Greatness comes through selling

HUNT FOR GREATNESS

Milton Kamwendo

DURING my studies, I learnt many good things. They include keys to greatness and pathways to success.
I cannot forget Professor Polfedt, who chaired our department.

Then there was the unforgettable Prof Mahachek, who was from the Czech Republic. Others were Ms Laura New from Reading University, Mr Gatsi, Dr Lampid, Mrs Erica Keogh and Prof Nokolov.

Their love and passion for Mathematics and Statistics were infectious and inspiring. Finally, I happily graduated.

Years afterwards, I realised there was one course that was not in the curriculum which I should have taken. It is the essential skill of salesmanship.

Life is all about selling. If you master everything else and forget to grasp sales, you will blame others for your fate. Sales is both a profession and a life skill.

In life, you do not get what you deserve, but what you sell. This is why the seven Rs to becoming a sales champion, highlighted below, are essential. I have gleaned these from years of working.

Sales is often considered the art of persuasion. It is about mastery and discipline, and never comes by luck. Sales success is not gambling.

It is intentional. To excel in sales, you need to embrace a multifaceted approach that includes these big seven: research, routines, relationships, remembering, reading, resilience and relevance.

Each of these seven elements plays a crucial role in shaping a salesperson into a champion. Sales is not about talking, but delivering.

You do not dream selling and wake up with the cash register ringing.
In sales, you transform faith into action, and goals into achievements. Small steps taken daily deliver enduring greatness.

Research: Foundation of effectiveness
The journey to sales greatness begins with research. Understanding the market, the customer and the product is important. Research arms you with knowledge.

This allows you to anticipate needs, tailor your approach and solve problems effectively. Research is work. It is necessary work.

What you do in private is rewarded in public. Research involves looking and seeing, hearing and learning, reading and understanding. It involves analysing market trends and understanding the competition. It is about getting to the heart of what the customer truly needs.

Routines: Discipline of daily greatness
Routines are the building blocks of success in any field. Sales is not any different. What you do daily and consistently determines what you ultimately become.

Develop daily habits such as prospecting, following up on leads and self-evaluation. Routines ensure consistent growth and performance.

Without routines, you have no structure. Without structure, you have no shape. A disciplined routine helps in managing time effectively, staying organised.

Greatness requires you to maintain focus on your goals. A rolling stone does not gather any moss. To change your sales success, adjust your routines.

Relationships: Beyond transactions
Building and nurturing relationships are at the heart of sales and all greatness. It is about creating trust and understanding with clients. It is about going beyond mere transactions.

A sales champion knows that relationships are not just about closing a deal. Relationships are about creating value. They are about creating lasting bonds with your customers. Relationships lead to repeat business and referrals. Repeat business is the fuel of greatness.

Remembering: Personal touch in sales
Remember details that matter about your clients and their preferences.

It is about showing that you care and are attentive to their needs.

People are not concerned about how much you know until they realise how much you care. Customers are people.

Remembering is linked to connection. Personalisation in communication and offerings will enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Reading: Ride the ever-changing landscape
Eric Hoffer once said that in times of change, learners inherit the earth while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped for a world that does not exist.

Not reading is the pathway to extinction. Continuous learning is vital in sales. Read about industry trends, sales techniques and personal development.

Stay informed and educated. Keep adapting to changes, innovate your approach and provide better solutions to your clients. Work on getting better all the time.

Resilience: Power to persevere
Sales involves rejection and setbacks. Resilience is having the mental toughness to face challenges head-on and not be deterred.

Resilience is treating failure as a learning event. It is about learning from failures.

You glance at the challenges but never lose hope. You stay optimistic. You persist despite obstacles.

You stick to your greatness path.

Resilience is what separates the average salesperson from champions.

Relevance: Adapting and evolving
Relevance is about staying aligned with your client’s changing needs and the dynamic market environment.

You adapt your solutions, communication and approach to your customer’s situation. Staying relevant ensures that you are always providing value. It is giving value that allows you to maintain the competitive edge.

The path to becoming a sales champion requires a blend of skills, habits and attitudes.Master the seven Rs — research, routines, relationships, remembering, reading, resilience and relevance.

This is the path to goal getting and greatness.

The sales journey is challenging but rewarding. Greatness is a journey and selling is an essential skill. The higher you go, the more important selling becomes.

Committed to your greatness.

Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author and accomplished workshop facilitator. He is a cutting-edge strategy, team-building and organisation development facilitator and consultant. His life purpose is to inspire and promote greatness. He can be reached at: [email protected]