Are You a Top Performer or a “Top Perfrauder”?

Remember Lake Wobegon, the ficticious community brought to us by Garrison Keillor?

It’s the mythical community known for the line, “…where all the children are above average.” That line is used by too many salespeople when it comes to claims about being a top performer.

I’m going to pop some bubbles, but it’s time this bubble gets popped. There are a lot more “top perfrauders” than there are top performers. Reason I’m sharing this now is we’re in the midst of sales kickoff season, and that means a lot of awards are being handed out recognizing salespeople for their superior performance.

Awards are great. I’m always about publicly recognizing superior performance. What I don’t like is when salespeople run around claiming they are a top performer simply because they say it enough.

14 Questions to Determine How You Stack Up:

1. Do you enjoy making sales calls?

2. Do you never miss an opportunity to ask for a referral?

3. Do you treat everyone you meet, regardless of where you meet them, as a person you can learn from and who can help you move closer to a sale?

4. Are you continually looking for more ways to spend a larger % of your time “customer facing?”

5. Are you creative in how you use resources to help you better serve your customers?

6. Do you place a high priority on prospecting?

7. Do you take ownership of your time and how you use it?

8. Do you accept responsibility in everything?

9. Are you always looking to help someone else, regardless of who they are?

10. Do you ask your customers questions neither of you can answer?

11. Do you view your quota as merely a starting point of where you intend to finish?

12. Are you continually looking to upgrade your sales performance?

13. Do you view hearing “no” as merely a moment in time?

14. Are you passionate about sales and how you can help others?

How many questions did you answer “yes” to?

14: Congratulations! You have the potential to be a top performer!

12-13: You’re at the door! Keep pushing and you’ll get there!

8-11: Keep going! Make it your objective to be learn everyday. Get a coach, don’t settle for average, and in time, you’ll get there, too.

0 – 7: You’re a “Top Perfrauder,” and that’s being generous. Let’s be blunt. If you can’t get your score up quickly, then you need to get out of sales, as you’re harming a profession many of us love!

How did you do? If you answered “yes” to all 14, you have the potential to be a top performer. That’s right! The key word is “potential.” Being a top performer is not just answering “yes” to all the questions, but also about going out there and making it happen by delivering numbers that go far past your quota.

Ready to know how I feel about the questions?

1. Do you enjoy making sales calls?

Top performers love making sales calls! To them sales calls of all types are what they live for, and the more they make, the more adrenaline they get. Stress is simply not part of the equation; that’s what happens to average salespeople.

2. Do you never miss an opportunity to ask for a referral?

For most salespeople, asking for a referral is scary. They’re afraid of rejection or what they might hear. Top performers love asking, as they believe in what they do and the impact they make.

3. Do you treat everyone you meet, regardless of where you meet them, as a person you can learn from and who can help you move closer to a sale?

It’s about being respectful of everyone, not just those how have the potential to buy.

4. Are you continually looking for more ways to spend a larger % of your time “customer facing?”

Average salespeople are quick to create excuses regarding paperwork that needs to be done or other activities that cut into the amount of time they can spend “customer facing.”

5. Are you creative in how you use resources to help you better serve your customers?

Top performers are confident and know the way they can help their customers the most is by tapping into whatever resources possible to improve a customer relationship.

6. Do you place a high priority on prospecting?

Regardless of the role marketing or others in the company might play with regard to generating leads and prospects, the top performer knows it’s still a key task they must place a high priority on at all times.

7. Do you take ownership of your time and how you use it?

Time is an asset, and unlike most people, the top performer knows it’s an asset they have to protect and use in the most efficient manner possible.

8. Do you accept responsibility in everything?

Top performers never pass blame. They own the process, regardless of the outcome or how it might make them look.

9. Are you always looking to help someone else, regardless of who they are?

Top performers place value in others and are passionate about helping others.

10. Do you ask your customers questions neither of you can answer?

Most salespeople are afraid of asking customers a question to which they don’t already have an answer. Top performers are confident in their role and know by asking questions neither they nor the customer can answer will lead to a valuable conversation.

11. Do you view your quota as merely a starting point of where you intend to finish?

Average people strive to make quota, while those at the top of the food-chain view quotas as a number to be made and exceeded.

12. Are you continually looking to upgrade your sales performance?

Top performers are never comfortable; they’re always looking to get better. They view each sales call as an opportunity to learn something new.

13. Do you view hearing “no” as merely a moment in time?

Top performers know there are only two types of customers — those they’re currently doing business with and those who have to benefit from what they have to offer.

14. Are you passionate about sales and how you can help others?

Top performers have an infectious attitude about what they do and how they can help others. They’re the people who enter a room and don’t suck the oxygen out of it. Rather, they put oxygen into the room!

What’s your plan? My goal is to do one thing — help you become a top performer. The last thing I want to do is discourage you. Sales is too good of a profession and the potential is unlimited. My goal is for you to have unlimited amount of success in sales.