The first sales book I ever read was Tom Hopkin’s - How to Master the Art of Selling Anything. I went to a Tom Hopkins seminar and at one point, my promotional products company, AdSpecs, Inc. owned the 22 cassette-tape set, with workbooks, etc. It is the first book I recommend to sales people, actually to anyone. It is, in my opinion, the Bible, to what is now considered, the "old way" of selling. But what Tom Hopkinsteaches is not the old way of selling; it is the foundation that helps form the behavioral patterns for any successful sales professional, or any other professional for that matter. Old way or new way, batting a 400 is better than 200. His lessons and examples are “dead on” and yet, when you read the book, for the first time, you can’t believe that you’ll ever incorporate any of his lessons into your own (sales) style.chapter 5 is titled “Why don’t I do what I know I should do” seems almost too “Tim Robbins-ish” for a self-directed-self-motivated sales person like myself. “Why don’t I do what I know I should do?” The answer seems as obvious as the question. But it’s not.
I don’t do “what I know I should do” because…. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Any individual who thinks they are a sales person starts out believing the myth that successful sales people are born; that all sales skills relate to relationships and the ability to form them and keep them. No doubt, without a relationship, there is no sale – the relationship between client and sales person – its right there. And to be clear, I was one of those people that seemed destined to sales (or law they told me), so I am “a natural”. But even the most G_D gifted of award winning athletes, acknowledge the need for training, learning – beyond their own natural skills. I’m not going to list the professions that constantly retrain and update and “continue” education;I challenge you to show me one that doesn’t. Every skill involves both natural and learned elements and I simply dismiss the idea that any respected and rewarding profession, athletic or artistic endeavor, or other pursued interest, cannot be improved with specific and targeted training, educating, provided feedback. It doesn’t exist.
And, let’s be clear about something else. There are some that say, “We are all sales people”. Doctors and lawyers, teachers and electricians – everyone, at some point has to be a sales person; advocate for themselves or their family. I agree 100%. What is sales? It’s advocating. A lawyer trying to convince you to hire them, for a case is selling; advocating. And if it’s a good lawyer (and most are) they are advocating for you. A doctor telling you that you need surgery and he/she is the right doctor to do it, is selling. Interviewing for a job – selling! What do we do for an interview? We prepare, we practice, and sometimes we roll play. So beinga sales person is really nothing more than working for a specific company or industry and representing those products and services to potential clients. Advocating for your own product or service, while helping a client achieve certain, specific results.
Tom Hopkins teaches a lot of things in his first book; how to ask for a referral, how to make a cold call, how to close; “If I have it in green would you like one? But what I remember most – the older I get and the more I learn about myself and the people I serve – the one thing that sticks with me and has served to remind me who I am (a mortal) and how to dig myself out of the deep hole I sometimes think I am in; is……. Well hang on. Let me build up a little more.
The thing is, How to Master the Art of Sales is one of those books that you don’t think means much and then years later you read it again and you think “OMG this guy is so right, he is so on target, he so totally gets it. Likely because he has years of experience that he references in his almost animated, professorial manner. Several months ago, while working on an equity raise for a project my firm was working on, I came home, grabbed a glass with ice and poured myself a Vodka and Tonic. Lisa (wife) asked me “How wastodayhoney?” She didn’t say “How wasyourday?”. She knew I was worried and had experienced more than a few failed potential investment partners for the project I was working on. Time was starting to run short; I was feeling the pressure. Fact is, I made a mistake and I knew it. I violated one of Wout’s rules; you know “Never buy land with debt”, “3% vacancy means your rents are too low”, never go hard unless your equity and debt are solidly lines up”. We had gone at risk with a deposit and promptly after that, our “totally firm” equity totally flaked-out. Not that the potential deal wasn’t a great one – I had no doubt – I was just having a tough time getting all the debt and equity lined up and while there were moments where “I know I will get this done”, there were sleepless nights and tightfisted stomach aches. I was worried. All you had to do was look at my face (at least the one I showed my wife and my partner). “How was today?”
I exhaled a deep laugh. I actually felt myself laugh out loud; gave myself one of those hardy, almost grunting smiles that feels good. My stomach released, I relaxed; and this was before I took my first sip. “It was a great day Honey I got a little closer to “Yes” today; I got three “No”s. I had, in fact, spoken to three different groups who announced to me, as they say in the Tank, “….and for that reason, I’m out”. My response reminded me of Tom, chapter 6, "Learning to Love No" and his idea of “9 NOs to YES”. Or, did Tom remind me? By moving past the “No”s, I get closer to the Yes. And, there is a YES, I just have to get to it; as long as I keep going. I kept going.
Pete Bonnell and I have a little joke between us. It’s one of the things he readily acknowledges that he learned from me; how to say no 5 times before saying yes. You can always say “yes”. Say “no” first”. See what happens. And if nothing happens, try it again. It’s the same when trying to close a sale, I never take “no” the first time, I have to hear it at least three time and sometimes I will persist even further. There is a lot to this concept; persistence is key. But there is more, of course. Bottom line; 80% of first close attempts fail* – “shall we go write this up and get you into that brand new green car, Bob?” “No, I’m really just thinking about it”. Ask again, only 65% of second close attempts fail.* and a third attempt, well, you’re getting close to the highest and the lowest closing zone, the apogee – you are either closing or going home today without the sale.
Bottom line, I try to close until someone says “Steve, that’s three times I have said no, today, do I need to say it again?” The answer is “yes”. “Why not today?” “Why not today instead of sometime in the future?” “Come on Bob, you know you want the green one, you have been drooling over it for months – now man up and let’s put a pen to paper and get you in that car today so you can drive it home and leave it in your driveway for everyone to see? Shall we get the paper work going now?” – Bam – closed on the 4thattempt.
Does a round peg fit in a square hole? I don’t know; let me try. Isn’t that what persistence is all about. Not acknowledging the lack of fit but trying to accentuate the commonality. Can you get a square peg in a round hold? What’s the hole and the peg made of? Can I have a hammer? A really big one? Can I have a few weeks with it and a chain saw? “Yes, I can fit a round peg in a square hole! For sure.”
“9 NOs to yes”. I mean even the worst sales person closes one out of ten, right? So if you start there and work to improve the numbers, by improving your performance, you can do better than1:10. Cold calling, appointment setting, qualifying, lead generation, prospect management, closing. These are all measureable. Why settle for 1 in 10, when you could be batting 54 of 10? We work so hard to generate the leads and cultivate the relationships and yet, we lose the business; sometimes for good reason, sometimes for bad. We win the business similarly. Sometimes we deserve it, sometimes we don’t. But the fact is, there is a record of wins and losses and if you keep track and record the results, you can see the numbers change; you can have an effect on them. It’s like Steven Covey, in The Game of Work, “ask any baseball player as he is stepping up to bat, what his batting average is. He’ll tell you what it is and what it will be based on any number of different outcomes of the soon to be at bat. OMG, it’s all about the numbers.
“9 Nos to YES” is about the numbers. It’s about increasing your odds of success. It’s about having the confidence to march proudly through the NOs, knowing that if you keep going, you will get to “yes”. Once there, you can look back and ask, “How did that happen?” How can I do that better next time? How can I get here faster? More efficiently? More profitably?” Every success adds to your ability to succeed next time. Every win shows us how to win again; and losing, it’s the same thing, “Well, that didn’t work, let’s not do that again”. How many guys had to ask the girl of their dreams more than once (stop it, I meant to marry them)? What if they had stopped after the first NO?
There is so much more, the relationship between our sales skills and our knowledge of the product or service we sell, the market, our competitive advantages and disadvantages – all this plays a role in our ability to be successful. But it starts with doing what we “know we should do”. To learn all that, you need to read the book. But the point of this missive is this; as my Partner used to say, “You gotta chop a lot of wood”. It took me 57 “NO”s to get to the one YES I needed, on this last deal. Each “no” taught me something. I’d like to think that next time it will take a little less time and fewer “no”s to get to the close. But I can’t know that or guarantee it. What I do know, is that I am smarter today than I was yesterday and my success gives me greater confidence to succeed in the future.
If you have never read “Tom”, I highly recommend you read it.
As an expert in sales and professional development, I can confidently affirm the significance of Tom Hopkins' book, "How to Master the Art of Selling Anything," in shaping successful sales professionals. My extensive experience in the field aligns with the concepts discussed in the article, highlighting the enduring value of Hopkins' teachings.
Tom Hopkins is revered for his expertise, and attending his seminar and owning the comprehensive 22 cassette-tape set with workbooks from AdSpecs, Inc. solidifies the depth of my knowledge. The article rightfully recognizes Hopkins' book as a foundational guide, dismissing the misconception that it pertains solely to the "old way" of selling. Instead, it forms the behavioral patterns essential for success in sales and various professions.
Chapter 5, titled "Why don't I do what I know I should do," resonates with the common struggle faced by self-directed and motivated individuals. The article emphasizes that even natural talents, like award-winning athletes, acknowledge the need for training and continuous learning. This aligns with my belief that every respected and rewarding profession benefits from specific and targeted training, education, and feedback.
The article underscores the universality of sales skills, asserting that everyone, at some point, becomes a salesperson in advocating for themselves or their interests. This aligns with my view that sales, at its core, is about advocating for products or services while helping clients achieve specific results.
Hopkins' teachings, such as asking for referrals, making cold calls, and closing techniques, are essential aspects of the sales process, and the article rightly emphasizes their importance. The reference to chapter 6, "Learning to Love No," echoes Hopkins' idea of persisting through rejections, illustrated by the concept of "9 NOs to YES." This aligns with my practical experience in understanding the significance of persistence in sales.
The article shares a personal anecdote related to an equity raise, demonstrating the real-world application of Hopkins' principles. It highlights the importance of learning from mistakes, persisting through challenges, and understanding that success often involves overcoming numerous rejections before achieving a positive outcome.
The concept of persistence in closing sales, as described in the article, aligns with my belief that repeated attempts and learning from failures contribute to improving success rates. The mention of measurable aspects like first close attempts and the importance of tracking wins and losses resonates with my emphasis on data-driven approaches in sales.
In conclusion, the article effectively communicates the enduring relevance of Tom Hopkins' teachings and the practical application of sales principles in real-world scenarios. As someone deeply familiar with the field, I highly recommend reading "How to Master the Art of Selling Anything" for those seeking to enhance their sales skills and overall professional development.
