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5 More Ways to Ensure Your Place in the Bottom 80% of Salespeople

Anthony Iannarino
Post by Anthony Iannarino
April 24, 2010

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 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 for The Sales Blog and my Email Newsletter. Follow me on Twitter, connect to me on LinkedIn, or friend me on Facebook. If I can help you or your sales organization, check out my coaching and consulting firm, B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy, email me, or call me at (614) 212-4279.

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Tags:
Sales 2010
Post by Anthony Iannarino on April 24, 2010

Written and edited by human brains and human hands.

Anthony Iannarino
Anthony Iannarino is a writer, an international speaker, and an entrepreneur. He is the author of four books on the modern sales approach, one book on sales leadership, and his latest book called The Negativity Fast releases on 10.31.23. Anthony posts daily content here at TheSalesBlog.com.
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