9.5 Faces of the Millennium. Master them Now.

Written By Jeffrey Gitomer
@GITOMER

KING OF SALES, The author of seventeen best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His live coaching program, Sales Mastery, is available at gitomer.me.

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Two years and two months away from the twentyfirst century. Closer than you think. Waiting for the big celebration or preparing for the explosion? Now is the time to prepare.

Waiting will give everyone who is preparing, a chance to pass you by.

In my preparation, I looked for the elements of my business and personal life I have to master to lead my fields. To my surprise the answers came easy but the challenges are monumental. There are no shortcuts when you’re striving to be the best.

I’d like to share my findings and challenges with you and ask that you view them through your own glasses, and see how clear your vision is.

Here are the nine and a half elements you (and I) must master to be a (sales) leader in the 21st century:

1. Master Differentiation Everyone has an unrealistic definition of what differentiates them from their competition. Most people say quality, people, service. Some idiots say price. Everyone says the same thing, so even if it’s true how would the prospect know it, or feel confident enough about it to buy your stuff. The answer is in the way you choose to differentiate yourself. What is a competitive advantage? Something that’s extremely important to your customer at which you excel.

2. Master Value The best way to differentiate yourself is with value before the sale. Give value and you won’t have to sell price. Give value and you won’t have to fight price. Give value and people will look for ways to buy.

3. Master Creativity Look at the companies that used creativity in the 1980’s and 1990’s software developers like Microsoft, retailers like Home Depot, and Nordstroms, airlines like Southwest, ice cream like Ben & Jerry’s have created success with creativity. Is creativity learned and developed? Yes you can be the master of creativity start out by reading a book on it. Novel thought. How closely is creativity linked to success? Ask Bill Gates, worlds best creative software developer. Worlds wealthiest man. I wonder if one had an impact on the other?

4. Master Loyalty Satisfied customers shop anywhere loyal customers recommend others to you, and will fight before they switch. Which would you rather have 1,000 satisfied customers or 1,000 loyal customers?

There are five elements of loyalty to master:

loyalty to your company. loyalty to your fellow employees.

loyalty to your customers. (earn) loyalty from your customers.

loyalty to your family, friends and loved ones.

The easiest ways to get loyalty? Give it. Earn it. BEWARE: Money breaks loyalty. Money (greed) is the wedge between loyalty and rats deserting a ship best example professional athletes USED to be loyal to their teams now they are loyal to their agents and their contract this leads to disloyal and disgruntled fans. Beware of the love of money.

5. Master Friendships and Relationships Connecting with the right people. Having the right associations. Networking mastery. The master of the friendship and relationship is the one who has mastered loyalty and has embraced the philosophy of longterm.

6. Master Positioning It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you. Are you positioned or do you compete? Positioning is value, image, and leadership. Competing is proposals, bids and price wars. Which do you think will win? Which are you doing?

7. Master the Internet and the technology to make your sales happen faster. The internet is not a fad. It’s a fact. Half the worlds business will be conducted there within the next decade. Master it now, so you’re ready to make bacon not be ground beef. Technology is not a luxury, it’s the best way to stay ahead of the world and the competition. The internet is not an option UNLESS you choose to ignore 50% of your market.

8. Master The Word Wordofmouth advertising. The most powerful form of advertising in the world (don’t tell the ad agencies). When you finish a presentation, phone call, leave a meeting, deliver a product or provide a service when the episode is over that’s when people START talking. Your deeds, words, and actions determine what they say. And what they say about you, determines your future success. What’s the word out on you?

9. Master Money Big difference between earning it and keeping it. How much will it take you to retire? How much of that do you have now? Squirming in your Beemer? Invest, don’t spend. Looking to make the right choices? Six word secret Seek Professional Help From Wealthy People.

9.5 Master Yourself Personal excellence. To be the best you can be for others, first you must be the best you can be for yourself the most important person in the world. Master of attitude, master of goals, master of belief in yourself, master of achievement actions, and a daily dose of what’s new. Remain a student for life. How much time do you spend on self mastery? More than the time you spend watching TV? Rutrow.

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Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless. President of Charlottebased Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts training programs on selling and customer service. He can be reached at 704/3331112 or email to salesman@gitomer.com

permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer 704/3331112