Early in my sales career, there was a day when my boss watched me in action. I was a little nervous, but I still felt confident that I wouldn’t disappoint. Unfortunately, that’s not exactly what happened.
Without hesitation, he let me know that he felt I was just “sailing” by. It was enough to survive, but it wouldn’t make me successful.
That struck me to my core. I didn’t want to be good enough to survive. I wanted to be so great at sales that I put my competition to shame.
After that honest conversation, I took the time for some self-reflection to see where I could improve. I also did some research and asked other successful salespeople how they gained their competitive edge. It took some time — along with some trial and error — but I eventually came to the conclusion that great salespeople do the following five things.
I personally feel that this is one of the most important elements of success — whether that’s in sales or launching your own business. When you’re prepared, you’re better suited to handle every question, obstacle, or rejection thrown your way.
Of course, you can’t anticipate literally every setback. But you can start by jotting down a list of every question, obstacle, or rejection that you believe prospects will have. In other words, create a list of every worst-case scenario you can think of. Then, develop a clear, convincing response to every objection or question.
