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Do you have what it takes to be a sales superstar?

Do you have what it takes to be a sales superstar?

Every salesperson, young and old, dreams of becoming a superstar. Their company's #1 salesperson. Winning all the awards, contests and perks that go with super stardom. Not to mention a fantastic income.

OK. We all dream it. But, why do so few achieve it? Why do so many salespeople aspire to greatness, but earn only an average income year after year? What differentiates the great from everyone else? Are the superstars born that way? Have the heavens showered them with extraordinary gifts? Do they posses something others lack?

Yes and no. No, they are not born that way. No, the heavens have not showered them with anything extraordinary. But yes, they do posses things that others lack. What are those things? First, let me be clear about something. Salespeople are not born great. The days of finding success in sales with a charismatic personality and a firm handshake are long gone. And along with it should be the belief that you don't have to invest in training salespeople, that salespeople should come fully trained right out of the box. Well that's just Bull!!!!

Let's look at it this way. A semiconductor manufacturer would never hire an engineer unless he or she had a degree in electrical engineering. A bridge builder wouldn't hire an engineer unless they had a degree in mechanical engineering. A law firm wouldn't hire an associate unless they had a law degree. But companies large and small, would entrust their entire revenue generation to people that have a pleasing personality and a nice appearance. Talk about insanity!

So what does differentiate the great from the average? First, the superstar has been trained to be a superstar. Not just in techniques, (although learning new techniques are extremely important) but in overcoming self-limiting attitudes and beliefs that often neutralize even the best techniques. First, they've learned to face their fears and do it anyway. They're not afraid to call at any level within a company. They're just as comfortable in a boardroom as they are sitting in a purchasing agent’s cubicle. Second, they believe in their product/service, their company and in themselves. They know that what they sell is the best and will positively impact their customer’s lives. Third, they know it’s never about them, but always about the customer. They've learned how to ask questions that determine the reasons for doing business, and that differentiate themselves from the competition. And, fourth, they understand it's never about money. They know the prospect will squeeze them on price, not once, not twice, but probably three times, but they never cave. They uphold their company's profit margins.

What else do superstars possess? They do the behaviors. They know how many phone calls it takes to get a meeting. How many meetings to get to a presentation/demo/proposal. How many presentations/ demos/ proposals to get to a sale. They know it takes hard work. They know there are no shortcuts. They are willing to do whatever it takes and are committed to their success.

Can you be a superstar? Absolutely! But you have got to want it. You have got to make the decision that this is the year you're going to reach for the stars. And you must be totally committed to making it happen. If you can do that, you too can be a superstar.





Do you have what it takes to be a sales superstar - To learn more about this author, visit Michael Luckman's Website.

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Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website

David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website

Linda Richardson
Linda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website

John Brennan
John Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website

George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website

Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website


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Michael Luckman
(Visit Michael's Website) Michael has been involved in sales, marketing and training for over 39 years, with companies such as Milton Bradley, Playskool, Gund and for many years his own award winning sales and marketing firm, Michael Luckman and Associates. His experience runs the gamut from consumer product sales to national retail chains, on up to seven-figure management consulting projects to the Global 1000. In 1975, as Director of Marketing for National Semiconductor, he brought to market the first electronic toy, the “Quiz Kid,” creating not only that years #1 toy, but an entirely new industry. Early in his career Michael was one of five senior buyers for Toys R Us. It was in this capacity that he realized that not all sales people were created equal. The truly professional had a system that they followed to control the selling process. The majority though, had no system, and soon defaulted to the buyers, and dropping the price was always a part of that system. When he went back into sales he vowed to be a professional, but it wasn’t until he discovered the Sandler Sales Institute and its non-traditional sales methodologies, that he realized what a truly professional sales system looked like.

Michael Luckman is a Bronze author on EvanCarmichael.com
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