--- title: 5 More Ways to Ensure Your Place in the Bottom 80% of Salespeople | The Sales Blog description: Here are five more proven ways you can avoid all of the pressure of finding yourself in the top 20% of salespeople. Add these to the original eleven. 12. Treat People Without Titles or Authority Poorly If these people can’t help you get what you want, then they are worthless and meaningless and should be […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/The%20Sales%20Blog-2.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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Add these to [the original eleven](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/03/11-ways-to-guarantee-your-spot-in-the-bottom-80-of-salespeople/). #### 12. Treat People Without Titles or Authority Poorly If these people can’t help you get what you want, then they are worthless and meaningless and should be treated to a full dose of your contempt and condescension. They have no influence within their own company and wouldn’t dream of sharing the way that you treated them with the people that they work for and that you are trying to sell. #### 13. Never Say Thank You You did an outstanding job selling your product or service. You delivered. A deal is a deal. There is no reason to show your gratitude for having been given your client’s opportunity and their trust. In fact, your client probably owes you a thank you card! #### 14. Procrastinate Sales is a profession for people with great personalities. And you are one! You need time to practice building rapport, keeping up on the latest water cooler chatter, and to practice being gregarious. Client calls? They can wait; they’re already clients, right? Reporting? Please. Everybody can see how hard you are working. Prospecting? It’s for people who can’t sell. Relax. This work will still be here when you come in tomorrow. #### 15. Take All of the Credit You won the deal. It’s going great. This is all due to your hard work alone. Was anyone there with you when you dialed the client? Were they there with you when you made your first sales call? Did they push this deal through legal? This dream client is only here because you went out and sold it. Make sure everybody knows it and take complete and total credit for the success! #### 16. Take None of the Blame! Hide When the Trouble Starts. You are in sales. And sales isn’t operations, is it? Then execution isn’t your problem. The people who missed the delivery dates don’t sell, and you don’t work in operations. These people are going to cost you your client! But they made the mess and they need to clean up. Wait to check in with the client until the problems are solved and they have time to cool off . . . you wouldn’t want your team’s challenges to damage the relationship you worked so hard to develop, now would you? For more on increasing your sales effectiveness, subscribe to [the RSS Feed](https://www.thesalesblog.com/feed/) for The Sales Blog and my [Email Newsletter](http://thesalesblog.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=76cf0c62588f9f49b6d04a3d9&id=ecb6981006). Follow me on [Twitter](http://twitter.com/iannarino), connect to me on LinkedIn, or friend me on [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/iannarino). If I can help you or your sales organization, check out my coaching and consulting firm, [B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy](http://www.b2bsalescoach.com/), [email me](mailto:anthony@gmail.com), or call me at (614) 212-4279. Read my interview with Tom Peters ([Part One](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/03/the-sales-blog-interview-tom-peters-on-the-little-big-things-part-one/) and [Part Two](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/03/the-sales-blog-interview-tom-peters-on-the-little-big-things-part-two/)). Read my [Blogs.com](http://www.blogs.com) featured guest post on the [Top Ten Sales blogs](http://www.blogs.com/topten/top-10-sales-blogs/). Read my monthly post on [Sales Bloggers Union](http://www.salesbloggers.com/author/iannarino/). Get [The Sales Blog iPhone App](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-sales-blog/id349930905?mt=8) to read The Sales Blog and [Twitter Feed](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) on your iPhone. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2010](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2010) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on April 24, 2010 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2022-06-16T3:07:43 PM", "datePublished" : "2010-04-24 15:46:53", "description" : "Here are five more proven ways you can avoid all of the pressure of finding yourself in the top 20% of salespeople. Add these to the original eleven. 12. 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