I was reading some blogs, email messages and newsletters regarding many different topics and I realized something about successful selling that is often overlooked.
Sales is tough – I don’t think anyone would disagree with that premise. It requires a unique blend of abilities that are simply not common in the general population. Unfortunately, many underachieving salespeople look for a monumental solution to their sales struggles…a silver bullet, if you will. Rarely does one exist (I’ve yet to find even one).
Success in selling simply comes from a series of small things that lead to something big. What I mean is that the most successful salespeople we evaluate are usually the ones who do the little things right. They make the extra call on a Friday afternoon. They keep their calendar updated. They go for no. They use information to gain an edge.
It is a myriad of small things they do that, in sum, add up to large successes (i.e. closed deals). When we work with sales managers who are trying to get more out of a struggling salesperson on their team, we start by analyzing the little things. If those items are adjusted/corrected, the probability of success increases dramatically over time.