Tweet

It Pays to be a Winner!

Guest post by: Travis Healy

Article Overview: There ARE Secrets to Success...They're just not as Complicated as You've Been Led to Believe!

It Pays to be a Winner!

The First Step... I thought it would be prudent to lay out the basic reason for the existence of this column. It Pays to be a Winner! is a term coined by the special forces community to convey that, quite simply, if you are the winner - you get the rewards.

IPTBAW is a personal bent of mine. Here's the jist. When I graduated from college, I had planned on being a fighter pilot in the Marine Corps. I got my pilot's license, went through the steps and at the finish line, my dream was crushed because of an eye problem.

So, armed with an English Degree, I had to make ends meet and literally, fell into corporate sales. For years, I struggled to succeed. I was sent to training retreats, given books and was taught (in theory) how to succeed.

I failed.

It wasn't until I met a Navy SEAL in 2003 that I learned how to truly win.

I won and continue to win as a result.

The concepts, teachings and practices of that meeting are the foundation of this group and they can be applied to any endeavor. Your input, your expertise and your participation will benefit the members of this group as well as yourself.

In exchange for your attention and time, my commitment to you is to provide only the razors edge of business attainment tactics from proven wins.

The IPTBAW column is simple - to teach and share the best unconventional sales, marketing and business generation tactic around.

Know this up front - I am not a trainer, I am not a guru, & I am not a PhD who has written a book on sales reps after years of study. I am a sales professional. I currently hold a quota and am responsible for bringing in cash. I have done this successfully for many years now and have been recognized as a top gun performer numerous times. If you want to learn how to do it from someone who is actually doing it - not just teaching it, read on.

How it all started

For a long time, I struggled in professional sales. I attended seminars, was sent to "training" retreats, listened to "gurus" and bought thousands of dollars worth of books and CD's looking for the magic key to sales / business success. The end result was that I barely made it every month and fell short more than a few times. Being the kind of guy that I am, I pressed on to find out just exactly was the missing component. The tipping point was a chance meeting with a 10 year veteran of the U.S. Navy SEAL's (Navy special forces commandos).

I went to California for a martial arts training session conducted by this Navy SEAL and got a real eye opener about performance. Expecting to be trained in new ways of whooping butt (which I did get), my entire mindset was re-trained over a three day period to make one, critical shift and that proved to be exactly what I needed to start dominating in the field of professional selling.

It's all about the target...

Nothing, nothing, nothing is more important to Navy SEALs and the IPTBAW (It Pays to be a Winner) world than this:

HITTING THE TARGET

In life, business, sales, whatever - hitting the target is ultimately what defines the achievement from the failure. Since this blog is all about the "Special Forces" way to business success, the number one lesson you need to learn here and today taught is that there is nothing more critical to success than hitting a predefined target. everything else is ancillary.

Ask yourself, is it more important to read books on motivation and selling, looking for "the secret" or closing deals that put cash in your pocket? The books, tapes, gurus, etc. are a tool (some good, most rehashes of what you already know), not the end goal though. My question to you is simple - are you focused on targets or are you spinning your wheels in undefined daily activity waiting for "secrets?"

In corporate sales for example, which is more important? Forecasting multiple stages for the non-purchasing customer in a pipeline, or closed deals? Maintaining a complex CRM tool or having conversations that lead to orders? In today's electronically flooded arena, simplicity has unfortunately taken a back seat to complexity and results have taken a backseat. Know this - at the end of the month, nobody cares about the forecast.

Way too many sales reps (replace sales reps with "people" as this concept is universal) are stuck in the "get more information" step instead of the "take action" step. That is where most problems in performance / results arise.

The Critical Shift

The simple solution? Specific daily goals and brutally honest questions.

From observing successful and failing sales reps (myself included), I have noticed a critical separation factor between the 2% that bring home consistently massive commissions and those that struggle and it's this - the 2% have a specific, daily plan and ask brutally honest questions.

The 2% know, hour by hour what sales activities they will pursue and they ask themselves in advance - "will this activity ultimately put more money in my pocket?" Everything else is ancillary.

Take some time this week to clearly define your targets. Are they weekly quota targets? Are they specific income targets? Is it a better relationship with your kids? List them out and then be brutally honest with yourself. Do I have the right activities scheduled to actually hit these targets? Secondly, If I take these predefined steps, will they lead to what I am after?

The IPTBAW business pro is extremely focused and brutally honest - everyday!

For deeper detail, visit us on online at iptbaw dot com

Happy Hunting - Thanks for Reading and Forwarding!

T

Copyright 2009, IPTBAWdotcom, All Rights Reserved

Related Articles
  Insurance Sales Training
  Are You A Winner?
  Medical Care Insurance Co-Payments : 3 Things You Shouldn't Assume
  How to Have a Natural Holiday High
  The Dangers of HindSight
  Your Phrase that Pays
  DOs and DON’Ts of Great Recognition Programs
  Residual Income Opportunities- Get Paid on Bills in Canada with Mark Eichorn
  Asking For the Money
  Out Thoughts Control our Destiny
  Sweepstakes Improve Business Sales
  The Winner's Edge - It Separates the Winner from the Loser
  The Three Elements Of Home Business Success
  Give yourself a magical life
  Be Do Have a Formula For Success
  Kaiser Permenente - User Submitted Health Plan Reviews
  How To Build Confidence
  Find the Right Game
  Your Life and Business is an Echo
  Lou Holtz on Winning

Article Tags:



Related Forum Posts


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.

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

The State of the Sustainable Furniture Industry

How To Become A Member of the Paparazzi

Mistakes Made by New or Inexperienced Sales Staff

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.