Sales Vs. The System
by Michael S. Clouse

Yes, I know to some of you, this is about sales... And I understand the points you probably are making right now. Still, I have a real problem with all this "sales" stuff.

Why? I'm glad you asked.

Selling is an art and a profession all its own. Selling is a learned set of skills that may take years to perfect. Tom Hopkins teaches, "No woman, in a delivery room, ever gave birth to a salesperson." And back in 1979, when I attended his How to Master the Art of Selling Anything seminar, I became a serious believer! Salespeople aren't born great. Sales people are made great!

So what's the big deal? Why not just master the art of selling, and be done with it? Well, it's not that simple…

Let me explain what I mean by asking you two questions. First: What is the "one thing" that you do better than anything else?

Okay. Next question: How long did it take you to achieve the skills necessary to become as excellent as you currently are doing that "one thing" you currently do?

Really? That long?

Are you beginning to understand the problem?

When I decided to become a maven at this selling game, I went back to school and studied—for years. Xerox's Professional Selling Skills I, II & III...been there, done that. Zig Ziglar, Roger Dawson, Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy...and on, and on, and on! Year after endless year, course after never-ending course...and those are just a few of the better-known classes. I won't even begin to mention all the First Interstate Bank seminars (used to work there), or the AT&T events (worked there too), I attended over the last 25+ years.

Now, don't get me wrong. It's not that I didn't enjoy the process. To the contrary—I loved every minute of it! To this day the walls of my home-office are filled with certificates, plaques and trophies; and like you, I'm very proud of my accomplishments. The problem is that learning, or worse yet, teaching someone how to sell isn't something that you or I can easily duplicate. And isn't that what we are trying to accomplish in Network Marketing? Aren't we attempting to create—or follow—a system that anyone can utilize? Of course we are...

Finding people to sell and then selling the people you find isn't duplicatable. And in Network Marketing, it doesn't really work long-term.

We're all much better off sponsoring people who have a burning desire to change their own lives and then plugging them into a system (using 3rd party tools) that will allow them—regardless of their background—to succeed at any level they truly desire.

So if the above is true—and it is—as successful business-builders, what should we be doing? Frankly, we would all be better served if we would focus more on learning a duplicatable system , and less on perfecting our closing skills.

As one very wealthy Network Marketer once put it, "If you will become the very best messenger you possibly can, the message will take care of itself." Indeed it will....

All the best,

MSC

P.S. If you're looking for a system that anyone can easily duplicate, it's right here: BIG TSP.

© 2007 by Michael S. Clouse. All Rights Reserved.

About the author: In addition to over 50 published articles on the subject of Network Marketing, Michael S. Clouse is the author of numerous books and CD programs on the subject of Network Marketing. An internationally recognized Network Marketing expert, Michael is a well respected business consultant, personal success coach, and a dynamic educational speaker. His weekly newsletter is read by tens of thousands of Network Marketing Professionals around the world.