Silver-Bullet Secret (Part Two)

In one of our May 2006 visits, I asked people to answer the question "What is the silver-bullet secret to becoming a sales rainmaker?" Following are the many responses I received:

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Be the best you can be.
Rudyard Kipling once wrote: "I have six faithful serving men, who taught me all I know. Their names are: What, Where, When, How, Why and Who?"
Tell the truth all the time.
I believe that if all other factors are equal, good diagnostic skills can separate me from the others who merely "puke" out features and benefits.
Be totally honest at all times!
"I promise it will get done?" ... and then following through on the promise, of course.
Can I be useful to you?
Be there, 100%, with your client.
Find out what the customer wants.
There is no silver bullet ... but lots of salespeople constantly look and wish for one. Activity = Results. Period. End of story.
Always do what you say ... Give from your heart ... Honesty, Integrity, Compassion, Empathy, Connection, Truth

1. Always do more that what is expected.
2. Give value first.
3. Nobody cares how much you know, till they know how much you care.
4. Practice Emerson's Law of Compensation ... Give freely and totally to those who are counting on you and everything else will take care of itself.
5. You have to fail in order to succeed. Otherwise you don't really know if the success was from inspiration or just a happy accident setting you up for bigger failures down the road.
6. It's okay to fail, it just teaches you one way that you know doesn't work.
7. Thomas Edison didn't give up after 10,000 failures...Never give up on a dream.
8. If two people want to do business together, they won't let the details get in the way.

Help people look good and succeed.
Never close the deal. Signing the contract means opening a relationship. Make sure the customer knows that you think so, and that you will continue to be there as a problem solving helper.
Don't try to sell them anything.
My silver bullet is honesty.
Find out what they want first.
The silver bullet secret to becoming a sales rainmaker is: consistent persistence. I once read, "A mediocre sales process executed consistently will trump a fantastic sales process done inconsistently."
Be the best of best in asking questions but more importantly, be the best listener.
Would I buy from me?
I think one of the most important things in being successful in sales, is by "putting yourself in the other person's shoes" - that way your perspective becomes understanding and providing what's best for the individual or company, rather than being about what's in it for you.
Listen twice as much as you talk.
Providing the most valuable method of solving the client's problem.
A neutral attitude during the initial sales process. In other words not worrying about making a sale now.
Help them solve the problem they have.
The secret is that there is no secret.
People buy for their own reasons.
Make 100 cold calls per day?
I am paid in direct proportion to the size of problems I help people solve.
Attitude and never give up.
You can if you think you can!
I shall never lie to you!
Belief that you will get the sale, that you have what the other person needs. Being sincere (honest).
Giving people what they want!
Guess 1: Learning from improvement.
Guess 2: Use the law of averages to your advantage.
Putting the right effort in the right place.
See it through to the end.
Honesty, Integrity, Product knowledge, Good communication, Being the early bird are the silver-bullet in becoming a sales rainmaker.
People decide emotionally then use logic to rationalize the decision.
Bring Value that makes his life easier.
Never give up ... don't make the decision for your customer that they wont buy what you're selling. ASK!

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My Dad's advice, on the other hand, was "Work much harder than everyone else." (It ain't sexy, but it's got teeth.)
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Gill E. Wagner, Sage of Selling
President of Honest Selling
Founder of the Yellow-Tie International Business Development Association