When I started my career in sales, I had no idea what I was doing, but was determined to succeed. A mentor of mine instructed me to consume every waking moment to learning my craft. Paraphrasing, he said: “Every hour should be focused on becoming better. Even your down time is important because it’s refreshing you. Don’t get caught up in spending hours on things that someone else can do for you just to save a few bucks.”
I took his advice – and I took it literally. I analyzed everything that I did throughout the week and if it wasn’t improving my skills as a sales professional or helping me relax so I could perform better, then I eliminated from my routine. I either deleted the activity or paid someone else to do it. By the way, I didn’t have any money. I outsourced everything – typing my notes into Act, typing my quotes, washing my car at the office, and doing my laundry. Yes, I even had someone else do my laundry and since I couldn’t afford it, I charged it to my Discover card. I remember feeling so powerful because every sense of conventional wisdom was telling me not to do it. However, I was running my own show and knew that the time I saved was going to pay dividends much large than the 23% interest.
I started this routine in July, 1995 and by April of ‘96 I received my first significant commission payment. From that point until today, I haven’t had to use my Discover card or any revolving credit cards. I learned my craft and it paid off.
I continue to outsource everything I can, and I get made fun of by my wife and friends. However, I’ll never forget how powerful the impact of my mentor’s advice has been on my life. I don’t spend hours doing things I don’t like to do, or things that aren’t ideal for the moment. If it doesn’t bring fun into my life or make me better at my craft, then I pay someone to do it. Since I have the time, I still dedicate hours every week to improving my skills – today they include more than just selling – and it continues to pay off. So, my question for you…
What are you doing to improve your sales skills? Whether your objective is to sell more video or access control for a manufacturer, or grow your security integration business, how much time are you dedicating to developing your skills? Regardless of where you are in your career, I suggest that you do whatever is necessary to be better … whatever the investment, you’ll earn a return that far outweighs it. I was a 20-something paying someone else to do my laundry with my Discover card – how much more irresponsible or stupid can it get? Guess what? I’d do it all over again no matter what it cost.
