Tweet

Interview With A #1 Salesperson

Written by: Will Turner

Article Overview: Learn the keys to success from a salesperson who is the top in her field.

Interview With A #1 Salesperson

Our client, Terry Maxwell, just became the #1 salesperson in the national staffing firm with over 1,000 sales reps. In a recent interview with Laura Posey of Dancing Elephants, Terry shares some of her secrets of success.

Laura: What have you accomplished in the last year that you’re proud of?
Terry: I’ve finally made it to the top of the pile. I’ve always been a middle performer, not best but not worst. It’s been my goal since joining Remedy to be in the number one spot and this year, my third, I finally made it. Let me tell you, it’s everything I thought it would be!

Laura: What do you consider to be the key or keys to your recent success?
Terry: I consider my relationships to be the biggest contributor to my success. I believe I have three clients to serve, not just one. I serve the people who pay my firm for services, but I also serve the people I place in jobs and I serve my colleagues. I think salespeople forget to look at the big picture of service and only take care of the people who buy from them. Life is bigger than that and there are more relationships in your life that make you successful.

Laura: Why do you think you have succeeded in your company where others have not?
Terry: Because of learning to Bull’s Eye Market as you’ve taught me. I position myself as a specialist now, not just a staffing person like everyone else. As a result people are seeking me out to help them. I don’t have to chase prospects anymore; they come to me. My referral sources introduce me as a specialist and I can walk in the door with enormous credibility. I’m getting more referrals than ever before. With my focus I spend all of my time with the right people and I’m more profitable than ever.

Laura: If you could give others one piece of advice what would it be?
Terry: Specialize. Do only what you can do well and let others do the rest. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Laura: What are your plans for the coming year?
Terry: I really want to become the senior rep for the region. It gives me a chance to do what I really love more than anything- mentor other people. I love watching other people become successful and reach their potential.

And now for the rest of the story:
What makes Terry’s success truly inspiring is that for the last year and a half she has been fighting breast cancer. Terry is a survivor who has gone through surgery and chemotherapy. Her morning ritual includes waking up and getting sick and then going out to conquer the world. She doesn’t let her health dictate her performance. She simply sees it as an obstacle to overcome and she does. Congratulations Terry! You’re #1 status is well-deserved in more ways than one.

Related Articles
  Recruiting Strong Salespeople - The Sales Candidate Pipeline
  CAN TWO SALESPEOPLE REALLY BE THAT DIFFERENT?
  Survival of the Fittest on the Sales Force
  The Prospect Isn't Talking With Any Other Salespeople
  The Delayed Impact of Lack of Sales Commitment

Article Tags:



Related Forum Posts
Re: New forum - online businesses! - Thanks Evan for this great Interview and I will be pleased to be part of the new forum on online businesses!
The Game Inventor's Guidebook - by Brian Tinsman, 2002 I checked this out of my local library today and its pretty interesting... didn't address what I wanted to know, which was how to actually design an online gaming system (indeed this doesn't cover online games at all), but for board games etc. it's pretty good. Here's the TOC: 1. How they diid it: Trivial Pursuit Magic, the Gathering Dungeons & Dragons Pokemon Trading Card Game Interview with an inventor Interview with a publisher 2. How the industry works 1. What's in it for you 2. How new games happen 3. Anatomy of a publisher 4. Markets for games 3. Games and companies you should know 1. Mass market games you should know 2. Mass market companies you should know 3. Hobby games you should know 4. Hobby companies you should know 5. American specialty games and companies you should know 6. European specialty games and companies you should know 4. Self publishing 1. What am I getting into 2. Before you print 3. After you print 5. Selling a game step by step 1. How to invent a game 2. Game design 3. Game development 4. Targeting publishers 5. Before you submit 6. Eight submission strategies 7. Contacting publishers 8. Protecting your property 9. What to do if they don't say yes 10. What to do if they do say yes! 11. The game industry's dirty little secret 6. Resources and examples Publishers and mnufacturers Distributors Brokers Game conventions and trade shows Industry publications Sample query letter Sample record of disclosure Sample licensing agreement Sample option agreement
Actress Sarita Chou - I've subscribed to the Ladies Who Launch newsletter, and share their feature articles here. However, there's lots more on offer at Ladies Who Launch so I suggest you also subscribe... Meet Sarita Choudhury Interview The voice on the audio book of Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake belongs to Sarita Choudhury. Suspended without visual cues, Choudhury's proper English narration belies the actress's rich cultural background. Her Bengali mother and British father married in Jamaica but her primary education took place in Italy and Canada. Her career was launched when she costarred with Denzel Washington in Mira Nair's film Mississippi Masala. Choudhury's gone on to portray a number of exotic, if troubled, women including a Chilean maid, a lesbian mother, and a Pakistani country-western singer. But Hollywood is as famous for its films as it is for its cutthroat competitive culture. It's a crazy soup of idol worshipers, egomaniacs, high rollers, taboo-breakers, and dreamers of every stripe all stirred up together. Throughout her career, Choudhury has remained true to herself and relatively unscathed. She's made the most of the experience while standing solidly on the ground -- priorities in place and gaze steady toward the future. Acting boot camp I spent a year touring the world with Declan Donolan and his theater company Cheek By Jowl. For the first six months I wasn't very good, but Declan didn't care. He taught me how to learn from my mistakes. It was the hardest training I've ever had. When I got a little better I could see him smiling with me. It was really fun. I think he changed everything for me. When I left the theater and got back into film I felt like I had a real base. It's funny how the image of show business is so bad. Truthfully I only meet supportive people. Even if it's a bit fake sometimes, it definitely always feels supportive. The big time Denzel Washington had just got the Oscar for Glory and he was a big star but it was new to him, so it was kind of charming. I was so beside myself working with him (on Mississippi Masala). I was just so shy. He used to say to the director "Do you think she's ever going to speak?" and still I wouldn't. But I had no problem when the camera was rolling. That's how I knew I loved acting. It was just like - I couldn't be at all outside of that. The underrated art of listening Being part of many cultures I think has made me very open to other people. But when I first came to University in North America I met many people who, if I mentioned that I grew up in Rome, would respond by saying "I've been to Rome" and they'd proceed to tell me all about their experience. But they would never ask me a thing. And so I thought "How do people learn?" I think if you meet great people you often find that they ask many questions and they listen. When I meet a great teacher or a great mentor, I find that they know so much because they listen. They have nothing to defend, nothing to prove. When I walk into an audition I really look at everyone and smile. Then I just sit down and listen to what they have to say - I don't just launch into my own thing. Finding a mentor I saw Mira Nair's early documentary work and recognized that she had a very strong voice. Then I discovered that she was also doing feature films in Mumbai. I felt a connection to her. I'd gone from studying arts theory and criticism to acting. There was something familiar in her transition from documentary to features. And of course she was an Indian and living outside of India. Here was a role model that really fit. My feelings towards her work were so strong that it seemed very natural for me to reach out to her. Like most things if you really feel that connection, it gives you the courage to reach out to that person. Resilience and rejection Oh my God, rejection happens all the time. But if I don't hear back from the agency I don't ask why. I don't really want to know. I mean, unless I've done something outrageous. But in general there's so many reasons why you don't get a role that I'm used to it now. I am sure I've made a complete fool of myself. And the thing is... you keep going. Every rejection is heartbreak. The trick with acting is that you have to really fall in love with a role to do it well so then if you don't get it, it hurts. You have to get thick-skinned but not so thick-skinned that you lose your sensitivity. Actors have to have access to their emotions. It's a fine line. On acting I tend to go for one thing only. When I look into my interviews from the time of my first film, they seem like pretentious. But what was interesting about those interviews, people would ask me - "Do you want to direct, do you want to write?" and I'd always say, "No, I just want to act." I'm still like that now. I would always pursue acting over anything else. A woman of the world I think that if you don't travel, you get brainwashed. Travel is so important. You must see things for yourself. The more you witness, especially internationally, the more you're able to judge as opposed to just showing off. With travel and a lot of reading definitely comes an open mind. Instinct = shine I think we all have instincts. You might see someone walking down the street and they just look great -- what they wear seems right for them, and yet it wouldn't be right for you. When people really go for their instincts, they shine. Happiness is success I'm lucky enough to work and live in New York City. But I don't work all the time. If I lived in LA, I'd work much more. Often people ask me why I don't move to LA. They ask if I'm scared of success and I say no, not at all, I love success, I'm not scared of success a bit. But I just feel happier in New York and that is a form of success. I think true success is really about being happy. I go to yoga, which is all about getting to a point where you are just naturally in a state of happiness. And I thought wow; people have to work to get to this place, because life is so stressful nowadays. Ruling the world It's shocking that women haven't ruled the world. In a way they do. I mean, it depends on what world you're looking at. There are so many -- the world of children, the world of the heart. Women are already so successful that you want to say, "Don't change what you're doing. Just know that if it makes you happy, it works." This Featured Lady was profiled by Noa Jones, a writer based in New York City.
Erica Ehm profile, Ladies Who Launch - Meet Erica Ehm Interview Meet Erica Ehm in Toronto at Ladies Who Launch LIVE on September 29. Erica Ehm rocks. And she does it with the lights on. At least, she used to. One of Canada's most recognized media personalities, Erica was barely in her 20s when she became the first female video jockey on Canada's MuchMusic cable TV station. Erica went on to launch a multi-media career that has included television, radio, film, theater, journalism, songwriting, and music publishing. The birth of her son, Joshua, however, changed her pace and direction on a dime. As a new mother, she found herself confused, afraid, isolated and depressed, and she wasn't alone. Yummy Mummy Club was launched to create an online community for women with "kids, guilt and no time for themselves." Cheeky and playful, it speaks to "finding the impossible balance between the single sexpot she used to be, the woman she's become, the professional she works hard to be, the wife she aspires to be and the mother she has to be." What I learned from Erica: the key to success is to dream. "To make your dream come true, you first have to have a dream." And,"You have to be very specific as to what you're trying to achieve. Go at it, day in and day out. Meet people. Network. Use others' expertise to your mutual benefit. Find the 'frenemies' around you. And, be prepared for more work than you ever thought possible." Birth of a Video Jockey "I always wanted to be in music and acting. They were my passion, and, as a VJ, I could combine the two. "When I was 16, I worked at a local radio station. My next jobs were at larger radio and TV stations. They saw that I was passionate and driven. I was able to make a demo tape and I basically thrust my talent on MuchMusic. "I also ran the school yearbook, wrote a student newspaper column and did my college yearbook. A pattern emerged that I didn't notice. It was that I've always been a spokesperson for my generation." School of Hard Knocks "I went to the school of hard knocks. I learned on the job. I had no formal training, script or director and I was on the air live for four hours every day. I survived and flourished." Fearless Good Girl "I learned to be fearless in front of an audience and camera. "I was creating my own persona and messaging from the time I was in my early 20s on live national TV. This forced me to examine my priorities and what kind of message I wanted to send. "I positioned myself as a good girl, an inspiration and a role model, as opposed to the party animal rock and roller. I used the platform to spread inspiration to young people and women. No one ever wrote a script for me. It all came from my heart." Ups and Downs of Celebrity "I was somewhat of an introvert and initially not comfortable with people. I just wanted to interview rock stars and understand their creative abilities. I didn't think about and wasn't prepared for celebrity. "It did allow me the opportunity to get my message out. I learned how to use the media for my own ways and how to navigate an interview." Shock of Motherhood "I was totally unprepared for the psychological, emotional and physical changes when I had my son, Josh. I did all the research, but it hit me over the head like a hammer. I was in a fog and totally depressed and terrified." Dirty Little Secrets "I wondered if anyone else was having such a terrible time. Out at parks and places, I started to talk to other mothers and tell them my experiences. "They'd say, 'Me, too.' I realized it was a dirty little secret that no one is sharing because they're too ashamed that they're not the perfect mother. "I thought, there has to be some way to talk to moms and tell them they're not alone, that we're all going through same thing and it's OK." Yummy Mummy Club "I wanted to create a place on the internet to share and celebrate our lives as mothers. The idea was to stop talking to moms like they're just moms. "We are women first. Part of the discussion will be about motherhood, but we are also lovers, girlfriends, athletes and so much more. A mother is not just a caretaker of children. So many of us forget that when we have a child and start to lose our identity. Definition of a Yummy Mummy "It means different things to different people. She's an inspired multi-tasking mom who feels good about herself and takes good care of herself. She's a great role model for her friends, kids and family." Hooked up With a Delicious Daddy "A Delicious Daddy is a father who is connected to his family on a domestic level. He doesn't just go to work, come home and say, 'Honey, where's supper?' He's connected on an emotional and physical level. Imperfect: The New Perfect "Moms need to lose the guilt and fear. It's all a state of mind. It's important to keep the idea of 'happy mummy, happy family' in perspective. Sometimes a mom has to take care of herself and put her needs first. Refreshed and inspired, she'll be able to be there for her kids in a better way." Prepare For Chaos "For all the talk about balance, really there is no balance. As soon as you have it, something goes out of whack. Be prepared for chaos." Turning Point "My business model has been based on my own intuition. I built my website by hand myself on intuition. Its message and feel reflected my strong vision. I was a one-woman operation until recently. "Now I've hit a plateau. I'm still doing most of the hands-on, but now someone does the site for me. I hired a mom-preneur of Craigslist. I've hired a firm to handle the invoicing and I have virtual assistants. My sister in law is the 'prize queen' and she contacts our contest winners. "I love the transition. I'm very careful about who I'm asking to join my team. Everyone has exceeded my expectations. The secret is, hire moms. They know how to multi-task, they take great pride in their work and they know about self-employment. Moms are the best untapped market." Yummy Future "YummyFriends is my new social networking site for women and moms to meet and support each other. It's a place to share sexy secrets, fave books and cool questions. "My biggest initiative to date is a user-generated contest to find Canada's Yummiest Mummy. It's a 12-week contest beginning over Labor Day. Thousands of videos will be uploaded and there will be prizes for winners, voters, and people who forward news of the contest. It's a huge undertaking with a cheeky, playful vibe." Yummy Last Words 'The only way you'll succeed is to put work and time in. It can't be all about money because then you'll start compromising left, right and center. You have to be consistent about your dream. Have the attitude, 'If you build it, they will come.' "Starting out in the spotlight so young, I learned that the key to success is to be fearless. Don't be afraid to ask, to take chances and to risk being turned down. Roll with the punches and get back up."


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Unharnessing Creativity in Business

Soda Vending Machine = Energy Hog

Leading from Authenticity is a Beautiful Thing

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.