Positioning Systems Blog

In 1974 while a senior in college I naively started my career in sales.  Little did I realize how that would propel me to become such a student of sales motivation and performance. At the time I was taking broadcasting classes.  One of my teachers, who had work for a large advertising agency,  inspired me with his stories on marketing.   

 

I was working weekends, part time as an announcer at a small local radio station. Being familiar with the market, I recognized that people from that area, because it was small, were traveling to shop at the larger city where I went to college. I thought it would be natural for businesses in the college town to advertise on this local radio station which was about 17 miles from them.

 

I suggested the idea to the general manager of the radio station, he handed me a rate card and said, “Go to it!  We’ll give you 20% of whatever you sell.” That was in the fall and by December I had made my first sale.    You cannot imagine how proud I felt when I got my check for my very first sale.   I should have framed it!  

 

There are four critical success elements that predict sales success. In my short story I believe you can identify all four of them as being present.   Can you predict what they are?

 

One of the four decisions as Gazelles [Mastering the Rockefeller Habits] we preach your business must get right is People. It is critical when you hire, especially for sales that your sales people have these four success elements present in high levels in order to ensure your sales performance will meet and exceed your expectations.

 

We’ll explore each these four sales success elements in my next blogs. Have you given any thought to what these four might be?  

 

Here they are, with the plan to explore each more shortly:

Need help implementing these ideas?

Positioning Systems helps business owners and entrepreneurs transform their business.   We provide the tools and coaching to help you take control of your business -- rather then having your business control you.