Crash course in my early sales career

When I was in my early 20s I started with a new company.

I was given a desk next to their top salesperson.

As I was finding my feet I became obsessed in trying to figure out what separated him from everyone else.

Once I started to identify his main attributes, I began gradually incorporating as much as I could into my own actions & behaviour.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

- He was always calm and in control

- He prepared for every eventuality

- He understood his market inside-out

- He knew how to connect with people emotionally & exactly what to say for maximum impact

- He never allowed prospects to push him around or put him on the back foot. He always found a way of getting back in control

- He knew the correct tone and pace for different types of prospects

- He understood the power of pausing and let prospects fill the silence

- He never shied away from asking tough questions

- He mastered the art of assertiveness without ever being pushy or aggressive

- He knew how to ensure prospects would follow through on their side of the bargain

- He carried himself like a CEO and possessed unrelenting self respect

- He never chased commission but always knew it would come

- He was the first person to show me exactly how to detach from the outcome by being fully present during each step

- When he spoke people listened, as he only did so when he had something impactful or relevant to say. Prospects would hang on his every word as if he'd cast a spell

- He had the strongest self-belief I've ever seen