Lights! Cameras! Action!”
On your marks. Get set. BAM!"
INCOMING!"
Down by four points deep in their own territory with just under two minutes left and no timeouts, we're going to see just how well they prepared for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
And in the red corner—red by their own blood—is the unprepared salesperson who thinks they'll win them over with their charm, jokes, and expense account!"
Contrary to popular belief, you will not "rise to the occasion" when the pressure is on.
You'll revert back to the level of your training.
And unless you train under strenuous conditions that simulate the real thing, you'll crack when the pressure is on.
After playing football in college, being deployed around the world with the Air Force, selling for over 22 years to the likes of Google, Apple, and Facebook, and now training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I can tell you that unless you practice, drill, and rehearse—as Tom Hopkins has taught me both virtually and as a guest on The Sales Podcast—you will underperform and probably fail when push comes to shove.
That's why it's so important to engage in real-world training with world-class instructors.
The first guy on the left, Big Nick, is a relatively new black belt promoted by the second guy from the left, Ricardo Guimarães.
He's a Native American from here in the Temecula Valley who is one of the most technical practitioners of the sport I've ever met. (We also golf together from time to time, and I snagged an interesting action shot of him in my book, "The Sales Whisperer® Way.")
The second guy from the left is literally the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor in the world for his class—Black Belt, Male, Master 5—and his name is Ricardo Guimarães.
And the guy in between Ricardo and me is Royler Gracie, of the famed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, UFC, and MMA Gracie family.
Since Friday, January 27, 2017, I've been training five to six times per week for 1.5 to 2 hours at a time under these experts.
And when I say "training," I mean I go in and learn, fail, teach, fail, learn, fail, and finally grow...sore...and grow a little in my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills.
We practice how to
We do that by losing many times per day...in a safe environment.
Jocko and Wes at the Origin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Immersion camp in Maine
For many years I exercised alone...and I didn't get near the results I now get by training with a team, under the supervision of a world-class instructor, with plenty of opportunities to try what I am taught, test it, ask questions, refine it, and own it for my own growth.
Ricardo Guimarães wins because his mind is right.
Same for Michael Phelps.
And "Mr. Wonderful" on "Shark Tank."
And LeBron James.
They focus on their goals and prepare their minds before they step into the arena. This mental aspect is what cripples so many competitors.
The question is, how good has your training been...and how does it stack up to your competition?
Are you 100% confident that you are 100% ready to knock the socks off the next prospect you meet on the street, at a conference, or on the phone?
Could you get Mr. Wonderful's attention if you cold-called him right now and he answered?
If your #1 prospect walked up to your table during lunch at your next conference, would you know what to say to win her over?
Only proper preparation using proper words in an instructive, safe, educational environment will give you the confidence you need to know that you can and will perform when the money is on the line.
And, trust me, your money is on the line each and every time you pick up the phone, send an email, stand in line at Starbucks, or attend a conference or networking event.
So what is the first thing you say when you meet someone on the street or your prospect picks up the phone?
Is it...
Hi, how are you?"
Hey, how's the weather?"
I'll be in your part of town next week. How's Tuesday or Wednesday for me to pop by?"
Did you get a chance to catch the game?"
Are you ready for the spring/summer/fall/winter/pumpkin spice season to begin/end/continue?"
How was your weekend? Why do they go so fast?"
Got any big plans this weekend? What do you like to do when you're not at work?"
DO. NOT. OPEN. LIKE. THAT. EVER. Okay?
When you sound like every other desperate, cheesy salesperson, you'll be treated like every other desperate, cheesy salesperson.
Go ahead and send me some information."
Let me put you in touch with Seemore down in the basement. He handles those types of gizmos."
That's not a priority for us right now."
We're happy with our current vendor. Take me off your calling list."
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You need a script.
You need a call script that you have practiced, drilled, rehearsed, and perfected.
You need a script you can say in your sleep.
You need a script for decision-makers, receptionists, executive assistants, the C-suite, middle management, and the frontline users of your offering.
You need a voicemail script.
You need an email script.
You need a 4-7 voicemail script.
You need 4-7 email scripts that support your voicemail scripts.
You need scripts for connecting via social media that support your voicemail and email scripts.
You need direct mail scripts that support your social media, voicemail, and email scripts.
You need a script.
Because whatever you can measure, you can improve.
Edward Deming knew this. So did Dale Carnegie and Charles Schwab.
I've read and studied these men and put into practice what they've recommended.
You can do the same or trade a few dollars in return for shaving 10-22 years off your learning—and earning—curve.
What you'll learn in this Private Sales Growth Program includes developing a Profitable Prospecting Perspective, which includes perfecting your openings.
Not only do we get into the actual words you should use for your industry and niche, but we also discuss how you should dress, stand, approach your prospects, and even your tonality. (Singers may want to end on a high note, but it's killing your sales.)
You also learn how to quickly determine the buying style of your prospect based on how they answer their phone, how they dress, how their offices look, and how they conduct themselves in group meetings vs. one-on-one, so you can then adjust your selling style to match.
Your competitors are either not going into this level of detail to prepare to sell against you...or they are.
Either way, you need to do this to stay ahead or to keep from falling behind.
Are you willing to commit the time, money, and energy to master these skills?
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Understand that you need to sell you and your ideas in order to advance your career, gain more respect, and increase your success, influence and income.” - Jay Abraham
Now go sell something.