A little over one hundred years ago the father of a young 8 year old girl named Virginia O'Hanlon encouraged her to write to a then leading New York newspaper, The Sun, and ask the question she'd just asked him-if there were in fact a Santa Claus, for all of her friends were telling her that he really didn't exist and she wanted to know if they were correct.
The Sun answered Virginia in one of the most famous editorials ever published-Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus. The reply was a resounding YES, there is a Santa Claus and the writer of the editorial laid out his proof.
Unfortunately, today all too many deny there is a real secret to sales success also. Like Virginia's friends, the claim is made that there really isn't one single thing that if done can guarantee success in sales. No, they say, you must become a master of every aspect of selling and then you'll be prepared to become successful. Oh, sure, they'll admit, a few here and there appear to succeed by blind luck, but they're the exception, not the rule. Forget your silly search for the magic bullet of selling and resign yourself to leaning the minutia of sales before seriously turning your eye to becoming truly successful.
Many, many others are all too eager to promote the idea of the sales secret-and to let you know that they are the sole keepers of the great secret that so few have known. Better yet, they tell you, they'll be happy to share the secret with you but since it is such a valuable thing and should only be shared with those who are truly deserving of knowing, they must make sure you are worthy. But since they really don't have any other way of discerning who is and who isn't worthy, they must charge an exorbitant fee to keep the riff-raff and undeserving from attaining it.
Lucky for you, I know this great secret and I'll give it to you-and it won't cost you $1,995. Won't even cost $995. Heck, I'm not even going to charge you $9.95. I'm simply going to give it to you-no charge.
Why in the world would I give such a tremendous secret away for nothing? Because I know that once learned, the vast majority won't put it into practice. You see, the secret is simple, but it is far from easy.
Anyone can take this secret and become a successful seller-just how successful will depend on their commitment to implementing it.
So what is this secret?
Is it a super-duper sales process? No.
Maybe a super special leads list? Nope, not that.
How about some special words that will immediately connect with prospects? Not that either.
Could it be a special super power like a super hero has? Now we're getting warm.
The secret is a super power of sorts-one that few are capable of acquiring.
This super power is tough-mindedness. It's the ability to out work and out prospect your competitors. It's the ability to take the rejection, the 'no's', the frustration of making calls and not reaching anyone, of being stopped dead by a gatekeeper, by having the phone slammed down in your ear, of networking until you feel like you can't network anymore.
The secret is simple-if you have the determination and commitment to prospect longer and harder than anyone else, you will become successful.
I've seen this truth worked out time after time as new sellers enter the field and out work and outperform even the top sellers in their office. They know nothing-but work their tails off and sell like crazy. Unfortunately, many times after they "learn" that they're not supposed to be having the success that they're having their product craters. They've "learned" how to be average. Sometimes we simply learn the wrong things-like there isn't a secret to sales success.
This isn't to say that all the other things in sales aren't important. They are. You need a great sales process; you need to know how to probe and discover needs and wants; you need to know how to solve issues. There is a great deal that every professional seller must learn.
But there is still one key to being successful in sales above all others-prospecting.
The better you become at qualifying suspects; the better you become at finding and solving real needs; the better you become at finding and connecting with your quality prospects; the easier success will be and the less time you'll have to spend prospecting.
That being said, even if you know nothing about sales; have the world's worst close ratio; have no discretion in who you spend time talking to; and haven't the slightest idea of the difference between a closed-end and open-end question; if you outwork your competition in prospecting, you will reach a measure of success.
Don't let anyone tell you there isn't a simple secret to success in selling that alone can make you successful because there is. It certainly isn't complicated-but it is hard. And it can be claimed and implemented by anyone.
By all means, acquire a great sales process, learn the most sophisticated and effective prospecting strategies you can, learn to become great at identifying and solving prospect issues, learn all you can to make selling easier, but if you aren't having the success selling you want, take heart-you now have the secret. Take it, implement it, and enjoy the rewards. And know that even if your competitors know it too, few if any will claim it as their own because it simply costs too for most.