Some sales reps consistently crush their numbers while others struggle to meet their quota. Are these all-star sales reps doing something totally different from their peers? According to best-selling author, Marc Wayshak, they are probably using some strategies that other sales reps do not know about.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share Wayshak’s insight into the simple, yet little-known strategies that top-performing sales professionals use to excel in their careers.

1. Believe in what you sell. The most important hidden secret of sales success is simply standing behind what you sell, according to Wayshak. If you don’t believe in what you sell, you won’t have any passion when prospects push back because subconsciously, you agree that they probably shouldn’t buy your product or service.

2. Every sale should help someone. Another hidden secret to sales success is cultivating the mindset that not making the sale hurts the prospect. If you don’t sell to someone who is a great fit, it’s doing them a disservice. Wayshak says top sales performers think, “If I don’t make this sale with a prospect who is a good fit, then it’s going to hurt them.”

3. Hearing “no” is okay. Remember that most people you reach out to will not be a great fit for what you offer. The faster you can get to a “no,” the sooner you can move on to a prospect who is an ideal fit. Wayshak encourages sales reps to have the confidence to walk away from prospects who say “no.” Someone needs what you have to offer, so go find them.

4. TIOs are bad. According to Wayshak, TIO stands for “think it over.” The best sales reps try to avoid this response at all costs because it’s essentially the prospect’s polite way of saying, “I want to end this conversation, but I don’t want to be confrontational.” Work to either get a “no” so you can move on or aim to move the prospect to the next step.

5. Persuasion doesn’t work. Wayshak points out that people do not want to be persuaded of anything anymore. Instead, work to engage prospects in a real conversation and discover what challenges they are facing. If you can solve some of those challenges, talk to them about your solutions.

6. Get commitment before presenting. This doesn’t mean putting the cart before the horse. Instead, it means getting commitment from prospects that they will buy from you before you present your offering, notes Wayshak. If you don’t have some kind of commitment, you’re setting yourself up for the TIO outcome.

7. Objections are opportunities. No sales professional wants to hear objections. However, learning to recognize objections as opportunities is one of the best hidden secrets of sales success. Doing this allows you to unpack the prospect’s true concerns, says Wayshak.

8. Hold prospects accountable. Wayshak notes that this sales secret runs counter to mainstream selling because most sales reps are taught that the customer is always right. Keep in mind, though, that a huge difference exists between your customers and your prospects. If you start to play by the prospect’s rules, you’ll be a dancing monkey, says Wayshak. You can avoid this by making sure your prospects follow your sales process every step of the way.

9. Don’t wing it. If you want to be a top sales performer, you can’t just make things up as you go. This is similar to a surgeon in the middle of an operation who says they just made up the procedure to see how it worked out.

The best sales reps are probably familiar with the secrets above. If you want to take your sales skills up a notch, keep these points in mind.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Marc Wayshak is the founder of Sales Strategy Academy, best-selling author of Game Plan Selling, and a regular contributor to Fast Company, Entrepreneur and The Huffington Post business section.