The Details of Sales Success

By Tom Reilly

I was talking with a friend who is a former NFL player and a Buckeye Hall-of-Famer. We were discussing the importance of practice. He said, “I loved to practice.” He did not just like to practice; he was passionate about it. For many people, practice is one of the mundane details of success—the price to pay to play.

Thespians practice, and they practice with passion. For them, a bad rehearsal can lead to a poor performance. Athletes in all sports practice more than they play. For them, they win first and then show up for the victory. Special operations military units practice their mission several times before they deploy. For them, success is a life-and-death reality. Musicians rehearse until their fingers hurt. For them, a little physical discomfort during practice beats aural distress during performance. As a professional speaker, I have never given a “new” presentation to a group. The “newness” was spent during rehearsal.

Professional salespeople, those who view what we do as a profession versus a job, practice. They study, plan, and rehearse. Role playing in sales meetings prepares them for the reality of making sales calls. Scenario planning prepares them for different customer responses. These salespeople boost their competence by building their confidence. Confidence comes from practice. It may be the first time that their customers hear and see a presentation, but it is not the first time that the salesperson hears and sees it. For these professionals, winging it is for the birds.

2013 Training Programs at Tom Reilly’s Training Center in St. Louis, MO

• Value-Added Selling two-day seminar
• Value-Added Selling Part II (requires previous participation in Value-Added Selling)
• Coaching for Sales Success

Visit us online at www.TomReillyTraining.com or call Linda to check for dates 636-537-3360