“The Twenty” is a guide for excellence.
Originally designed for sales excellence, to limit these 20 Competitive Advantages to only sales associates would be an injustice. These powerful, but very simple and easy to apply lessons can be used in virtually any career and by any organization.
1 Be the most positive and enthusiastic person you know. Start right now. This can be a work in progress. It doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect out of the box; however, you should start as soon as you can. A good way to begin is by stopping yourself from complaining. Find ways to solve problems by talking with energy and enthusiasm to people who can actually help solve what is bothering you. Smile more and be genuinely interested in other people. There are many ways to accomplish this objective and you will be amazed at how the people around you respond. Each day try to be more positive and enthusiastic than you were yesterday.
2. Start each day the night before. Many people are harried, rushed, and seem to spend their entire day one step behind everyone else. Don’t do that to yourself. Start tonight, take a few minutes, prepare what you are going to wear tomorrow, make your lunch, make a plan of what you want to accomplish the next day. These are all small things, but each will dial down the pressure that you will feel and help to get ahead of everyone else.
3. Get up early. Even 30 minutes earlier than what you are currently doing will make a huge difference in your day. Thirty extra minutes to work out, to prepare a better breakfast, or simply to relax before heading to work.
4. Read at least one book every month related to your career or job. Books are great, but so are podcasts, audio books (listen to them while driving to work instead of the radio) even YouTube videos count. Having a self-directed professional development plan will expand your knowledge base and can be done in as little as 15 or 30 minutes every day.
5. Schedule your prospecting time (no less than 1 hour a day). For sales people, prospecting for new clients and conferring with existing clients may be one of the most important segments of your day. Prospecting can be difficult. Ask and watch your co-workers, try to copy what works and examine the ideas that haven’t worked and see if you can make them work for you.
6. Schedule your e-mail/internet time and limit no more than 2 hours per day. This limit does not diminish the importance of using emails and the internet; however, sales is much more effective face to face (even zoom is better than emailing). While emailing seems easier than in-person or telephone calls, it can also be a trap because of the lack of real interaction.
7. Look sharper than everyone else does. Look at your co-workers, look at yourself, what would or could you improve about your appearance. For example, start with something small, how could you improve your name tag, is it straight, are you wearing it? What other small things could you improve? The very best sales associates I have know always subscribed to this lesson. They also added personal touches to their appearance that set them apart from everyone else.
8. Be on time, every time. Every single successful person I have ever met does this. As a note, being on time according to each one of them doesn’t mean arriving right on the scheduled time, to a person they consistently arrive 10 to 30 minutes earlier than the schedule says. By arriving a little earlier, they have time to prepare and time to relax before their work day begins and also time to react if something unexpected happens.
9. Be over-prepared. Preparation is something that you control. Many average sales associates only do what is asked by their sales manager, the very best do more. For example, if you have a 30-minute meeting scheduled, spend at least the same amount of time researching and preparing for the meeting.
10. Make three people feel better about themselves every day. Of all of the things on this list, the point may be the most powerful. To make someone genuinely feel better about themselves you have to be genuine. You have to take the time to watch, listen, and learn about the people around you.
11. Say “thank-you” sincerely at least 20 times per day. My challenge to you for at least a week, is to count the number of times that you say thank you each day. Initially you may be surprised at how few times that you actually thank people for the things that they do. Soon you notice the affect that this simple consideration has on people and you will wonder why you didn’t start this sooner.
12. Ask questions, lots of questions; be curious, interested, and present during the answers. Perhaps one of the most important skills for a sales person and for anyone else is the ability to ask good questions and to listen instead of simply waiting for their turn to say something.
13. No matter what or where your workspace may be, keep it clean and organized as if the world’s greatest customer or client could see it. Being well-organized helps to establish your reputation in the eyes of customers and clients, fair or not fair it is a perception that matters. It is also very easy to do.
14. Remember your two most important things are your time and your attitude. It is impossible to save time; you can only spend it, so use it well. Prioritize what needs to be done and then get started. Successful people have exactly the same amount of time as unsuccessful people. Your attitude is another key, it is easy to fall into the trap of feeling helpless or out of control, successful people can feel this way as well; they just find a place to start and then determinedly focus on working towards their goals.
15. Avoid negative and pessimistic people. Unfortunately, negative people are everywhere. You have seen them, they make you tired when you talk to them. People who always are “half-empty” drain the energy from you and everyone else around them. It’s okay to vent; but you will know the difference.
16. Review your written goals each month and update your action plan. What do you want to accomplish this year? If you don’t know, decide today what you think you want, you can always update the list. Having written goals is an important exercise, especially when you have an action plan with the steps that helps you execute and accomplish your goals.
17. Listen, listen, and listen. For most of my career, one of the most important traits I tried to develop was my listening ability. I would list to my associates, customers and clients, transport drivers, other sales people, and anyone that I spoke to. The clues to most problems are known and available, if you are prepared to listen to the people involved in the situation.
18. Try to leave work at work and home at home. Too often, these cross over each other and it can negatively affect both places. Achieving a work/life balance will always ebb and flow as things in your life make different demands. Throughout everything though, be more than just your career.
19. Interact with at least 10 people every day. I am the kind of person who needs to be around people, regardless of the type that you are, try to stay connected. The best way to connect is by talking to people. Customers, clients, co-workers, friends, family, prospects; all of them can help to keep you grounded and connected.
20. Enjoy what you do, laugh, grow, and enjoy. Know that this is possible. The more you are able to do all of these the healthier and happier you will be with your career and with your life.
Please know these 20 points are not mine. My sales manager gave them to me more than a dozen years ago, and I know someone gave them to him. I would like to acknowledge the original author, whoever you are, and say thank-you. I have updated them and have used them almost continuously. None of these points is complicated and all of them are readily achievable for you right now. Share them, use them, and succeed with them.