If you have been in sales for any length of time I am sure that all of you have seen the title "Key To Success" or one very similar to it many times. I don't profess to know the "Key To Success", but I have been in sales long enough to know if you are unable to do two things, then it is very unlikely that you will ever achieve real success.
Before I get into what those two things are, I am in no way discounting all the other things that we need to do to succeed. We need to be:
- Accessible
- Follow through
- Return calls quickly
- Have a positive attitude
- Knowledge of our product
- Confidence
And the list could go on and on. As can the list for the tools that are out there to help use succeed, like:
- Contact Management Programs
- Sales Classes
- Computer programs that make our job easier
- The Internet (and all that goes with it)
And again this list could go on and on. But there are two things that no matter how many techie toys you have or classes you attend, or sales approaches you have learned, or any of the above things that I have mentioned, if you are not able to do these two things, the likelihood for success is very, very small, and most likely not at all.
Those two things are "Persistence", and the ability to "Get Yourself Up When You Fall Down". A sales person can not give up at the first or second NO that they hear. And more importantly a sales person has to be able to get up when they fail. These two things don't cost any money, and can't be taught. These two things have to be part of our nature. That does not mean that we can't have our own personal pity party every once and a while. But the successful sales person does not party for long. The successful sales person gets up, learns from the failure, and moves on.
These two things may sound simple, but they are the hardest thing to do if they are not part of who you are. In my opinion it is possible to succeed without any of the things I previously mentioned, but if you are not "Persistence", and don't have what it takes to "Get Yourself Up When You Fall Down". than all of the toys, classes, programs, or Internet is not going to get it done for you.
Do you have what it takes to be "Successful"?
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George: Very true. Persistence and how a person responds to failure will make a difference. Congratulations on your feature. Take care.
It's good to read these reminders. It helps us keep going, especially those on the verge of giving up. Thanks!
Jane Pacheco
Good post. Everybody falls down, it's all about getting back up.
George,
I would have to say that most of the people here at Active Rain have those qualities. Especially over the last few years! Many a time I have thought about changing careers, but I really can't see me doing anything else! I think you "do" know the Key to Success!:)
George,
Great post!
You know I love redundancy, we have to take the keys you've shared and use them! Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again. Again and again.
The answers are here, but to many people are going to try one key in one lock or even each key in one lock stumble and make excuses. You've given us the keys we must now demonstrate tenacity!
Bill
Amen and Amen!! You nailed the two that defeat so many and those two things are so closely tied together.
Congrats on the well deserved Feature.
Good article. Tom Watson Sr. said, "If you want to succeed, double your failure rate."
The last question is the best question...nice post
Very true George. I have this saying by my desk:
Our Greatest Glory Is Not In Never Falling
But In Rising Every Time We Fall
~ Confucius
Great Post. I would like to think I have those 2 things along with a few techie toys:)
Nice post, George....and very true....I think everyone in their own business needs to be able to be persistent and resilient....you have to be your own cheerleader!
Great post. Many people have great plans, but most do not actually implement.
Paul, sales is not for the weak of heart, and I am proof that it does not require a lot of brain power, just the willingness to stay with it :)
Jane, these are tough time, but the answer is not in giving up.
Roger, it sounds simple but not easy. Staying down has never been an option for me.
Karen, thank you. Stick it with and the rewards will come.
Bill thank you. Coming from you that means a lot.
Judi, they are a must, and I know that you have those qualities.
Kwee I will have to remember that.
Cory it is a question that those in sales have to answer sometime.
Marie, I love that. I think I will add that to my desk.
Jeremy it isn't any fun without the techie toys :) :) :)
MaryJane, you are right we have to pick ourselves up when no one else will.
Kevin I have been in sales for a long time, and I have seen that many times. You can't implement what you don't plan, but implementation does require planning.
George - A long time ago I heard that the winner in any battle is the one that is willing to get up one time than his or her opponent. It is that person that is the real winner. Keep getting up again and again and again and again... Thanks for the blog
Steve, what you said is very true, and I have had to do that many times in my life.
So many of us don't follow these simple techniques. I guess that includes me from time to time. :(
This makes me think and strive to be better.
Greg J. Gardner
www.Blithernet.com
Steve,
I once heard that if you are not failing, then you are not trying hard enough. In other words, you gotta keep pushing yourself and growing. No one likes to fail. This post is a great reminder.
George -- Success is failure turned inside out. Don't ever give up. Persist and persevere. Love this post!
Oh, you are so right. And, today was a down day...but, back up now...and need to get a good night of sleep now. Congrats on the feature. This is great advice.
George.. For all the others that have commented here.. I agree. We *all* know what this is about, otherwise we would not be here to common on your blog. We've all persisted, and got back up when we were done.
Congrats on the Feature too.
Very true, you have to get through the no's to get to the yes's.
Yes all true.....I need to copy this down and tape it up above my desk as a reminder! Thanks for the post!
George, the hardest thing for new sales people to do is get going after their first rejection. To someone seasoned a bit, a not just means the next number gets called sooner. Good Post.
George,
Great post and I do believe to do what you like and like what you do! Thanks for sharing the key with us!
Yes indeed George..and this is something that needs to be learned over time...ironclad persistence does not come all at once...we have to practice it to get better. Thank you for this post.
Fran & Kathy O'Neal
Beautifully written. Really applies to everything in life.
Congratulations on the featured post. I like your last statement. Get up if you if you are let down!
George, thank you for this post, it is wonderful. And timely... And congrats on the feature!
George - oh wise one ~ You have found the 2 most important keys to success! Without these keys you can't get the engine to your business started. I think overcoming failure and is one of the most challenging things we must face. However, when you listen to some of the most successful people when they are interviewed most will share the failures they had to overcome.. these are merely learning tools!
I agree with these points you made about being successful
Those are so so so important !!!
Adam
George, more I think I should learn few things, technology moves even at a quicker pace..,
It's difficult to keep pace with technology - but not with relationships, which is a KEY TO SUCCESS, I think.
George in the enviroment we have been going through you need to have a lot of skills. Only the most well equiped will do well.
George this rings so true. Actually we were going to push the suggest button because it is so true, til we saw it was a feature already!! Congratulations
George these are proven elements of success. Thanks for reminder and congrats on the feature.
Great Post George,
One of my favorite quotes that I always keep in plain view for those days when I need a pick me up...
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" Wayne Gretzky
This is so true, George. Sucess in real estate, and in so many other things is all about attitude - know what you want, and then be determined to get it.
Hi George....Congratulations on your feature post, getting back on the horse is hard...yet energising when you see the results from staying in the fight.
A quitter never wins and a Winner never quites
Ah, so hard to do in the moment-picking yourself up. But, such a character builder!
George, Thank you for the reminder. These are great tips . Congratulations on the feature.
Persistence and caring are probably the biggest factors of success in this business
George,
I couldn't agree with you more. We all have a bad hour, morning, day and need to be able to bounce back quickly. Part of persistence...
George, Great Post, if you're not falling, you're not trying!!
Here's the thing: this is a great list. However, if it doesn't come from within, it just may not happen. I think that internal drive motivates you to do everything on that list.
George - congrats on this fine feature. Persist, get up and I would add stay positive and make a difference. Selling is all about giving and learning from our mistakes!
George, persistence is the foundation of Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich.” I adore the principal of persistence. That part about getting up … If it were left to my own humanly ways … I probably would not get up most of the time. When I fall or get knocked down, I leverage my spiritual connection and ask for help. It works every single time.
George, well said and an excellent post. If you don't persist you will fail to exist. Thanks for the reminder.
I watch a neighborhood cat just sit and sit waiting for a mole, gopher or ? to surface. It never moves, lets up or is distracted. When it pounces, it scores....the lesson of persistence is always in play and not just by humans either..thank you George
Persistence... our quiet, slow movement toward what we want.. i forget this from time to time.. and thanks for reminding me..
Grey we all slip every once in a while, and that is OK as long as we don't stay down.
Kristi you are right we need to keep on pushing and there are gains in falling :)
Barbara very good way of looking at this.
Debbie, it is hard to get up sometimes but we have to just like you did.
Valerie, you have had more than your share of getting knocked down this year, but you have gotten up after each one and pushed on. There is no quiting in you :)
Phil I always look at each NO as one step closer to getting the YES that I am looking for, thank you for bring that up.
Rosalie we all need to be reminded and you have a good approach for doing that.
Ed, you are right. The longer we wait to change the NO to a Yes the harder it is to do.
Hannah, "do what you like and like what you do" sure does making the getting up a lot easier.
Fran & Kathy, yes we have to do that, but it has to be part of are nature as well. I know people that don't have it and everything is a struggle for them.
Greg yes it sure does :)
Dawn, staying down is not an option for a sales person, and the sooner they realize that, the sooner they will succeed.
Andrea, thank you.
Joan, after that comment it is me that has to refer to you as the "Wise One" :)
Adam, yes they are. They are part of the formula.
Praful, this business more than any other depends on those relationships. It is a relationship industry.
Bill you are right, and being persistent in using those skills is critical.
Al and Peggy see what happens when you arrive late ........... LOL
Jennifer, yes as you say proven and tested :)
John that is a great quote, and it was said by the best and most successful player in that sport.
Raine, you are right it takes determination to get up every time.
Fred, that is so very true.
Catherine it is not easy, but nothing worth our while ever is.
Gita you are welcome.
Fernando, they are right up there on the road to success.
Irene, your right it is OK to be down every once and a while, but we have to bounce back up quickly and move on.
Cheryl, to you have overcome the hardest part of the journey :)
Beth I completely agree.
Melissa that is why persistence and Getting Up When You Fall are the top two :)
Emily, my mistakes have been my greatest teacher.
Kathleen, that is a huge part of my life as well.
Michael, especially in this business :) :)
Richie, we can learn a lot from animals, they have a lot to teach us.
Michael glad I could help.
This informtion should be drilled into every ones work ethic's. Congratulations.
Constantly humming that little ditty "I get knocked down, but I get up again."
Lorraine, that needs to be a part of every training program.
Carla, that is not nice, now I am going to have that tone in my head for the rest of the day ............... LOL
But it is a good one to have up there :)
confidence is the hardest for me. So I fake it pretty well.
Love this blog George. PERSISTENCE is so important! Really ... you cannot quit.
Persistence and the ability to get backup. Perfect way to explain what is Needed, versus what might help.
I've fallen...and I will get up!
George- Well said! Great post and congrats on the feature :)
That is life bascially, "getting back up, when you fall down"
George, Just stopped back by.. I find that those that recognize qualities in others can do that because they have them within themselves. :)
George...what a great post...good advise...very motivating.
You're so right George. Well said. You must have persistence but I don't think you can have that without PASSION for what you are doing - you just can't keep getting back up again if you don't love it.
George:
Persistence. Such an easy word to say, but such a difficult action to take. Karen Bernetti said it best, "Passion" combined with persistence will enable you to do the job more effectively.
George, absolutely...persistence and resilience...and of course what William said.
Excellent advice George and so true! I'm good at the getting back up part.
George,
That's as good a lesson as any about succeeding in the sales business, or any other business for that matter.