Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/540646
July/August 2015 19 I f there is a word that embodies top performers in SALES, persistence is it. I hear it all the time, and see it all the time.Top performers take an entirely different approach, and almost seem to get energized by the increased challenge. Notice this has nothing to do with more products, better service or a lower price. Fifty percent or more of success at sell- ing is a "head case," and the best news here is that we have full control of our attitude. Just the other day, a true sales pro- fessional recounted for me one of her most recent sales successes. The oppor- tunity was a $500,000 account, which was indeed a big deal. Plenty of hours were logged to win over the account. Then came the news: A competitor was chosen for the assignment. While the team was certainly "crushed" by the news, the sales professional still felt her company was the better fit for the client. Here's where the story gets good. Too many salespeople walk away at this point, sulk, and lose their momentum. However, this sales pro understood that in the early days of a new relationship, people learn more about their chosen partners and all of it may not be so good! Keeping that in mind, she put into play a strategy that had worked with other accounts of a similar nature. She kept the client in her "Touch System." She didn't keep "pestering" the cli- ent with "stuff" about her products/ser- vices. She offered money-saving/making suggestions--even without winning the account. Well, it wasn't 60 days before the sales professional got the call. The client took another look at its original decision and decided to shift the entire business to her. I have witnessed similar situations throughout my entire career, both per- sonally and professionally. A CROWD PLEASER Jack Daly, the author of Hyper Sales Growth, on the Power of Persistence in Sales Known for his booming voice and boundless energy, Sales Coach Jack Daly knows how to work a crowd. Both of his afternoon workshops—one on corporate culture and the other on greater sales and profits—received a definitive thumbs up. A taste of the content is below. continued on page 21