CHAPTER 1

       What the Profession of Selling Really Is

      I learned a long time ago that selling is the highest-paid hard work—and the lowest-paid easy work—that I could find. And I also found out another exciting thing about selling—the choice was mine, all mine. By myself, I could make it the highest-paid hard work, or I could let it be the lowest-paid easy work. I discovered that what I’d achieve in my selling career was entirely up to me, and that what anyone else wanted wasn’t going to make much difference. What anyone else would or wouldn’t give me wasn’t going to make much difference, either. The only thing that really mattered was what I did for myself, and what I gave to myself.

      Will you agree with me on that? I hope so, because the whole point of this book is that the skills, knowledge, and drive within you are what will make you great, and that these qualities can be expanded and intensified—if you’re willing to invest time, effort, and money in yourself. Is there any better investment than in yourself? Most of us know there isn’t, but many of us don’t act often enough, or decisively enough, on that belief.

      You are your greatest asset. Put your time, effort, and money into training, grooming, and encouraging your greatest asset.

      Let’s talk about some of the advantages of selling.

      The first advantage and the reason I love selling is its freedom of expression. Sales is one of the few professions left in which you can be yourself and can, in essence, do what you want to do. This freedom you’ve won for yourself by successfully competing where resourcefulness and perseverance are demanded and highly valued. No activity is more vital to the economy’s health than selling; no activity is more dependent on individual initiative than selling.

      The second advantage of selling is that you have the freedom to become as successful as you’d like to be. In this profession, no one limits your income but you. There are no income ceilings.

      You may question this statement. You may think the limit is the highest income anyone has yet made selling for your company. Does that mean it’s not possible to earn more? Of course not. But it does mean that all the salespeople in your company who aren’t earning the highest income aren’t applying all the strategies and techniques of the Champion.

       The third advantage of selling is that it’s a daily challenge.

      You can go into almost any business and have no challenge. That’s never the case in selling, where every day you’re confronted with new challenges. Let that fact refresh you, not weary you. Glory in it. Our overregulated and highly organized society provides few lucrative work activities where the end of each day isn’t known before that day dawns. You are privileged to be involved in one of those precious few activities where freedom and challenge aren’t rarities, they’re constant companions. In sales, you never know what opportunities the day will open up, what prizes you can win—what catastrophes may befall you.

      To the salesperson, every day is an adventure. Working at this profession, we can go from the heights of exhilaration to the depths of discouragement within forty-eight hours—and climb back to the heights again the next day. Isn’t that exciting?

      Say yes.

      Every morning, tell yourself that challenge is exciting, it’s fun, and you look forward to it. Tell yourself that—and mean it. Psych yourself up to enjoy challenge. Then go on the prowl for it, find it, and overcome it. If you want to be better than average, do that. If you aspire to greatness, you won’t hesitate. The shortest route to high earnings goes straight through the challenges you’ll encounter.

      The fourth advantage of selling is that it offers high potential returns from a low capital investment. What does it cost to gain entry into this profession that has no income ceiling? Compare whatever you think that cost is to the investment required for one of the fast-food franchises that have been so successful. Typically, owners of a new location invest a hundred thousand dollars or more, work long hours, and pay themselves a small salary. All of this is done in the hope of a sixty-thousand dollar return on invested capital the second year.

      You can launch yourself into a sales career for a tiny fraction of the franchiser’s investment and, by applying the systems in this book, have greater earning power sooner. This enormous leverage on the small investment that getting