We’ve all heard the expression that someone is a “born salesperson.”
It seems too many times, the person who uses that expression is the one who is trying to deflect away from them the reason they’re struggling to sell.
People who aren’t successful are quick to create excuses, and I think this is one of the best because it creates an excuse without putting someone down.
Problem is there is no such thing as a “born salesperson,” unless your last name happens to be Salesperson.
Sure there are people who do better selling than others, but I’ll argue it’s only because they’ve chosen to be better. It’s not due to winning the gene pool.
It does you zero good to think for even a moment that somebody might be good because they were born to sell. Sales is a profession you learn.
I’ve never heard of someone being rolled into surgery and hearing them say how they’re so pleased they’re about to be operated on by a “born surgeon.”
Becoming an excellent salesperson requires being disciplined and focused. Disciplined in how you use your time and focused on being willing to learn.
That right there is why people use the excuse they weren’t born to sell. If you lack the drive to be disciplined and to be focused, you can simply forgo the idea of becoming a great salesperson.
Since you’ve decided to forgo being disciplined and focused, it will certainly make it less crowded for others at the top of the ladder. You having given up won’t make it easier for them, because in sales, success lies not in others failing but in others succeeding.
lf you’re looking to be referred to as a “born salesperson,” then you only need to do two things: become passionately disciplined and focused.
Copyright 2015, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price.
Mark,
I do agree that top sales performers have to apply themselves over years to reach mastery. I do not agree that effort, discipline and study is all that’s separating the top performers from the bottom. There are innate qualities that lend themselves to sales success. For example, top performers are comfortable with having difficult conversations. Some people will never be comfortable with confrontation. That aside, top performers do have to “choose” to take it to the next level.