COUNTRY OR ROCK… Garth Brooks is the single most successful recording artist in North America. He has sold in excess of 68 million albums since 1991 (5 million more than his closest competitor… the Beatles). As everyone knows, Garth Brooks is a country and western artist. What most people don't know is that he started out wanting to be a rock artist. Garth Brooks as a rock artist?!!! WOW…Hindsight is 20-20 but that would have been a big mistake! What Garth discovered was that he has a real talent with country music and that's where he puts all his energies. It seems to have worked out pretty well, hasn't it?
Many Salespeople end up "singing the wrong songs". Many Salespeople lose sight of where their real skills lie. The problem is that in doing so they often miss great opportunities.
Here is your ACTION STEP… the key is to identify where your strengths lie and then to capitalize on those strengths. Specialization pays off! Here are some of the categories that I see people specializing in successfully:
SPECIALIZATION IN SALES
1. People Skills – you are great with people, you attract people, you have great client loyalty
2. Computer Skills – you are a wizard at generating business through the Internet. You do not get bogged down on minutia… you generate leads, follow them up, and you make sales
3. Marketing Skills – you know how to get results through various media. You don't waste money, you know what works and you stay within your budget
4. Networking Skills – this pays off in two main areas… you are great at generating business from groups + you do a tremendous job of creating referrals
5. Prospecting Skills – you are the picture of consistency… you are a prospecting machine, you do it day after day and don't allow interruptions. You make sales, you make lots of sales
6. Business Skills – you run your business like a business, you're often a leader. You surround yourself with strong people and you know how to get things done. Typically your business is highly profitable
Everyone has a variety of skills. Some of these skills will be stronger than others. The mistake comes when you do not focus on your best strengths. This is where the greatest return will lie. Needless to say it would be foolish to only focus on utilizing one talent. It is worthwhile to be diverse but not at the expense of losing sight of your greatest capabilities. Be a specialist who focuses mainly on "one type of song". You can sing the other songs on occasion but always come back to your main area of expertise. That's where you really shine…just like Garth Brooks, that's where you will sell the most albums! NO Excuses.