BINDER #006 - Sales - 5 Things Great Salespeople Do

Since 2020, I have invested in mentors, 1 on 1 coaching, group coaching, speaking events at conferences, books, virtual courses, and in-person courses.

I only recently realized something about all of the people involved in those mediums -

They are all really, really good at sales.

Mike, Jeffrey, Brian, Cliffton, Neal, Phil... All of them.

Even if that wasn't their specialty, per se, these dudes know how to unlock massive sales opportunities.

So it got me thinking - what are the common threads among them that make them that way? And how do I imitate their example?

For your reading pleasure, here are 5 common traits among very successful salespeople.

#1 - They don't do it the "normal" way.

I was recently learning about the Sandler Selling System, an older but popular sales methodology used by many.

The content creator highlighted something very important taught in the Sandler Selling System:

"Whatever most salespeople do... Do the opposite. Most salespeople aren't successful, even if they make decent money."

THAT hit me.

The instincts of most salespeople are poor. Just because you're "great with people" doesn't mean you are a good salesperson. In fact, one of my mentors adamantly says that he DOESN'T like people at all... But he still sold millions of dollars every year in service contracts.

The rest of my mentors? You bet - they don't do it the "normal" way. They do it the successful way.

#2 - They invested in training.

If most people's instincts for sales are not great, then training is imperative.

Every single one of the ones who taught me also paid others to teach them - even up til today.

It has never been easier to get ahead of your competitors with a sales strategy. Invest in a mentor who has done what you are trying to do, and you'll level up your sales fast.

The "guru" space is full, but they don't settle for low cost, fly by night trainers, either. They all get in rooms (physically or virtually) with people who will actually teach them meaningful strategies.

#3 - They all knew their data.

As much as I have always loved sales (and still manage our sales department to this day), the data hasn't been perfect.

I knew the fundamentals, such as closing rate, average project value, and the like. However, this year in particular has really challenged me to analyze the deeper data to grow to the next level -

👉 How many sales meetings are we booking?
👉 What markets perform the best?
👉 How long is our sales cycle?

The pros? They know this stuff.

Thankfully, CRM systems have made it easier to track this stuff. (I'll write about those soon.)

#4 - They put out content regularly.

Is this IMPERATIVE to be a great salesperson? Probably not.

However, it isn't a coincidence that many great salespeople do this.

They tell stories, they offer value, they build trust. And because we all have cell phones, there isn't an excuse to put out content. (I'm writing this article on my phone, believe it or not!)

Encourage your sales staff to use social media. LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for marketing to commercial pavement decision-makers.

In the past, I actually put it into employment quarterly targets for employees.

#5 - They have no problem saying NO.

The biggest trap for businesses under a million?

Selling everything to everyone.

Great salespeople know what their lane is, and they stick in it.

They don't get distracted by shiny objects, like new services, complicated subcontracting jobs, or selling to unqualified clients.

My mentors all have a demonstrated history of selling a specific value solution to a specific client base in a specific area to clients who value the specific solution... And they do it nonstop.

Bad salespeople, and specifically business owners who do their own sales, get bogged down way too often trying to please all people with all solutions. And they don't make money doing it.

Go follow in the steps of great salespeople in asphalt and your sales game WILL improve!