Sales is not just about selling a product. It’s an art form that requires understanding human behavior, building trust, and delivering value. Anyone can sell, but becoming the best salesman takes dedication, strategy, and learning from the best in the field. This article explores the practical wisdom and sales techniques of some of the world’s most successful salesmen, blending their real-life experiences with expert advice to help you take your sales game to the next level.
Lessons from Top Salesmen: How to Excel in Sales
A Fresh Start: Leave the Past Behind
Becoming a top salesman often starts with embracing a fresh mindset. Successful salespeople understand that failure is a part of the process, but it doesn’t define their future success.
Embrace Confidence After Setbacks
Resilience is key in sales. Legendary salesman “Zig Ziglar” believed in letting go of past failures and facing new opportunities with renewed confidence. One of Ziglar’s most famous quotes, “Failure is an event, not a person,” reflects this principle. Top salesmen know that every unsuccessful deal is just a learning experience that paves the way for future wins.
Reframe Your Failures
To be the best salesman, you must see failure as feedback, not defeat. Rather than letting past rejections weigh you down, focus on what you can learn from those experiences. Approaching each new sales opportunity with a clean slate can keep you motivated and help you perform better.
Building Trust and Relationships
“The ability to build trust and long-term relationships with clients is a core principle of becoming a top salesman. People don’t just buy products; they buy trust, security, and relationships.”
Be Authentic and Show Empathy : Mary Kay Ash, “one of the best salesmen” is the founder of Mary Kay Inc., believed in the power of authentic connections. She famously said, “Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around their neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’” This emphasis on making clients feel valued is one of the reasons she built such a loyal customer base. Authenticity and empathy form the foundation of long-term client relationships that lead to repeat business.
Real-Life Example: Joe Girard, often hailed as the greatest car salesman, experienced that selling was more about the relationship than the transaction. He would take care of his customers by sending personalized notes, and remembering their preferences, he turned one-time buyers into lifelong clients, consistently outselling his peers.
Active Listening: Let the Customer Lead
To be the best salesman you have to be an excellent listener. Dale Carnegie‘s wisdom, “You can make more friends in two months by being interested in them than in two years by making them interested in you,” highlights the importance of active listening. By focusing on understanding your customer’s needs rather than pushing your product, you can tailor your approach and offer them exactly what they are looking for.
Focus on the Job: Stay Disciplined and Goal-Oriented
Success in sales requires laser focus and discipline. The best salesmen have an unwavering commitment to their goals, and consistently stay focused on their tasks without getting sidetracked.
Set Clear Goals and Stick to Them
David Ogilvy, known as the “Father of Advertising,” was a master of staying focused. He set clear sales objectives and systematically worked toward them without deviating from his plans. In sales, setting achievable goals, whether it’s making a certain number of calls or closing a set number of deals per month, keeps you disciplined and moving forward.
Real-Life Example: Brian Tracy, a top sales trainer and author of The Psychology of Selling, emphasizes the importance of focus. He believes that most salespeople fail because they don’t set specific goals. According to Tracy, setting measurable targets and focusing all your energy on achieving them will dramatically improve sales results.
Eliminate Distractions
Top salesmen like Jordan Belfort (the “Wolf of Wall Street”) knew that time management and focus are vital. In his “Straight Line Persuasion” system, he taught salespeople to stay laser-focused on their goals and maintain control over conversations, ensuring that distractions never deterred them from closing a deal.
Creativity in Sales: Think Outside the Box
“If you are good, then there is always someone who can be better, so you have to be the best. Creativity is what differentiates great salesmen from the rest. Being able to approach problems with innovative solutions and pitch products in unique ways can significantly boost sales.”
Innovate Your Sales Approach
Creative thinking is one of the hallmarks of the best salespeople. Steve Jobs wasn’t just a tech visionary; he was also a master salesman who sold ideas and products by thinking differently. His ability to craft compelling narratives and present Apple’s products in a way that captured the imagination of customers set him apart. Jobs’ presentations weren’t just about technical specs—they were stories that made people feel they needed the product.
Real-Life Example: Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, used creativity to build a multi-million dollar business. When pitching her product to major retailers, she often faced rejection because they couldn’t see the need for it. Instead of giving up, Blakely thought outside the box. She began demonstrating the product directly to store managers, showing them firsthand why customers would want it. Her creative approach eventually led to Spanx becoming a household name.
Leverage New Technologies
The modern salesman must embrace new technologies to be competitive. Whether it’s utilizing CRM systems, email marketing platforms, or leveraging social media for outreach, creativity in using these tools can expand your reach and improve conversion rates. Forward-thinking salespeople are always experimenting with new methods to stay ahead of the curve.
Mastering the Art of Communication
Communication is the backbone of sales success. The best salesmen know how to convey their message with clarity and confidence while focusing on the customer’s needs.
Craft a Customer-Focused Pitch
World-renowned sales trainer Jeffrey Gitomer often emphasizes that “People don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy.” This means that your sales pitch shouldn’t be about you or your product—it should be about how your product can improve the customer’s life. Focusing on the customer’s needs, pain points, and desires can make your pitch more effective.
Real-Life Example: Jordan Belfort, with his Straight Line System, teaches salespeople to guide prospects toward a decision with a clear, persuasive narrative that addresses their emotional and practical needs. Belfort’s method emphasizes confidence and clarity, both of which are critical in closing deals.
The Power of Storytelling
Steve Jobs was a master storyteller, and his ability to craft compelling narratives around Apple’s products revolutionized how tech was sold. By telling stories that showed how the products fit into people’s lives and made them better, Jobs created emotional connections with his audience, making them more likely to buy.
Persistence and Resilience: Never Give Up
Sales is filled with ups and downs, but the best salesmen have an unshakable resilience. They understand that persistence is what ultimately leads to success.
Learn from Rejection
One of Zig Ziglar’s most famous quotes is, “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” Top salesmen embrace rejection as part of the journey, using it as a way to learn, grow, and improve their sales approach.
Real-Life Example:
Sara Blakely faced repeated rejection while trying to sell Spanx to department stores. Rather than letting the rejections defeat her, she used each one to refine her pitch and perfect her product. Her persistence eventually paid off when Spanx became a huge success.
Follow-Up: The Key to Closing Deals
According to HubSpot, 80% of sales require five follow-ups to close, but many salespeople give up after just one attempt. David Ogilvy understood the importance of persistence and following up with potential clients, knowing that repeated touchpoints often make the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity.
Continuous Learning and Self-Improvement
The best salespeople never stop learning. They continuously refine their skills, learn new techniques, and stay updated on industry trends to stay ahead of the competition.
Invest in Personal Growth
Brian Tracy advocates for continuous learning as a key to success in sales. By constantly improving your knowledge of sales techniques, psychology, and your product, you stay ahead of the competition and can offer more value to your clients.
Real-Life Example:
Tony Robbins, although primarily known as a motivational speaker, started out as a salesman. His constant dedication to self-improvement, studying psychology, and learning persuasion techniques allowed him to excel not only as a speaker but also as a salesman. His journey highlights the importance of ongoing education and growth.
FAQs
What is the most important trait of a successful salesman?
The most important trait is the ability to build trust and strong relationships with clients. Trust forms the foundation for a successful sales career.
How can I improve my communication in sales?
Focus on customer-centric communication. Listen to your customers, understand their needs, and craft your message around how your product can solve their problems.
Why is persistence important in sales?
multiple touchpoints are required for Sales before closing a deal. Persistence allows you to stay on a potential customer’s radar and eventually close the sale, even if it takes time.
How can storytelling improve my sales technique?
Storytelling makes your pitch more engaging and relatable. It helps customers visualize the benefits of your product and forms an emotional connection.
What should I do when I face rejection in sales?
View rejection as feedback. Analyze why the sale didn’t go through, and use that information to refine your pitch or approach in the future.
How can I continuously improve as a salesman?
Invest in learning new sales techniques, stay updated with industry trends, and seek feedback from mentors and clients to refine your approach.
Conclusion
Becoming the best salesman is a journey of self-improvement, persistence, and building meaningful relationships. By learning from the real-life experiences of top salesmen like Zig Ziglar, Mary Kay Ash, and Steve Jobs, you can adopt proven strategies that will help you excel in your sales career. Remember, sales isn’t just about closing deals—it’s about connecting with people, offering value, and continuously refining your approach to meet the evolving needs of your customers.
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