Bill Brooks of The Brooks Group wrote an article several years ago about his organizations research into sales performance. Bills research partner analyzed 178 top sales performers from the United States and another 450 from Germany who, as he stated, were at the very peak of their game. These top sales professional were analyzed in two key areas behavioral style (personality) and core values. Heres what the Brooks Group researchers learned about sales success: A sales or service industry professionals personality has little or nothing to do with his or her sales success levels. The Brooks research found that there was a broad spread of personalities and sales styles across the groups of sales professionals assessed and that personality characteristics pegged to success was not a factor in the sales success equation. In truth, the successful sales performers personalities varied as much as the products or services that they sold! However, in assessing each sales professional, 78 percent of these top performers all shared the same basic value and that this core value was the key to a sales professionals consistent sales success. What was the value? Across two distinct cultures and a diverse group of industries the core value driving top sellers was their keen interest in making a lot of money! What does this research mean to a sales or service industry professional? 1. Personality and style are not nearly as important to your sales or business development success as your core values. 2. If you are not motivated by financial gain, it doesn't mean you will fail at sales. However, it does mean that you only have about a 22 percent chance that you will become a top sales producer. 3. If youre not motivated by making money, as 78 percent of the top sales producers in the study, you will most likely always be an average or below average sales producer. 4. To be a top producer you need to work for an organization that gives you the opportunity to earn as much money as possible. The opportunity to make money helps to stimulate this vital core value and give you the driving force needed to succeed at selling. 5. You must understand that motivation to reach the top comes from withinfrom your values. Your core values are part of your internal "operating system, that makes you who you really are. 6. You really need to find out what turns you on and then go for it. You see, there are hundreds of interests that are important to people with core values other than working toward high economic gain. Top sales professionals and service industry rainmakers earn a lot of money. But as Bill Brooks says, They also want to earn a lot of money. It fuels their self worth and sense of well being. It's how they measure their success. However, I have observed in my coaching sessions with the top producers that they have additional values that complement their drive to earn money. Most of them are also driven to solve a prospect, customer or clients problems and to meet the needs of those they sell, doing something to deserve the money they are driven to earn. |
Author Bio:
Virden Thornton
Serving Discriminating Clients Internationally Since 1983
Virden J. Thornton is the founder of The $elling Edge?, Inc., a training and development firm, specializing in sales, telemarketing, customer relations, and management training, coaching and marketing advisory services. He has trained, coached and advised literally hundreds of clients, including Sears Optical, Eastman Kodak, Northern Uniform Supply, The Texas Independent Banker's Association, Deloitte & Touch?, Smith Barney, Jefferson Wells International, The Government of The U. S. Virgin Islands, First National Bank of Arizona, City Laundering, Co. and Wal?Mart to name a few.
Virden is the author of Prospecting: The Key To Sales Success, A Realtor's Success Formula, Organizing For Sales Success, and "best sellers" Building & Closing the Sale, 101 Sales Myths. His audio/video tape series entitled Close That Sale, is based on his 50 Minute Series manual Closing: A Process Not A Problem--published by a division of Thompson Learning. He has also authored a client acclaimed self-directed learning series of sales, coaching, customer service, telemarketing, and personal productivity training manuals, outlined in the Books & Manuals section of this site. Virden has a degree in communications (public address emphasis) from the University of Utah.
As a consultant and trainer, Virden has been retained by dozens of banks, savings and loans, and credit unions to help them move from operational, order taking cultures to proactive sales and cross-selling organizations. He has literally trained thousands of sales representatives and managers in businesses as diverse as distribution, auto sales, printing, eye care, uniform and linen rentals, manufacturing, and many others. Virden also specializes in training, coaching and advising service industry professionals (accountants, attorneys, engineers, architects, financial planners, stockbrokers, etc.) in the fine art of "business development."
Virden has taught small business courses at Lorain County Community College in Elyria, Ohio, a bank sales curriculum at the Center For Professional Development, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas and a short course on selling at the School Of Entrepreneurship, J. Willard And Alice S. Marriott School off Management at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
Virden and his wife Barbara reside in Avon Lake, Ohio and are the parents of ten children.
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