"Without professionalism I'd be an amateur, and the clients I want don't hire amateurs."
David Airey
There is no free ride to success. There is no easy button. There is no short-cut. Without hard work, dedication, and an extreme tolerance for frustration, you can never become a sales champion.
If you really want it, then you must be willing to back it up by taking massive action. I am concerned that far too many in sales lack a basic understanding of what’s necessary to become a sales professional.
Are you putting in the hard work?
You must be willing to get off of the comfy couch. You must get outside of your physical, mental and emotional comfort zones. You must be willing to push the envelope, to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Success is simple yet difficult. I get it every once in a while, you'll work your butts off.
Occasionally, you will get motivated to step the pace up and sweat just a little bit more especially when your sales funnel is running on empty.
Unfortunately, many in sales are consistently inconsistent and will turn their head and mentally say, "No thank you, I'm comfortable just where I am at."
"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come."
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
What do you think separates a sales professional from the rest of the pack? Do they have more talent? Not necessarily! Are they more gifted than others? On some occasions, yes. Do they want and smell sales success more than you? Do they practice, plan and prepare more than others?
You see, the very successful professionals work harder, and on a more consistent basis; because they want it more than you do. Their inner drive propels them.
If you truly desire to become a sales professional, then your biggest obstacle is the very person you see when you look in the mirror!
If you want it badly enough and are willing to go after it on a daily basis, week in and week out, month in and month out; then you must buckle-down by elevating your training and performance.
"Without hard work and discipline it is difficult to be a top professional"
Jahangir Kahn
A PROFESSIONAL AND AN AMATEUR
The differences between a professional and an amateur is the variance in their thought process, behavior, attitude and approach towards sales.
As noted by Oxford languages...
A professional is defined as:
- Relating to or belonging to a profession.
- Worthy of or appropriate for a profession, competent or skillful.
Let's look at amateur as defined by Merriam-Webster...
- One who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession
- One lacking in experience and competence in an art or science
Curious... Did you notice how the word competence was used? Allow the word to sink in for just a moment.
The only way to become better at sales is to spend time working on it.
But, how can you become a sales professional if you’re not consistent enough?
"The difference between an amateur and a professional is in their habits. An amateur has amateur habits. A professional has professional habits. We can never free ourselves from habit. But we can replace bad habits with good ones.”
Steven Pressfield
Could the difference between a sales professional and a sales amateur lie within their habits and mindset?
I believe sales professionals have developed habits, routines and rhythms that guide them to stay at the top.
Sales professionals are called professionals for a reason, are you willing to do the work?
LET'S PEEL THIS BACK SOME MORE...
Allow this quote to sink in for a moment...
"I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses."
Kobe Bryant
Do you have what it takes to take your career to the next level?
Are you willing to put in the work to become a sales professional?
ARE YOU COMMITTED?
Sales amateurs believe knowledge is power. Sales professionals pass on their wisdom and advice to their clients.
Sales amateurs see feedback and coaching as criticizing. Sales professionals know they have weaknesses and crave feedback and coaching.
Sales amateurs focus on the short term. Sales professionals focus on the long term.
Sales amateurs blame others, point fingers and makes excuses. Sales professionals accept responsibility and hold themselves personally accountable.
Sales amateurs stall after failure or lost deals. Sales professionals grow after failure.
Sales amateurs strive to achieve. Sales professionals strive for continuous growth.
Sales amateurs cave when faced with adversity and tough challenges. Sales professionals lean into adversity and challenges.
ARE YOU PUTTING IN THE WORK?
If you fail to put in the work, you will never find true success.
You’ve heard about Malcolm Gladwell and his 10,000-hour rule. He studied and discovered the most successful people are the ones who have put in the hard work. They dive into their craft and study. And they worked and worked some more.
You can’t expect success to come to you just because you want it to. You must be willing to work hard.
You must adjust your mindset. Every morning, look in the mirror in and say to yourself, I'm a sales professional.
Moving from a sales amateur to a sales professional requires:
- A commitment to yourself
- A commitment to a stronger work ethic
- A commitment to a plan
How many of you are willing to double-down on yourself?
How many of you will do the things necessary to change the course of your sales career?
Will you commit to doing the work, or dodge it and remain in that sales amateur mindset?
- Becoming better is simply, better.
- Progressing is simply, progress.
- Potential is simply, potential.
“The amateur plays part-time. The professional plays full-time”.
Steven Pressfield
I understand, I get where you all are coming from. Every day, I walk in your shoes. I am fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects and heartfelt strategies into your current sales process to grow new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way, the genuine way, the authentic way! It's about understanding value before visibility.
Selling From the Heart is making a difference! I poured my heart into every page of this book and I think you're going to love it. You can find it on Amazon in paperback, kindle and in audio. You can click on the book image below and this will take you to Amazon.In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market.
In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market.
With great pride I transform, challenge, coach and inspire sales teams to grow new business by helping them share their story and how they communicate it out by integrating the use of social and Selling from the heart inside the sales process. You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and on my podcast by clicking on Selling from the Heart.
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