Does ‘Luck’ Exist In Sales? The Answer May Surprise You!
We’ve all heard of ‘Luck-Shot Louie.’ Everything just seems to go right for him. He’s the guy who has sales lie down right in front of him, served up on a silver platter (or, depending on the commission structure, a gold platter!) Louie shows up, and all of a sudden there’s an influx of sales. The cars start rolling into the parking lot. The phones are ringing off the hook. It’s like he attracts prospects. Customer’s love him; you’re not sure why, he really isn’t that interesting. Just something about his charm pulls people in, and it makes them want to buy. People return to Louie and buy over and over again, and THEN they refer their friends and family, too! Louie has no college degree, he doesn’t come from a well-off family, and he wasn’t even that popular in school! So… what IS it about this guy?
Louie’s success is often credited to a short, heavily used word that follows the greatest salespeople in the world everywhere they go. You’re very familiar with this word… and it is LUCK. This 4 letter word is the bane of many successful salespeople’s existence. After all, it’s the easiest reason to explain why someone is performing at a higher level than you. The thing is, these successful salespeople don’t mind; while others are creating theories and reason’s why they’re under-performing, they’re busy creating MORE luck! You might be asking, “Brandon, what do you mean by ‘creating’ luck? Luck is just that…. it’s blind chance!” But, is it really? Let’s discuss.
I’ve been in the sales for over a decade now, and I’ve seen a LOT of salespeople come and go. This has allowed me the opportunity to study many different types of salespeople ranging from all ages, levels of education, background, etc. I’ve come to know one thing for certain; luck does NOT exist in the long-term. I say ‘long-term’ very intentionally. I DO believe that luck exists in the short-term, but it is short-lived.
Sometimes, things are out of your control. Each lead you call wants nothing to do with you. you give it your ALL, but each prospect you speak to has little to no opportunity available for you to work with. The guy at the desk next to you takes 3 ‘ups’ and turns each one into a sale. You’re asking yourself “What is going on today? Have I lost my touch? Should I update my resume? Am I in the right industry?” The next day, you make up for it with a weeks-worth of sales. You breathe a sigh of relief, pat yourself on the back, and think “Everything’s going to be okay.” If you’re in sales (or ever have been) then I KNOW you relate to this on some level!
I’ve always had a feeling that luck wasn’t the answer. I studied salespeople who were known as ‘lucky.’ Yes, I was one of them! A young college-dropout with absolutely no formal education or reason to succeed. I just did. I asked myself “What is it? What’s the SECRET to creating LUCK?”
Luck comes down to one word: ATTRACTION. I’m not talking about physical looks here , I’m talking about energy. Think about what sales even is: The transfer of enthusiasm (high-vibration energy!) from one person/party to another. I always asked myself, especially as a very young salesman, “What is it about me that causes people to WANT to buy? Why does it seem like I attract these prospects to me?”
I later decided that much of my success was because of a simple phrase; positive expectancy. I always expected that I would have a great day. I always knew that I would have a great month, and a great year. I expected great results. And AS a result, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The best salespeople persevere. They understand that while they may be having a ‘slow streak’, they will make up for it. They are constantly asking themselves questions like “What can I do right now in order to get myself in front of someone who can make a buying decision?” Then, they take action to make that a reality, knowing that their actions will always yield positive results. It’s important to understand; sales is a long-game. While your luck may seem like it’s running out in the short-term, actions will always lead to results. Higher quality actions will lead to higher quality results. In order to create luck, you must DO. You must discover what actions lead to the best results, and then do that over and over again. It’s the good ole fashioned success formula; when something doesn’t work, adjust your approach!
In sales, one thing is constant: hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work. If you want to be more ‘attractive’ and generate more luck with greater results, you must hone your skills. In sales, those skills include everything from communication and problem solving to creativity and leadership. Your ability to add the most value to other people will determine your success in sales and the marketplace. To create luck, you must become more valuable. Jim Rohn once said “I believe all people are equal in soul. However, all people are NOT equal in the marketplace.” Your high-level skills and abilities will inject you with endless levels of certainty and confidence that will infinitely radiate to those you serve and connect with. THIS is how you create luck. THIS is how you create success in sales, and in life!
Hone your skills, become more valuable, and continue to attract luck into YOUR life!
Best wishes,
Brandon Eastman is a peak performance coach who injects energy and results into sales teams, is the host of The Be Better Broadcast, and is the author of the top-selling strategy guide Be Extraordinary: Your Guide To Self-Mastery. Visit Brandon’s website here.