Sales have winners and losers. If you think professionals should balance out wins and losses in pursuing business, then you have already lost. Competition rewards winners: better prepared, better skilled, results-oriented winners! It’s never someone’s turn to win. The winner is the competitor that delivers what the customer wants. Success has nothing to do with fair, it has everything to do with being better. The second place winner is the first loser. When you win enough when it matters, even in business, you become a champion.

Champions
Only champions get trophies. That makes being a champion significant. Championships mean work. Thus, champions are rewarded. When considering championships, realize that victories are won through preparation, then execution. Consequently, sales execution is critical to success. Asking insightful questions, communicating value, instilling trust in the ability to deliver are all essential aspects of successful execution. In the same vein, champions are made through practice. Studying opponents, performing daily routines, correcting mistakes from each opportunity, all represents the tedious work that creates champions. When translating to business, market research, rehearsing sales presentations, receiving feedback following prospect interactions are the activities that result in winning more sales. Winning enough sales is identical to championships.

Trophies
When sales leaders create revenue and earn the income rewards from sales success, they achieve victories for themselves and their organizations. Whether they earn public awards, financial bonuses, or emotional incentives, the accumulated wins reflect champion-level performance. Participation trophies are bad for youth sports and for business. They devalue competition. Fortunately, they do not exist in the business world. Sales professionals are allowed to return the next day for participating. But, have them return enough times without revenue-generating results, and they may no longer be allowed to compete for the organization. Efforts are applauded, results are rewarded!

So, when is it your turn to win? It’s always your turn to win when you deliver more credibility, more value, more solutions to the prospect. And, your next turn comes after your sales preparation, sales skills, and sales tenacity empowers you to win again. Winners do not take turns. Winners prepare, practice, and perform better and more often than their competitors. They may have better products, or superior services, but they always an advantage by communicating superior value to new opportunities. Compete to win based on the merits of your business skills and your ability to deliver what, how, and when the customer wants. Deliver a specific solution that attacks a priority. Champions are not focused solely on their own success. They compete and win for the betterment of their colleagues and customers. They show up ready to out-work their competition. It’s always the champions’ turn! Otherwise, keep waiting for your turn and then, watch winners claim their prize.

By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond