Yesterday I sat with an aspiring young professional who wanted to know the formula for breaking into a great job. I asked him what he thought of his current one. He said it was okay but that he didn’t see a ton of opportunity to grow. I then asked what he was doing to show his manager and co-workers that he was capable of growth. He couldn’t answer. I followed up by asking him to give me three reasons his manager should give him more responsibility and, after drooling on himself, he mumbled three things that were merely part of his job. In short, he was doing nothing special but was expecting special career results.

Perhaps it’s the new world of entitlement we are living in that is leaving many to believe that being average is enough to produce exceptional opportunity. Wrong! If I thought looking for excuses, being negative, and looking for somebody to blame was the path to wealth and happiness I’d say…go for it! But truth is…it doesn’t work. Are some people given more opportunities than others unfairly? Maybe. But who cares! Because for every one person who found success or got promoted for the wrong reasons, there are 20 others who busted their hump, took a risk and did things to convince everybody around them that they were an irreplaceable asset.

So this week, take 15 minutes in your office, grab a pen and paper (or an iPad), and write down five things you do in your profession that make you special. And if your list includes the same things that all your co-workers would write then it’s not SPECIAL. Which means you aren’t worthy of any additional opportunities. And the same things goes for many companies who also believe they too should expect extraordinary results without doing anything extraordinary.

In short, NOBODY controls your destiny but you. Because nobody has that power over you. And if they do, it’s only because you gave it to them. From this point forward in 2012 you will expect nothing from anybody and instead give everything to everybody. Your reward will be life and a career that gets you noticed, gets you opportunity and gets you to the TOP!

This week, Brian Sullivan, CSP interviewed Eric Chester, author of the new book, Reviving Work Ethic. If you’re looking for hard hitting truth about what it takes to get to the top, listen to this high-energy interview by going to www.preciseselling.com/podcast

Last week we talked about the importance of planning now so that 2012 becomes your most famous year. We discussed the importance of asking yourself, “What specifically do I need to keep doing, stop doing and begin doing in 2012 to get me to my ultimate goal.” So this week, let’s talk more about that ultimate goal.

This week I spent time asking others what their ultimate goal was for 2012 and few had clarity in their answer. As a result, there was little clarity in what steps needed to be taken to make this year their best.

If you have ever read or watched the movie The Secret or ever read Napoleon Hill’s Book “Think and Grow Rich” you are familiar with the concept of controlling one’s own thoughts in order to achieve success, as well as the energy that thoughts have and their ability to attract other thoughts.

In short, the premise is that positive thoughts will attract positive results. If you believe the premise, then this means the more positive thoughts you create, the better the results.

While the science is not proven, there is little doubt that most of us are attracted to a certain energy that others put off. When we say, “That person has something about her,” we are feeling that law of attraction. Which means there is a very real vibration or energy the body is projecting.
So can you control that energy? The good news is YES. And it starts by first believing that your thoughts affect what the body projects. While I admit to some this may sound a bit “New Age,” why fight it?

So this week, first think about what you want for you and your family this year. What is your ultimate goal?

Then understand that those goals will be more achievable if you consistently think positively. Make it a habit.

Be aware when are being negative and know that it’s not helping you. Will that positive energy go flying off into the universe and come back in the form of a fat paycheck? I don’t know.

But what I do know is those positive thoughts will produce an energy that makes others want to trust you, know you and learn from you more than ever. It’s that type of attraction that creates great business leaders, entrepreneurs, salespeople, and leaders. And it’s that type of attraction that is about to make 2012 your most famous year.

Watch this youtube video about Bob Proctor and The Secret.

-Peter Drucker

Are you ready to commit to making 2011 your best professional year yet? If so, grab a notepad or laptop, and let’s get to work. Take five minutes right now to fill in the blanks below.

Your 2011 PRECISE Commitment

I will make $______________ in 2011.

I will be rank #_________ in my company in sales.

I will close ________ sales a week.

I will prospect with ____________ new clients each week.

I will schedule _________ hours/minutes each week to do nothing but plan.

Now take that sheet and put it in a place where you will frequently see it. Let it remind you of the commitment you made to yourself. Next, schedule 30 minutes in your office during Christmas week to begin your planning for 2011. Think about where you should spend your time, who you may need help from, which clients you will spend more time with…or less time. In short, commit now and plan now. And when January 3 rolls around, you will not only have hopes and promises, but a clear path to get you to the TOP.

For sales tips and occasional creative yet random thoughts, follow Brian Sullivan on twitter @preciseselling. President of Kansas City-based PRECISE Selling, he delivers seminars and internet training programs on sales, customer service, leadership and presentation skills to companies of all sizes. Check him out at www.preciseselling.com.

“The one advantage of playing with fire…is that no one ever gets singed. It is the people who don’t know how to play with it who get burned up.”
-Oscar Wilde

Did you watch the Super Bowl this year? Well of course you did! Well, at least you had it on the tube, right? In fact, you might have been having too much fun to watch the actual game but when those commercials came on you immediately became glued to the set, right? And why is it that viewers are more interested in those commercials than on any normal viewing day? It’s because most of them get a reaction out of you and usually that reaction is a laugh or a smile. In fact, 86% of commercials played during the Super Bowl contain some sort of humor or fun message. Why, you ask? It’s because FUN WORKS! The sponsors realize that if they can get those muscles around your face to move in a positive way, there is a chance you will make a move for your wallet in a way that’s positive for them.

So what about you? Do you have a Super Bowl commercial mentality? If not, it’s time to step it up. While you might not control the advertising budget at your company, you DO control the amount of fun and laughter you bring to your customers and prospects. So this week, think of something creative you can to do light up your sales territory. Become a commercial on every call. And while your competition is busy being “professional” (aka boring), your risky creativity will take the customer mentally away from work, and off to a happy place that makes them want to spend their money with you. And don’t be surprised if your competition is burned up by your results.

Let’s not overcomplicate this. In sales, there are only two ways to get better results. The first is to make more sales calls. The second is to perform better on each call.  So how many prospecting calls do you make each week? And as an FYI, “It depends,” is NOT an acceptable answer. Because those that say, “It depends,” or “I am not really sure,” have lost control over their sales territory and as a result, are at the mercy of whatever voicemail and email are telling them to do. The top performer, on the other hand, sets a call objective number and let’s that number drive the workweek. If he or she wants to increase their sales by 15% or more, they realize it means they may have to make 15 more calls. They then let that number haunt them. They don’t start the weekend until they made the last call.

Another way 15% more effort can create 15% greater performance is by investing in improving your sales, communication and leadership skills. Buy a sales book, attend a seminar, seek out top performers in your company and grill them! By increasing your knowledge and skill by 15% or more, you will become 15% more valuable to your customers, your company and your future.

-Zig Ziglar

I recently had a sales call that didn’t go as well as I would have hoped. The feedback I received from one of my associates was that I might have been a bit too enthusiastic. As I thought about my “performance” I thought about what I could have done differently. My first analysis was that I perhaps needed to better control that enthusiasm. But then I realized something…I really like what I sell and know it helps people.  I may never be able to fake apathy towards my products and services and I will never try to. And while I do believe it is important to match your customer’s emotions, I believe it is perhaps more important to show confidence and passion for what you are selling. Will there be a mope or two that you turn off…perhaps? But the positive emotions that you create will far outweigh the opportunities that you scare away. So this week, think of three things that you and your company do really well, get fired up about the benefits those things provide, and don’t hold back with those good vibrations! A lot more prospects will come to you than run from you!

Why won’t they call me back? I thought we had the deal. I can’t believe they are not interested? If you have ever spoken those words, then chances are you neglected to make your prospect curious enough to need more information and “antsy” enough to need your solution NOW. So how do you create curiosity? First, minimize the number of statements you make in any early sales call. Don’t start your call by telling them what your solution does, but instead ask them a question that gets them “slowly engaged.” For example,

“Would you be interested in learning about a product that has helped similar clients save several hours a week?” Think about it. Who wouldn’t want to save several hours a week (if that’s the benefit of your product)? As a result, you will often get the curious response, “How are you going to do that?” BAM! You have just received an invitation to continue.

So this week, pick your favorite product or service and develop three curiosity building questions that will get your prospects more fully engaged. Then use those to open your prospecting calls. And once you have their ear, keep questioning until you have learned exactly what it’s going to take to help them understand that can’t live without your solution.

Make a decision this week that you would normally consider “risky.”

Whether it means going to that department of the hospital where you “shouldn’t be” or perhaps doing something creatively “stupid” to get noticed from a “tough to get to prospect,” do it!

The adrenaline rush that you will experience will remind you just how fun this sales profession can be. Oh…and that adreniline rush often carries with it a nice bump in the commission check!