The Paths

What makes some agents successful while others are just getting by? Is it fate? Luck? Are the reasons so unique to every situation that they can’t be followed by others? Or are there ways of approaching sales — the business of sales — that explain the difference in results? More significantly, if successful producers share these traits, if they have found certain paths to sales success, can others follow in their footsteps?

The purpose of the Trailblazed Sales Project study was to find the answers. What the investigation made clear is that sales success is not random. Yes, being lucky is better than being unlucky. But what’s also true is that producers achieving high growth act and think differently than their low and no Growth colleagues. Some of the differences are stark; some subtle, but the differences are no accident.

What also emerged from the research is that the drivers of sales success can be grouped into three overlapping and intertwined paths to sales success involving attitude, business practices, and sales strategy.

Positive Attitude:  Successful sales people possess responsible confidence, a perspective that empower them to seize opportunities and invest in the future. They this realistic optimism to pragmatic persistency. They address obstacles directly and remain engaged until they succeed or they have proven success is truly unattainable.

Business Acumen:  Successful sales people approach their business in a business-like way. They use business plans to provide a clear direction on which their entire team can focus, eliminating wasted effort and assuring alignment. They make the effort to analyze results against expectations so they can make informed adjustments. They invest the time and resources necessary to make their vision a reality.

Sales Insight:  High Growth Producers take their responsibilities to their clients seriously. They work hard to be worthy of the trust their customers place in them to find the right solution to unique needs. They also understand the importance of a steady flow of prospects, leading them to consistently and creatively prospect. 

These paths are neither distinct nor disparate. Instead, they overlap and entwine and, in the process, strengthen one another. Following any one of these paths will no doubt help sales professionals grow their business. What the Trailblazed Sales Project study suggests, however, is that following all three paths has the greatest impact. The pleasant corollary is that because the paths entwine, following any one of them makes taking the others easier.