Be Deliberately Successful

“We Rule Men with Words” - Napoleon

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” - Mark Twain

“Ad-libbing is for amateurs.” - Tony Cefalu

These quotes are from three great men in history! (Just checking to see if you are awake.) And so by their words it is understood that what a person says, and how it is said, can be the defining difference between success and failure in almost any endeavor.

This is the distinguishing talent of superstar agents and salespeople. Some salespeople excel in education, others work longer hours, and yet it’s the superstar that transcends the seeming advantage of others. How is that so?

It is by the use of persuasive language; that's how. Superstars understand that the finest product or service in the world will not sell itself and that it takes a carefully crafted, and artfully delivered, construct of words to make it come alive in the clients mind. In other words …

THE SALESPERSON WITH THE BEST WORDS WINS!!!

As a salesperson, we call these carefully selected words a “script” or “sales script.” To some, the very thought of using a script is tantamount to professional sacrilege. But to the wise and those who wish to elevate their sales results above being average and develop their craft as a salesperson beyond the norm, scripts … good scripts, are an indispensable means to that end.

The difference between a great career and an average career can be seen in whether one is deliberate in being successful and another person is random.

Random Acts of Success...(It even sounds stupid.)

Success doesn't just happen...It is the confluence of where a deliberate plan to be successful meets with its deliberate execution. Yes; "random acts of success" have been known to happen. But, choosing the random philosophy for one's career is going to be a regrettable wait for practically anyone who works and lives that way. I know for me, I am not waiting for life and success to "just happen" to me. Instead, I am going to try to "make it happen."

"Well, I don't live that way," some might say to themselves after reading my comments. To those individuals I would say, "Oh really; then on a professional level I can assume you have written down specific goals, a specific time-table for accomplishing them, specific marketing systems designed to get and keep customers that are thought out and clearly documented, and that you have a plan for how to execute on all these things and a way to measure where you are in your random acts of success."

The First Indication that a Sales Professional Rejects the Fiction of Random Success is...

By way of scripting...

Scripting is the deliberate act of being successful in both marketing and selling efforts.

Scripts merely harness the power of organized information. They move the salesperson from the realm of technician into technique, from science to the realm of art.

The Will to Win is Not as Important as the Will to Plan to Win.

Where do I begin? First of all, begin with a script book. Every serious sales professional should have a script book where they record and keep record of word tracks that are developed or discovered in their day-today work and life. Remember, not only are real life situations a good source of sales ideas and language, but magazines, books and fellow sales associates can be also.

Never use the sales script book to record product data or other information aside from direct, pointed and presently useful word tracks to close sales. Before long, you will rarely reference the script book because you’ll have memorized it’s content.

Here is a suggested outline for dividing up the script book. It is not designed to be strictly followed but is a suggestion to get you started.

1. Openings/Introduction/Approaches
2. Transitional Statements
3. Presentations/Interviews
4. Trial Closes/Closings
5. Objections & Questions
6. Illustrations/Stories

It is not mere happenstance that some salespeople consistently out perform their peers. It is by planning, practice, and perseverance that success is made. I said “made,” not granted or given. Success is hard work.

Remember: “The Will to Win is Not as Important as the Will to Plan to Win!”

In summary:
1. Commit to “Plan to Win;" reject randomness for your career
2. Be deliberately successful
2. Use the script book only for useful word tracks … nothing else
3. Be willing to feel the fool at first while learning & using scripts
4. Be willing to share your successes with others

Copyright © 2009 - Tony Cefalu