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Your track record doesn't mean a thing

 

Just because résumés and track records are being used to filter out and find the best sales people doesn't mean they're worth something. In fact, past success only means you did well in the past. It doesn't guarantee you'll be successful in the future.

 

Your past success can make future success pretty hard in more than one way...

                           
 
             
            "Sales is just like a piano"
                    For instance, successful sales people tend to be promoted. Most of them stay sharp, but some stop exercising that sales muscle, become arrogant and self centered and lose the edge they used to have on life.
 
Oh, I know. Success can repeat itself, and it often does if there's talent. But let's face it. The success you had in the past doesn't prove a thing, does it? What matters in sales? Strictly speaking, nothing matters but the sales you will make in the future. Your current value is the sum of your future contracts. That's what you get paid for. And if you're a sales manager hiring sales people, don't you forget it!
 
Sales is just like a piano. Once a key has been struck the music is gone - it's history - nothing but a memory. The only value of a piano key is the music it's producing, in harmony with every other key --at this time-- and for as long as he or she will be.
 
                           

The real deal

Why are you in sales? Is it for the money?

 

Sure, I earn my living that way, and it's good. But you know what. The reason I love selling is because it puts me right where I want to be; in the hottest furnace of constant communication training. If there's one area I'd like to master then it's the ability to reach someone else with a message. And by "reach" I mean totally embrace, both ways, i.e. I embrace you and you embrace me.

 

If you're asking me, I believe this is the toughest most noble of all tasks in any person's life: To constantly increase the talent of bringing someone over - not to "my way of thinking" - but to a higher shared level.

 

To me, that's what selling is about, and also how past success (i.e. your track record) can destroy what you have. When you think you're good, you're at risc, because pride may get in your way and stop you from delivering results now and in the future.

 
 

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"An increase in influence is the one ingredient that influences life most...

...everyone wants more influence for varying reasons. They just don't know it yet.

(E. Vidar Top)

 
 
Someone once said to me: "There is no such thing as the perfect sale." I disagree. I very much disagree!

It reminds me of a conversation I had a long time ago. One of my CEO's said to me: "If the customer happily signed the contract then you've done your job. You exceeded your budget - you should be happy." But I wasn't.

On these pages I'll make it my mission to tell you what kind of sale does make me happy. I also invite you to help me get that insight - how selling should be - by telling me what you think.

Thank you for helping out ;-)

http://vidartop.com
 
 
 
 
 
 

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