Why Are the Top Sales Producers the Best?

By Mark Bowser

It is not an accident that the top producers in the world of selling are at the top. It is also true that there are no born sales champions. Yes, some people have more talent then others. But, success in selling comes down to some basic fundamentals. Fundamentals, if taken action on consistently will lead to success.


Some people doubt this, but it is true. Let me give you an example from the sports world. I was born and bred in Indiana, so I grew up being an Indiana University basketball fan. Indiana has five national championships in basketball. That is the third most in history. Why? Because they master the fundamentals. Not always did Indiana have the most athletic, most talented players in the NCAA. They did have the discipline, the game plan, and the will to succeed. These are qualities that all sales champions have too.

So, what are the fundamentals that all sales champions master? Well, one is Prospecting. Most people don’t like to prospect. Me included. But, you have to have someone to sell to. LinkedIn has made the prospecting and networking process more simple and more powerful then it has ever been in the history of selling. Build your network with people who can and want to say yes to your offer.

Another fundamental is Building Rapport. It has been said that in a perfect world, people want to do business with their friends. Well, in the imperfect world in which we live, people would still rather do business with their friends. Have we made friends with our prospects and customers? Do you have a plan to do this? A book I have found extremely helpful over the years is Dale Carnegie’s classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” I use what I have learned from Mr. Carnegie everyday.

The third fundamental is Presentation Skills. Let’s be honest. Most sales professionals are lousy presenters. They ramble, They jump from subject to subject. Quite frankly, they confuse and bore the prospect. When is the last time you bought something when you were confused and bored?

Then, of course, there is the fourth fundamental of Closing Skills. Research shows it takes around 5 closes to begin a partnership with a customer. Many sales professionals know only one or two closes. That is a problem. Closing is a natural part of the presentation process. But it is the scariest for the sales professional as well as the prospect. You must practice and master the closing process so that it becomes natural and not canned. When this is done, is eases the buying tension of the prospect and builds the confidence of the sales professional.

The fifth fundamental of successful selling is Customer Loyalty. My mentor Zig Ziglar says that we as sales professionals have to become assistant buyers to the prospect. Selling is not something you do to someone. It is something you do for someone because you know your product or service is the answer to their challenge. It is not an adversarial process. You are on the same side of the table as the prospect. It is a fundamental belief system that creates loyalty from the prospect but also from you.

So, there you have it. Five fundamentals that the champions share. Master these five fundamentals and I will see you crowned as the next national champion.

The Most Important Training to Have Is...

By Mark Bowser

Without a doubt, there are two elements that all successful people share. If that is true, and it is, then shouldn’t we seek the same knowledge and training if we want to be successful too? Of course. It makes sense, doesn’t it?


Well, then what are these two elements of knowledge? The two elements that all successful people share are Leadership Perspective and Selling Success. If was John C. Maxwell who said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” And, Zig Ziglar expressed, “Nothing happens until someone sells something.”

Let’s take a peek at these two elements and see how they fit in with our lives. Let’s start with Leadership. We are all leaders. No, you may not lead an organization, a department, or a social club, but you are still a leader. The first person you lead is yourself and from there you lead the people around you.

In his book, Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders defines leadership with one word and one word alone. That word is “influence.” The truth of the matter is that we all influence people every single day. It may be as simple as influencing your co-workers on where to eat lunch today or as important as influencing your 15 year old daughter not to get on drugs. We are all leaders…and it is vital that we improve and increase our influence for the sake of not only ourselves, but more importantly for all the people around us.

The second element is Selling Success. This is one where many people get confused. You may be thinking, “Mark, I’m not in sales. Don’t even want to be. Nothing against salespeople, it just isn’t my thing.” Well, let me correct you right there. Selling is your thing. That is, if you want to be successful. Listen to Zig’s words again, “Nothing happens until someone sells something.” We sell every single day. No, you may not be in the world of selling as a career but you still sell. We sell ourselves, our ideas, our beliefs, our knowledge, etc… If you can’t sell these things, then nothing happens in your life. You are like a boat on a lake with no oars. You get pushed and shoved by the waves of life with no control, no direction, and no focused success.

Earlier, we said that leadership is “influence.” Couldn’t we say the same thing about selling. Think about that teenage daughter pondering about taking drugs. Doesn’t it take a selling influence to persuade her not to walk that path? Parents are some of the most influential sales professionals on the planet.

Now, let’s talk just for a moment about the people who are in the world of selling as their career. Our whole economy is based on selling. Successful selling creates growth for a nation. We, as a nation, need to be grateful and appreciative for our sales professionals. In a very real sense, we all have jobs because someone went out there and sold something.

How do we get out of a recession? How do we create more jobs? How do we springboard this economy? By taking unnecessary regulations off the back of American business’ and by training effectively at least 4 million sales professionals throughout the nation. I can help us with that. That is what I do. I train leaders and I train sales professionals. That is my contribution to the marketplace. And I am committed to doing everything I can to increase my influence in these areas. So, let me close today with two questions. Where is your influence? And, are you willing to commit to increasing that influence? Now, go out there…and make it happen! God bless you!

 
http://www.takeactionsales.com/ 

Sales Lessons from a Newspaper Columnist

Good morning Sales Champions!

We, as sales professionals, can learn a great deal from Dorothy Dix.  Dorothy was a very popular newspaper columnist.  She said this, The shortcut to popularity is to lend everyone your ears, instead of giving them your tongue. There is nothing you can possibly say to an individual  that would be half as interesting to him as the things he is dying to tell you about himself. And all you need, in order to get the reputation of being a fascinating companion, is to say: 'How wonderful! Do tell me some more.'"

Wise words.  How is your listening today?  Are you listening into profitability or are you talking yourself out of the sale? 

Now, go out there and make it a great Selling (Listening) Day!  God bless you!

Mark

Customer Service & the Airline Industry? Not So Much!

By Mark Bowser


Recently, I had a speaking engagement in a small town in Iowa. Let me tell you, it wasn’t the easiest place to get to. I flew into Chicago O’Hare’s airport where I had a layover. I then flew into Moline, IL and then had to drive to the seminar location in Iowa.

Well, my two day Leadership seminar went great and I made my way back to Moline for my flight. I got to the airport earlier than expected so I went to see if there was an earlier flight to Chicago. There was. I thought “Great. I’ll get an earlier flight back to Chicago where I can get a nice meal before my flight into Dayton.” Great thought, but that is where it died.

I went up to the counter and asked if I could take the earlier flight. Guess what, there was a seat available. Guess what, it would cost me $75 to get it. I tried to get them to wave the fee. They were taking me to Chicago anyway. What is the big deal. Just put me on the earlier flight. Should be a no-brainer, right? Wrong!

It is only a no-brainer for a company who values its customers and believes in serving them. I felt sorry for the young clerk at the counter. She was in a tight place. She wanted to serve me, but wasn’t allowed. She said, “We get in trouble when we waive the $75 fee.”

Here is the focal point of the entire problem. Leadership. Lousy Leadership. Now, I am not going to mention the name of the airline because most of them would do the exact same thing. There is only a few airlines like Southwest Airlines who know what service is. Unfortunately, I wasn’t flying Southwest.

The airline industry is so short sighted and so desperate for money that they would rather charge me an extra $75 (for a seat that was going to go vacant anyway) and risk my future business. Will I think twice before I book another ticket with this airline? You bet your great grandfather’s dentures! If I have a choice, why would I choose to fly with them when they treat me like that.

Well, long story short, I refused the pay the $75 and went and ate a lousy meal at the snack bar and took the later flight.

As we close out our message today, I remind you and myself of my Dad’s wise words, “The customer is our life blood.” Provide extraordinary service for your customers and before you know it, more customers and more profitability will be headed in your direction.

Selling Ideas: Earning the Sale!

Good afternoon Sales Champions!

Here is a thought I encourage you to ponder as we go into this Labor Day Weekend here in America.

"You have to earn the right to sell to your prospect. Are you doing this? If not, you don't deserve the sale. It's harsh, but true."
Mark Bowser

Now, go out there and make it a great selling day. God bless you.

Mark

What is the Most Important Part of the Sales Process?

Good morning Sales Champions!

Here are some words to ponder as you go through your selling day.

"What is the most important part of the sales process? Is it closing? No, it is preparation."
Mark Bowser

How well have you prepared to win today?

Now, go out and prepare and Make It A Great Selling Day!  God bless you.

Mark

JEREMIAH 29:11

Sales Success: Borrow the Best Ideas!

Good morning Sales Champions!

I hope everyone had a restful, energy creating weekend.  Today is Monday and it is going to be a great selling week.

One of the best and easiest ways of succeeding in the world of selling is to borrow the best ideas from the best.  In other words, don't try to reinvent the wheel.  Who are the best sales pros in your office?  Hang out with them.  Learn from them.  Do as they do (as long as it is ethical.  Some people will win in the short run with unethical practices but eventually will lose--big time).  Remember, success leaves clues.

Listen to the wise words of President Woodrow Wilson:

"I not only use all the brains I have but all I can borrow."
Woodrow Wilson

Now, go out there and make it a great selling day. God bless!

Mark
JEREMIAH 29:11


Mark Bowser is a Zig Ziglar certified and endorsed professional speaker and corporate trainer.  For more information on how you can bring Mark to your organization then email him at info@MarkBowser.com.

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/markbowser

Sales Training Words to Live By with Mark Bowser

Good morning Sales Champions!

Here are some wise words from Red Motley.

"Nothing happens until somebody sells something."Red Motley


Have you sold something yet today? Go out there and serve people...and make that sale! God bless you!

Mark Bowser

Self-Image & Sales Success by Mark Bowser

Sales success and inspiration go hand in hand. Now, what do I mean by that? To be successful in the world of selling, one has to have a healthy self image. To do that, we have to develop a healthy belief of who we are and why we are here.

Here is an inspirational thought that will improve your sales, your relationships, and your life. In the beginning of time, God created the earth and along with it man and woman, and He bestowed greatness with each one, greatness unique to each individual that, if developed, will shape the world to righteousness. Have you developed your greatness?

I know something about you. I may not know you personally but I still know something about you. That something is this: YOU were born with the seeds of greatness and created by the Creator of the universe to be a champion. If you choose to tap into your greatness, then you will live an extraordinary life. We may not all be famous. We may not all be financially rich. But we all have greatness to make a difference in this world. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, "If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."

History tells us a wonderful story about the greatness of individuals. It goes something like this. The year was 1815. The date was March first. This was the day that all of Europe will remember. It was as if all their nightmares were coming true. On that day, a small British ship sailed very quietly to dock on the French Riviera. A man stepped off the boat with a fire in his eyes. The man looked as if he were on a mission. All of Europe shivered at the thought of the return of this man. The nightmare was back. His name was Napoleon.

Napoleon had been exiled to the island of Elba, which is off the coast of Italy. During this period in his life, Napoleon didn't want to live and he attempted suicide. He carried a pouch around his neck that contained poison. He swallowed the poison but he did not die. He suffered cramps and convulsions and then he recovered.

Napoleon spent less than a year on Elba. He knew that the Allies had many differences and couldn't solve them at the Congress of Vienna. Napoleon hoped to exploit this weakness to regain what he thought was his right to power. After his recovery from the poison, Napoleon escaped from his British captors and stole one of their ships. Now he had just stepped off this stolen ship to begin his revenge on a frightened Europe.

The Allies immediately put their differences aside and joined forces to confront the tyrant. One of the men Europe looked to defend them against Napoleon was the Duke of Wellington. Wellington was a British hero determined to stop Napoleon. Wellington commanded the combined forces of Great Britain, Prussia, Belgium, and The Netherlands. A line was drawn in the sand and a battle was fought. That battle was to become one of the greatest military victories in all of history. The battle was called "The Battle of Waterloo."

Before the battle, Wellington was in Brussels preparing for his standoff with Napoleon. Accompanying the Duke was a member of the British Parliament named Thomas Creevey. As they were walking through Brussels Park they noticed a lonely British redcoat staring at a statue. Wellington grabbed Creevey by the arm and said, "There, look at him! It all depends on that article whether we do business or not. Give me enough of them and I am sure of victory."

On June 18, 1815, the line was drawn in the sand. Wellington had with him 67,661 men and 150 artillery guns. Napoleon had 71,947 men and 246 artillery guns. Because of heavy rain the night before, Napoleon chose to wait till close to noon to attack. This decision may have cost him the victory. The battle began at 11:25 in the morning and would last until 10:00 that evening. Napoleon pummeled the front of Wellington's line. Wellington's troops fought earnestly. Finally, all hope for victory was put on the British infantry. These solitary redcoats put together made an impressive stand. These boys stood their ground. They would not give up. They believed in their leaders. They believed in their cause. They began to believe in themselves. They did have greatness within them. The line in the sand stood and finally Marshal Gebhard von Blucher came and reinforced Wellington with his Prussian troops. Napoleon was forced from the battlefield licking his wounds. This battle finally closed the book on Napoleon's quest to rule Europe. Europe was safe again.

YOU, like the British redcoats, have greatness within you. Tap into your greatness sell much, much, more.

I would now like to invite you to receive a Free Leadership MP3 when you sign up for our Free Take Action Sales Newsletter at www.TakeActionSales.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Bowser



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1312685

Selling Activity

Successful selling is about consistent sales activity.

Consider the wise words of the late Jim Rohn.

"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals."
Jim Rohn

Now, go out there and make it a great selling day. God bless you.

Mark Bowser

You Have What It Takes...Go Sell Something Today!

Good morning Sales Champion!

It was Bruce Barton who said, "Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances."  You are bigger and stronger than the challenges that are going on in your life.  Remember, a challenge is simply an opportunity in disguise. 

Make it a great day!  God bless you!

Mark Bowser

Sales Training: Use Positive Imaging to Boost Sales

by Mark Bowser - Motivational Sales  Trainer



One of the most powerful techniques for reaching your sales goals is known as positive imaging or positive visualization. This is how it works. You visualize your sales goals and dreams in their perfected form as if you have already achieved them. This technique helps bring into your life the actualization of those goals.

Why does positive imaging work? Positive imaging works for three reasons. One, what we focus on most will draw us toward it. In other words, the things we think about most will ultimately influence us to take actions toward those things. Two, our minds can’t distinguish between reality and an imagined reality. Three, it has been proven scientifically that by using positive imaging the same portion of the brain is stimulated as if you were actually participating in that event. This is very powerful. A person can gain valuable experience for an event through positive imaging.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale has written a tremendous book titled “Positive Imaging.” In this book, he tells a story of a young boy who discovered himself and his potential through positive imaging.

This little boy grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was a very cold winter morning and young Roger was walking down the street. He came upon a huge building which had a large plate glass window facing the street.Roger peered through the window. He was fascinated at all the activity going on inside this building. This building was the home of that great newspaper The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Just then, a big rough-looking man caught the young boy’s attention. The man was sitting behind a desk in the center of the room. The desk had papers scattered all over it. Papers were even on the floor. They were editorials for the newspaper. The man wore a green visor that was shading his eyes from the bare light bulb hanging above his head. He had an ugly unlit cigar sticking out from between two withered-looking lips. Somehow, Roger knew this man was in charge of what seemed to be chaos going on inside this building.

About that time, a police officer was strolling past Roger. Roger excitedly called out, “Officer, officer! Who is that man in there ... the one with the cigar and the visor?”

The officer humored the young boy. “Him? That is the editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer.”

The boy was transfixed by this editor. He watched this man intently for quite a long time. Finally, Roger went on his way. He looked exactly as he did before but somehow he was different. He didn’t notice the cold anymore that had previously been ripping through his tattered hand-me-down clothes. He had a vision going through his mind. The vision was a replica of what he had just seen back in that window but with an important change. It was thirty years in the future and he was the man sitting in the editor’s chair.

That evening, Roger prayed to God to help him reach his dream. He then visualized his dream again. He did this night after night after night combining positive prayer with positive imaging. By doing this with God’s help, Roger released tremendous power and focus into his life. As a result, Roger reached his dream. You see, Roger Ferger not only became the editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer, he became its publisher and owner too.

Positive Imaging is a tremendous exercise of faith that has the mysterious power of helping you reach your sales goals. I cannot think of a situation in life where positive imaging would not help. Try it! I am confident you will become a believer in this exercise as well.

Selling Fundamentals

Happy New Year Sales Champion!

Are you ready for a great 2011?  Are you sure?  How are your selling fundamentals?  Fundamentals are the name of the game.

Ponder the wise words of Jim Rohn:

"Success is neither magical nor mysterious.  Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals."
Jim Rohn


Go to my website to learn more selling fundamentals from the world's best sales trainers.  www.TakeActionSales.com. 

Go out there and make it a great selling year!  God bless!

Mark Bowser
JEREMIAH 29:11