How To Break Sales Records

Want to break the sales record for your organization... or even for your entire industry? If so, here's the EXACT recipe:

• Step #1: Prepare to cha...nge. If you're thinking of breaking sales records, it's probably because you're already pretty good at what you do. However, it is impossible to break sales records simply by doing tomorrow what you're doing today. You're going to need to do something different if you're going to "amp it up" to the next level and beyond.
• Step #2: Research "best practices." Breaking sale records means excelling at every sales skill. Go through your organization and find people who are the best at each skill. Learn how they think and how they execute that skill. Then incorporate that "best practice" into your own tool kit by writing down what you've learned, studying it, and practicing it... every day.
• Step #3: Measure your behavior. No matter how committed you are, you WILL relapse into your old behaviors, unless your new skills are reinforced. Figure out a way to measure each of your new skills and behaviors, so that you know exactly how you're doing. If your enthusiasm starts flagging, come up with a reward process that will reinforce the right behavior.
• Step #4: Keep evolving. As you measure, examine what's working, and what's not. Continually find areas where you can improve your skills. Look for additional role models; keep reading up on sales technique. Experiment. Find ways to use "down time" to improve your selling skills. Treat yourself like a top athelete -- and then be your own coach.
• Step #5: Don't stop. Top athletes come in two varieties: the one-hit-wonders who have a great season and then rest on their laurels, and the all-time champion teams that break record after record after record. The champions know that if they set the bar higher, and continue with basic training, reinforcement, measurement and correction, they'll be continue to achieve at their highest level.