The Six Little Things for Sales Success

It’s Not the Big Things That Make the Big Difference

In most sales organizations, the productive salespeople generally spend their time doing pretty much the same things on a daily basis. They prospect, make presentations, seek referrals, attend meetings, and… okay, they also spend time fixing the paperwork they screwed up on their last sale and calculating the commissions they’re about to make on the next— but that’s a subject to tackle on a different day. For the purpose of this article, we are going to focus on the more productive activities and refer to them as the big things.

Although primarily engaged in the same “big thing” sales activities each day, it is interesting to note that the results can vary greatly between two apparently equally capable, equally committed, and equally experienced salespeople. How can this be? Why is it that some sales professionals seem to consistently outperform others, given the same opportunity and similar levels of dedication?

The answer to this question is found in the details so to speak. It’s not the big things that they are doing that make the big difference— it’s the little things! More specifically, it probably boils down to five or six little things that the most successful salespeople in the organization are doing slightly better than anyone else that makes the biggest difference in their production results.

For example, there is a subtle, but very important “results distinction” between a really good presentation and an exceptional one. Although the “closing rate” difference may appear to be nearly insignificant in the short term, over time, the ever so slightly better presentation will ultimately generate more sales. Or, apply the “slightly better” concept to referral acquisition. Initially, gaining a few extra referrals each month may not seem like a big deal, but once again, when the sales results are tabulated over time, say the course of a year, some of those “no big deal” extra referral leads will have been undoubtedly converted into additional sales.

Okay, so here’s where it gets really interesting. A slight skill distinction between top sales professionals in just one or two key performance areas may best serve to determine the order in which they are called to the podium during the annual awards event. However, take that same small skill distinction multiplied by five or six key areas of performance and the exponential effect in sales production is not only impressive, but you’re also likely to be looking at the organization’s next sales director.

The principle of the six little things formula for sales success exemplifies the value of continuous improvement. If you are willing to set aside a few minutes every day and dedicate that time for your own professional development (i.e., polishing your presentation delivery, working on your referral acquisition techniques, etc.), in other words, striving to continuously improve your key performance skill set to ultimately do five or six little things better than anyone else— you will be well on your way to being one of the most highly compensated and promotable sales professionals in your organization!