St. Patrick's Day Posting - The "Secret Sauce" of Sales

Many people who do not have a background in sales wonder if there's a magic formula to success in sales. Some will ask if there's a trick or "secret sauce" that makes some sales people Rock Stars.

I guess that's a natural question. After all, there are some people who make it look so easy. I think it's human nature to ask if there's a short cut to success.

Have you ever seen someone who just seems to have the gift of gab? A sales person who makes it look effortless. If you don't work in sales you might have had an experience like this. If you have worked in sales I doubt you have.

Asking someone in sales if there is a "secret sauce" that makes someone successful in sales is like asking Paul McCartney how the Beatles became overnight sensations. To someone who doesn't know the background it could seem that the Beatles met, practiced a few times together and then became the biggest musical group ever. Effortless right?

Meet some other guys that like music, learn to play drums & play a few chords on a guitar, and it's done, right? Well, maybe grow your hair a little long for the times, just to get everyone's attention, and NOW it's a Done Deal?

The Beatles "Secret Sauce" was playing in dive bars in Germany for years. They perfected their music and stage show the old fashioned way, with blood sweat and tears. Their overnight success took years of hard work!

Success in sales is similar. The Sales Professional needs to learn to identify potential clients. The Sales Pro needs to learn his product's strengths and his competition's vulnerable areas. The Pro needs to learn how to position their product. They need to learn how to articulate how your product can solve the client's problem. They need to how to negotiate favorable terms and if their product is more costly than the competition, they need to be able to educate their client why they should pay a premium for the product. After they have LEARNED HOW to do these things to be successful, then they have to actually DO IT! Now you have to PROSPECT because with few if any exceptions, customers don't come to you, you have to find them.

So what I'm trying to say is when you see a Sales Professional who is articulate & knowledgeable, years have work have gone into polishing their skills. They became an overnight sensation who makes it look effortless because of years of hard work. So the answer to the question is, there is NO "Secret Sauce". The secret to success is as in many things in life, HARD WORK!. Hard Work is the "Secret Sauce"!

Early Happy St. Patrick's Day! May all you sales pros have the gift of gab.

Thanks for reading!
Jim