| Bill Brooks of The Brooks Group wrote an | | | | will fail at sales. However, it does |
| article several years ago about his | | | | mean that you only have about a 22 |
| organization's research into sales | | | | percent chance that you will become a |
| performance. Bill's research partner | | | | top sales producer. |
| analyzed 178 top sales performers from | | | | 3. If you're not motivated by making |
| the United States and another 450 from | | | | money, as 78 percent of the top sales |
| Germany who, as he stated, "...were at | | | | producers in the study, you will most |
| the very peak of their game." These top | | | | likely always be an average or below |
| sales professional were analyzed in two | | | | average sales producer. |
| key areas behavioral style | | | | 4. To be a top producer you need to work |
| (personality) and core values. Here's | | | | for an organization that gives you the |
| what the Brooks Group researchers | | | | opportunity to earn as much money as |
| learned about sales success: | | | | possible. The "opportunity" to make |
| A sales or service industry | | | | money helps to stimulate this vital core |
| professional's personality has little or | | | | value and give you the driving force |
| nothing to do with his or her sales | | | | needed to succeed at selling. |
| success levels. The Brooks research | | | | 5. You must understand that motivation |
| found that there was a broad spread of | | | | to reach the top comes from within-from |
| personalities and sales styles across | | | | your values. Your core values are part |
| the groups of sales professionals | | | | of your internal "operating system," |
| assessed and that "personality | | | | that makes you who you really are. |
| characteristics pegged to success" was | | | | 6. You really need to find out what |
| not a factor in the sales success | | | | "turns you on" and then go for it. You |
| equation. In truth, the successful sales | | | | see, there are hundreds of interests |
| performer's personalities varied as much | | | | that are important to people with core |
| as the products or services that they | | | | values other than working toward high |
| sold! However, in assessing each sales | | | | economic gain. |
| professional, 78 percent of these top | | | | Top sales professionals and service |
| performers all shared the same basic | | | | industry "rainmakers" earn a lot of |
| value and that this core value was the | | | | money. But as Bill Brooks says, "They |
| key to a sales professional's consistent | | | | also want to earn a lot of money. It |
| sales success. What was the value? | | | | fuels their self worth and sense of well |
| Across two distinct cultures and a | | | | being. It's how they measure their |
| diverse group of industries the core | | | | success." However, I have observed in my |
| value driving top sellers was their keen | | | | coaching sessions with the top producers |
| interest in making a lot of money! | | | | that they have additional values that |
| What does this research mean to a sales | | | | complement their drive to earn money. |
| or service industry professional? | | | | Most of them are also driven to solve a |
| 1. Personality and style are not nearly | | | | prospect, customer or client's problems |
| as important to your sales or business | | | | and to meet the needs of those they |
| development success as your core values. | | | | sell, doing something to deserve the |
| 2. If you are not motivated by | | | | money they are driven to earn. |
| "financial gain," it doesn't mean you | | | | |