Articles
Top Producers — How They Get There

by Jacques Werth, Founder of High Probability Selling.  © 2006

It is often said that top salespeople work longer, harder and smarter than salespeople that are merely “successful.”  That theory doesn't work.  Top Producers — the top 1% — regularly earn from 5 to 15 times more than the typical successful salesperson.  No one can work 5 to 15 times longer, harder, and smarter than the typical successful salesperson.

Others say that Top Producers do what ordinary salespeople will not do.  That is a bit closer to reality.

Top Producers fully understand that in order to get dramatically better results, they must make dramatic changes in the way that they sell.  They must do what others won't even try.

Examples:

The typical successful salesperson tries to get appointments with all prospects that may need their products and services.  Top producers do not make appointments with prospects that merely need what they are selling.  Genuine prospects need and want what you're selling.

The typical successful salesperson knows how to qualify their prospects.  Top producers diligently disqualify all but the high probability prospects — prospects that are ready, willing, and able to buy.

The typical successful salesperson knows how to build rapport, creating pleasant and superficial interactions.  Top producers develop deep relationships based upon mutual trust and respect.  They do not do business with people they cannot trust.

The typical successful salesperson knows techniques designed to overcome objections.  Top producers eliminate almost all objections.

The typical successful salesperson does an impressive presentation.  Top producers conduct a thorough, linear sales process, with the prospect doing most of the talking.

The typical successful salesperson knows how to recognize “buying signals.”  When they occur, s/he tries to close the sale.  Top producers ask for conditional commitments to buy — early and often.

The typical successful salesperson knows effective closing techniques, and applies them when they think the prospect is ready.  Top producers overtly ask closing questions at least twenty times, until the prospect closes the sale himself.

The typical successful salesperson wants to know how to do what he already does better than he/she is doing it now.  That is called “incremental improvement.”  Top salespeople want to make dramatic improvements in how they sell.  That is called “sales process transformation.”

Do you really want to become one of The Best in the Business?  It's likely that you'll have to dramatically change the way you think about Selling and the Sales Process.  The road from Typical Salesperson to The Best is an exciting, uncomfortable journey to outstanding success.  When you're willing and able to transform the way you sell, you may be a candidate for High Probability Sales Training.