I am a big fan of Harvey Mackay. Recently, I had the opportunity to read his new book, “The MacKay MBA of Selling in the Real World”. The reason I like Mr. MacKay’s books (I have read or own most of them) is that I subscribe to his philosophies about belief, trust, confidence, and most of all, seeking out people as coaches. While I may never actually speak with Mr. MacKay or meet him face to face (one of my personal life goals), he plays an important role in my selling efforts:
Harvey Mackay is in fact, my Sales Coach.
Sales is a tough business to be in. It takes a lot of hard work, constant awareness of process, extensive interaction with other people (many of whom are, at best, ambivalent about interacting with you), and a detailed knowledge of and interest in what you sell.
I was talking with my wife yesterday after picking her up from her daily train commute. She is helping me spread the word about my new book, “99 Questions to Achieving Your Sales Goals”. So, she met that day with a leading sales person at her business to give him a copy of the book. After seeing the book, the sales person said he would love to meet me – I must be a really outgoing sales leader! My wife just laughed because she knows me to be a somewhat unassuming and calm person, certainly not the “sales personality” of sales mythology. (To read my story about how I became top Sales performer, click here.) That is why many years ago, Harvey MacKay became my Sales Coach.
You see, if there is anything that one can take away from Harvey MacKay’s books, it’s that he believes in inspiration and inner motivation as much as he believes in the other things it takes to be a good sales person. In my selling efforts, I am all about process, communicating, and “doing”. Harvey’s book points out that there is more to Sales than just doing. Being in Sales is as much about who you are, how you feel, and what you believe as it is about getting things done.
For many Sales leaders Sales is not about doing: it’s just about the end result. IMHO, you simply can’t be a great Sales leader if you are ambivalent about what it takes to be a complete Sales person. You are the Coach, and you must execute on both the process and the belief system. Many Sales leaders are challenged to do either.
When the daily grind of being a Sales person becomes discouraging (as it does occasionally for every sales person), I turn to Harvey MacKay for words of advice. “The MacKay MBA of Selling in the Real World“ is my latest playbook for attitude adjustment. As a Sales leader, it reminds me that I can’t just rely on the external tools of my profession. I need to rely on the inner tools that Harvey describes so aptly in his books. Inside is where you find the real motivation to sell.
Sales is about getting things done, but it’s equally about is who you are. Every day, you need to get up and decide that you are going to be a great Sales person or Sales leader. Anything other than that commitment gives you the option to “try”, not “do”. And, trying just doesn’t get it done.
Harvey Mackay’s words remind me of who I am and who I can be as a Sales leader. Thanks, Coach!
What are you doing to become a more complete sales leader?
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