Boot Camp Separates the Salesman from the Wanna-be Salesman.
“Industry is cheap. It is laziness that costs. It has cost many a bright man a bright career.” – John H. Patterson “Sales is survival, the best-prepared are most likely to survive.” – Jeffrey Gitomer Survival tactics, while they may not always be employed, must be mastered so they can be implemented whenever the situation arises. This is not simply how to find water in the desert; this is how to beat the competition. How to sell when times are tough or how to win in any struggle or any environment. Survival is not about saving your hide; survival is about mastering a circumstance or environment and emerging victorious. Basic training includes physical, mental, and psychological self-discipline. Intense basic training is a requirement for success in any sport, particularly the sport of selling. Patterson put his men through his own personal boot camp in order to ensure he was hiring only the BEST men for his team. He didn’t view the hiring process as hiring a salesman. Rather, he hired men whom he planned to train in sales. The “basic training” that Patterson put his men through was more like army basic training. And he made people go through his basic training program in a tent, in a field, with hundreds of others, rain or shine, hot or cold, BEFORE they were hired. This way Patterson knew that he was hiring strong salesmen in every sense of the word. His ability to attract men was legendary. People were willing to come (and they came by the hundreds) to a Patterson camp and prove they could qualify to be an NCR salesman before they ever earned a nickel. I n 1900, starting pay was $4 a week. But they didn’t have to worry about gas money. There weren’t any cars yet. Have you ever noticed that some people just look more alive than others? In my experience I have found that people who combine physical and mental exercise seem more alert and ready to sell and serve. And they also seem to be the ones who can make their enthusiasm and self-confidence contagious. Customers seem to receive healthy salespeople and their information in a more positive manner. I guess you could refer to it as the total package of brains, brawn, and beauty. And that equates to believability and buying from the probable purchaser. “Selling is a blend of mental and physical symphonic motions that perform in harmony with each other. When your mind and body aren’t working in unison, the performance is off-key.” – Jeffrey Gitomer How much ENERGY are you putting into your basic training? How DEDICATED are you to getting better at selling? Probably not enough! What is your personal boot camp? How would you describe it? How do you discipline yourself on an ongoing basis? What is your daily agenda? Consider this: What would Patterson add to YOUR daily agenda? How well would you do in his boot camp? Would you have survived the tasks at hand? Or would you have complained, “No cable TV”? “Boot camp is a fight for the fit. Rigorous training is the lifeblood for future sales (and business) success.” – John H. Patterson “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. OK, so don’t train old dogs. Same with salespeople.” – Jeffrey Gitomer Exercise must be both physical and mental. Exercise: Train mentally for 30 minutes a day. Give yourself that gift for a lifetime. Working out can improve your business game. Sweat a little. Regular physical exercise can. reduce your level of anxiety.help you manage stress more effectively. improve your positive self-esteem and confidence.help you relax.help you sleep more restfully.and can teach you about goal setting, dedication, and personal achievement. There is a link between physical and mental fitness. Blood flow to the brain caused by physical exercise leads to clearer thoughts and better decisions. How can you NOT find 30 minutes, five times a week to fit all those physical benefits into your mental sales plan? “Ill health affects the mental ability, spoils the disposition, and handicaps one’s progress.” – John H. Patterson “Your physical status may be robbing you of a chance for fiscal sales success.” – Jeffrey Gitomer “People could not work at their best unless their health was of the best.” – John H. Patterson “Looking successful is a big part of achieving success. It starts with the look of health.” – Jeffrey Gitomer
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of the The Patterson Principles of Selling. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts Internet training programs on selling and customer service. He can be reached by phone: 704/333-1112 or e-mail: salesman@gitomer.com.
