What sales skills sickness might actually boost your sales strengths and minimize yours weaknesses? I know this sentence may cause you to wonder if I've lost my mind, but read on and you'll see where I'm going with this train of thought.

For the past month I've had an infection in my left eye that is still lingering on. Four visits to three doctors, (two visits to the same doctor I might add) plus two different medication and the red, swollen lower lid saga continues.

What does this medical condition have to do with selling? Absolutely nothing! It's a metaphor.

The "infection" equates to lost sales, lower sales, or not enough prospects in the sales funnel. How satisfied are you with the level of your sales today? What are you doing to keep your prospecting pipeline filled? If you lose a sale, do you have other prospects to fall back on? Do you balance your current clients, charge forward with new ones or sit back and plan on how to get new leads? It's time to take a reality check of your business.

The doctor "visits" equates to my own experiences and research, that people don't usually buy in business to business relationships the first time contact is made. It can take anywhere from 3 to 21 contacts in various forms before a connection is made. How persistent have you been with follow-ups? What's the validity in your follow-ups? In the different ways you stay in touch with your prospects and customers, are some of them more personal than an obligatory and rather impersonal email?

The "medications" are directly correlated to the amazing statistics in my field that say less than 1% of salespeople invest in their own self-development! The corollary is that the top 1% in sales invests a good deal of time in their own personal development skills. Whether it is through the use of books, tapes, seminars, teleclasses, coaching, or seeking the advice of other high achievers, those who are at the top of the sales game invest in themselves more than those who merely profess they want to be at the top.

Put This Idea Into Action Now:

1. What area of selling - your prospecting, your confidence level, your presentation skills, your handling objections, and/or your follow-up for a few areas, can use a "vision" check?"

2. What can you do about improving just one area of your selling skills this week?

3. What one thing can you do differently to improve this one area before you end the day?

About the Author

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