marketing, professional education opportunities or
expert support frees them up to do what they do
best—sell.
High-Growth
producers recognize
The Sales Strategies Path that their prospects are relying
It should be no surprise then
that the third path to sales on their abilities and expertise to
success concerns sales
strategies. There are two find the best solution for their needs—
components to the and the best value for their dollars.
concept of sales
strategy as used here: sales professionalism and the basic believe that selling is purely and simply aggression.” These
nuts-and-bolts work that is sales development. “vultures,” Mr. Hopkins believes, “never learned how to
Sales professionalism is about being worthy of the prospect, contact and qualify professionally.” As a result,
trust clients trust place in producers. High-Growth “in desperation, they tried to close prospects they knew in
Producers recognize that their prospects are relying on their hearts shouldn’t be closed ….” Fortunately,
their abilities and expertise to find the best solution for “Champions don’t have that problem because they never
their needs—and the best value for their dollars. They un- close people they know shouldn’t be closed.” High-Growth
derstand that their clients expect them to remain engaged Producers, not surprisingly, tend to be Champions.
and are reviewing the solution in light of changes to their Which explains why the Trailblazed Sales Project found
clients’ situations over time. High-Growth Producers take that High-Growth Producers are more likely to listen to
these responsibilities seriously and strive to be worthy of their prospect than Low- and No-Growth Producers. They
this trust. are more likely to understand their prospects’ needs, and
Tom Hopkins, in his book, How to Master the Art of Selling, to avoid one-size-fit all solutions. It is why successful pro-describes the difference between sales professionals (which fessionals like Jane are more likely to make the time to re-he calls Champions) and the stereotypical hard-closing main current on their industry, market and products than
salesman. He describes how the negative view of selling do those like Dick. It is why she is more likely than he is
arose from “the actions of the minority of salespeople who to build strong relationships with clients and to be a
