting success!

I've done a LOT of sales training since my last post, and (unfortunately) a lot of traveling. As always, it has been a fantastic experience. Remember how I said last time: A student only benefits from training programs when they include the heart in the learning process. A trainer can "pound" on the door of the heart, but to actually open it is left to each candidate individually. (Selling is ultimately the same way.)

These past weeks I've again contemplated the power of this principle, and I just want to point out; there are only two types of candidates attending training out there:

1. They who take it to heart and experience the first amplifier (heart explosion)
2. They who will not include emotions and feelings and never gain the slightest bit of learning (only superfluously)

Note! A student can only experience "heart explosion" if the trainer possesses the quality of bringing the message to the heart in the first place. My claim is - very few trainers do!

Last time I promised to share the next two amplifiers following the first. I'll keep it short - that's somehow the beauty of this:

Influence is energy. If we want to reach another person with our message, we need power, and that power is nothing but energy! What is the very core of how a message becomes powerful? Did you ever think about that? Here's what we've found is the answer to this important question: "It's when we run it through the three amplifiers most easily available in one-on-one communication":

• The first amplifier is the heart (Energy # 1: PASSION). I.e. when the message passes through the heart it explodes and immediately (yes, automatically) flows out to hands and feet. We see immediate action. Ask yourself whether or not you've caused the first amplifier in someone else. Here's an easy test to evaluate how it went: Did they act immediately on what you presented them with? Did they become unstoppable? If not, then your message never made it to the first amplification

The 3E symbol for PASSION is the heart.

• The second amplifier is from heart to heart (Energy # 2: CONNECTION). This amplifier is the need we have to share from the heart how the heart explosion felt and what mental images caused it to take place. This sounds almost religious, and I admit it almost is. However, just think of it this way: The best way to test whether or not something really has been learned is if we're able to teach others the same. When this is done, not only is the learning curve extended, but the subject and material becomes ours. Ours to keep forever.

The 3E symbol for CONNECTION is a battery.

• The third amplifier is when we include intuition (Energy # 3: INTUITION). When we begin to apply adopted material in our own way, i.e. we incorporate principles and adapt skills to our own style and individual talent. In doing so, we stay open to inside and outside impressions and promptings.

The 3E symbol for INTUITION is a bolt of lightning.

Once we deeply study these three amplifiers - each one a direct result from each of the respective "3 Energies" - we'll discover how our message both penetrates AND causes permanent change in others. THIS is what selling (and training) is all about.