Ebook "The profile of a successful Sales Agent"

The profile of a successful
trade.Berry Founding Member
ADRIAN MAZILU
Driven by passion, leading by example
Sales define me as a person, and
when I speak about myself, they
are the business card of both, my
personal and professional life...
Sales Agent

Foreword
Summary
Disclaimer
Credits
CHAPTER I
THE PHILOSOPHY OF A SALES PERSON
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
CHAPTER II
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAITS OF A SUCCESSFUL SALES AGENT
Personal & professional development
Social background
Personal boundaries
Perception of failure
CHAPTER III
NECESSARY ATTITUDES OF A WINNER
Determination
Owning up
Action
Perseverance
CHAPTER IV
THE PROPER BEHAVIOURS
Way of looking
Way of speaking
Way of acting
CHAPTER V
SKILLS & APTITUDES
Active listening
Positive language
Assertiveness
Feedback
CHAPTER VI
CONCLUSIONS
03
04
05
06
08
11
13
15
17
20
22
26
28
30
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37
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42
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Contents

Sales define me as a person, and when I speak about myself, they are the
business card of both my personal and professional life. My entire career
has focused on sales, and during the time, the determination and passion
for this industry have brought me exceptional results. Through them, I
earned the appreciation and respect of those in my line of business.
Because of this, I believe it is extremely important to realize that there is a
sales person in every one of us. From the children’s emotional blackmail to
the negotiation of the pay packet or to the photos posted on social media,
they all are a constant sale.
Consciously or not, sales are an important part of our life, and each one
of us contributes daily to this economic universe, seeking - one way or
another - personal satisfaction. Trust is earned gradually, just as efforts
are followed by success when there exist motivation and a healthy
philosophy.
However, nobody ever sets the goal of becoming a salesman when they
are children; most of them dream of becoming doctors, teachers or
architects. Honestly, if I were to meet a child and ask him what does he
want to become when he will grow up and he would answer by saying that
he wishes to work closely to people and make money, then I would tell
him straightforward “Be a salesperson!”.
3
Foreword

This material is addressed to everyone working in this field and who is
interested in this job. Also, it aims to help those who wish to understand
the philosophy of sales agents in order to adopt some of their strategies
and apply them in daily life.
Success in sales, as in any other area, is obtained with passion and plenty
of determination, and this way we are getting to the purpose of this
e-book - a tool addressing to those who are willing to perform, that offers
insights about the profile of a successful salesperson like: mission, vision,
values, motivation, life goals and the personal philosophy.
On the course of this e-book, I will present these strategies from the
perspective of a person who has done this his entire life and who has
formed around sales a whole life philosophy. Specifically, I will describe
the experiences and vision that, in the past eight years, have led me to
exceptional results.
4
Summary

This material is made by the Marketing department strictly with an
educational purpose and it reveals personal statement of the author
regarding the Sales topic. This e-book is addressed to the trade.Berry
community or to members who want to join, but it is not a trade.Berry property.
5
Disclaimer

I would like to thank my team for their efforts in the Marketing Campaign.
Special thanks to Bogdan Vetu, who has worked side by side with me for
releasing this E-book and to the web designers from Zalle.ro for making it
look great.
Bogdan Vetu
Trainer & Counselor
www.bogdanvetu.com
6
Credits
www.zalle.ro

8
I was and will always be a salesperson.
This way I was always able to attract open
people towards me, eager to learn more.
What was always interesting for me to
discover at those around me were those
common features that life principles are
settled on.
In the last eight years I coordinated over
200 salesmen and later in this chapter I will
describe the common traits that I found at
those who had success in this field.
Many of these may be familiar to all of
us, but as it has been proven, the simple
things that we tend to ignore contain those
elements that make the difference between
success and failure.
Only when our job also becomes a way of
life, our path towards success becomes a
mere consequence. There is a big difference
between a person who becomes an expert
in his activity field and a person who
dwells in mediocrity. Almost in every case,
the difference is made at a psychological
level. Only when we think, dream and act
permanently in relation to the area we
work in, we can say that our horizon opens
towards performance.
This is the reason why the concepts I will
present in this chapter are Mission, Vision,
Values, Motivation, Objectives, Philosophy
and Role Models, concepts that have
offered me an analysis pattern, based on
which I have recruited and formed my best
salesmen.
Chapter 1
THE PHILOSOPHY OF
A SALES PERSON
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

9Chapter 1
THE PHILOSOPHY OF
A SALES PERSON
We read everywhere how every company
has a certain mission based on which it
guides itself in its development. In reality,
the consumers feel that things are much
more declarative and this makes them
cancel or reject the normalcy of things that
can bring a change. A company’s mission is
reflected into reality only when it answers to
the following questions: WHY? (why do we
exist, what do we want to achieve with this
company?) and WHY US? (why would a client
choose us?). When a company identifies
itself with the answers to these questions,
then that company offers its members, first
of all, a purpose and a cause that they can
adhere to and guide them daily, not just a
job and a paycheck received at the end of
the month. This is the reason why, without
these questions, both the company and
people would lose their direction.
A mission is more than a conceptual term,
it is like a mantra that pushes us with
every step towards reaching our personal
goal. But just as for any other forgotten or
wrongly used concept, its essence tends to
fade and we stop giving it the same value
and importance.
When we speak about the personal Mission
we have to understand that this is more
than an affirmation. It is a belief that offers
us a direction and does not let us stray from
the target since it sustains itself on values
and principles that cannot be removed or
easily replaced. Because of this, when you
wish to succeed in a certain field, it is very
important to have a very clear mission that
guides you through every step of the way.
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

10Chapter 1
THE PHILOSOPHY OF
A SALES PERSON
But what does it mean having a MISSION
as a salesmen?
For me, the sales agent is the one bringing
fulfillment, satisfaction and meaning to
others through the product or service he
promotes and sells. I think that a person
who believes in what he is doing gives life
to the things that he presents, whether it is
a product or a service. I believe that this is
the mission of salesmen, to create in other
people’s minds the feeling that they have
something truly valuable and useful for them.
Reflection
Give yourself a bit of time and
think about your own Mission.
When and how was it built?
What are the principles behind
it? What will you gain when your
Mission will be complete? What
does this Mission say about
you? Are you part of a company
or a project that has a clearly
defined mission? Can you
identify with it?

11
Steve Jobs (Apple), Henry Ford (Ford Motor
Company), Elon Musk (Tesla), Larry Page
(Google), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Walt Disney
(Disney) - have changed the world from the
one we knew, to the one they had imagined.
This has brought benefits and satisfactions
to all of us.
Visionaries are those people who manage
to see past the understanding horizon and
day to day perception, to see ahead of their
time and anticipate the future, needs and
people’s wishes. Visionaries are those who
have constantly changed the world. They are
those people who had the courage to dream,
whose strength and resistance in coping
with failure, economical and social contexts,
or with the opinions of those around them,
gave them the power to turn their dreams
into reality.
This way, we have to understand that the
personal vision is directly connected with
the level of self-awareness, but also with
the capacity and resources we have. A
person with a vision also has a clear image
of his own evolution and this helps him
reach his goals. When I say “I will become a
doctor who will save many lives”, it means
that I trust that with work, perseverance
and determination I will get to learn the
information and experience necessary in
order to become that person.
Just as in the case of the Mission, most of
us do not think about the impact that our
personal Vision about life and world has in
our step by step evolution. Or, although we
do not necessarily think we would need a
Vision, we choose to get used to the fact that
things simply happen to us and we have no
power to influence our future.
CHAPTER 1
Vision
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

Vision 12
How important is Vision in sales?
Without vision, it is almost impossible to
convince the person in front of you about
the change that he can make by doing
business with you. Any person who cannot
project himself in relationship with an
action or a situation, will not feel safe to act.
This is how a salesman gains the client’s
trust in the products and services that he
promotes. Imagine that a sale is just like a
road, sometimes changing, sometimes full
of obstacles, but at the end of it, there is the
desired destination. Without knowing the
destination and the road phases from the
beginning, maybe we will never reach our
target.
What I wish to underline is the fact that the
salesman has to identify himself with the
product or service he is promoting. In other
words, this is a symbiosis born out of vision
and sustained through the mission. This will
help the person in front of us understand
that we are honest and authentic.
In a broader sense, the Vision of the
salesman must identify with the one of
the company or of the product or service
that he represents. Only this way he will
ensure efficiently the transfer of information
towards the client, without distorting or
altering the information that the sale is
based on.
Reflection
Have you ever thought what
the Vision on your professional
evolution is, or how many
persons around you have
a clear Vision about their
evolution? Do you think it is
important to guide your actions
in accordance to this principle?
How important do you think
your performance is, in relation
to vision?
CHAPTER 1

13
Personality is made out of the attitudes
that we have learned during our evolution.
Influenced by the education received and
by the social environment we grew up in,
attitudes reflect the base of the human
character, that moral forum we find our life
principles in.
People who build their lives and
relationships with the ones around them
based on healthy values are perceived as
being trustworthy, fair and honest. These
are the persons next to whom we like
spending time and with whom we wish to
be associated.
On the other hand, people with poor values
always tend to bring misery and suffering
to our lives. Usually, we associate them with
fraud and hypocrisy or with lack of owning
up to their engagements.
Why do we need sales agents with
healthy values?
In sales, just like in any other activity field,
personal values are reflected in the way
everyone is able to handle situations or in
the way they are able to put themselves in a
relation to people they interacted with.
The sales agent job is one full of challenges
and unpredictable moments, where the
human factor is present at every step of
the way. Aside from being sales agents,
we are humans and this makes us react
emotionally to refusals, offenses, lies or
lack of respect. The same thing applies to
the case of a sales agent who feels that
the affirmations or the behavior of his
interlocutor have a poor quality.
Values
CHAPTER 1
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

14
From an early age, we are influenced and
guided by the persons and the environment
we live in. Thus, the values we adopt are
not simply a couple of behaviors that help
us be better people for those around us,
but they are also internal displays that can
limit or grow our potential, from case to
case. For instance, if we would have lived
our whole life in an environment where our
resources were limited and all the people
close to us would have told us that success
is only a dream and we have no power to
change things, maybe we would have ended
up accepting this, thinking that success and
happiness are unachievable.
Healthy values are those that allow us to
evolve, that give us strength to overcome
obstacles and the difficulties that we meet.
This is why it is good to be around people
with healthy values and solid principles,
where dignity and respect are found on
both sides. This is the basis of strong
partnerships, whether we talk about a
commercial agreement or a life partnership.
Reflection
Give yourself some time and
reflect on your own Values!
Which are the first three values
that come in your mind and
define you as a person? What
kind of people you do not like
to interact with, because of the
values and attitudes they have?
If you had the power to change
something in the persons
around you, which would those
things be?
Values
CHAPTER 1

15
Motivation is the internal fuel that makes us
act daily. It is the one empowering our beliefs
and visions. It gives us strength and the
necessary power to start over when we fail or
to persevere when it is tough for us. Motivation
is unique and personal for each one of us,
because it is strongly connected to the way we
perceive the things that surround us.
When we find a motivational factor that offers
us energy, it is very important to act. Without
realising, our life is based and sustained on
the trade that happens between our actions
(motivation) and the results obtained ( the
motivational factor).
Motivation can be both exterior or interior. The
exterior one is taken from people around us,
mentors, motivational programs, seminars or
any other source that gives us strength to move
forward. This type of motivation consumes
fast and needs constant sustaining. I always
tell my agents that exterior motivation is like
a morning shower - if we skip it for a day, we
start smelling bad.
Internal motivation is profound and hard to
reach. We find it in the stories of successful
people who have managed to stare into the
unknown and not give up on their plans. Few
people possess this type of motivation, as it is
very hard to find. I cannot tell you exactly how
to find it, but I know it is that thing that does
not let you sleep at night, that makes you wake
up earlier and work more and more.
From my experience as a sales manager, I
can say that people find motivation in the
leaders who offer them inspiration. This
thing has proven me how important it is that
those around you offer you that positive
encouragement. When those around find
inspiration in our actions, it means that we
have reached excellence and that this mix
between mission, vision and values becomes a
path to follow for others as well. What can be
more inspirational than that?
Motivation
CHAPTER 1
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

16
What are the main motivational factors in sales?
In sales, motivation appears from the wish of
feeling professionally and financially free.
Although money have been and will always
be one of the motivational factors in this
field, the best sales agents I have met have
been always looking for more than just doing
their job well and this tells a lot about their
inner structure (Mission, Vision, Values).
In other situations, I have met people with
performances in sales who saw money like a
mirror reflecting their own success. In these
cases, their motivation came from the value
of the projects they were involved in and
from the high objectives they had imposed
to themselves. They were in a competition
with themselves, where excellence was their
primary motivational factor. On the other
side, I feel that excuses are the easiest refuge
that weak sales agents hide in when things
are not going as they wished at the beginning:
either the client does not understand, or
he does not have the money or the time, or
obviously, the product is not so good. The
difference appears when they manage to
realise that the final results depend 100% on
the motivation they have. This is a general
principle that can be applied in any other
field. Finally, I believe that every successful
sales agent earns his position through
personal merit. And given that the potential of
earning in sales is limitless, everyone sets his
motivation in accordance to his own interests,
especially since the idea of personal favors
does not apply in this field.
Motivation
CHAPTER 1
Reflection
How would you describe
the persons who do not
find motivation in the things
they do? Do you believe that
they can reach excellence in
the absence of that? What
motivates you when you get
out of bed in the morning? Do
you have someone offering
inspiration or do you find in
yourself that something which
guides you through every
step of the way? Give yourself
some time and reflect on these
things!

17
If Mission means direction, Vision the
map, Values the rules, Motivation the fuel,
Objectives are the coordinates that guide
us to the desired destination. Without
objectives, we would sail in void, without
being able to measure how, when and
how far is our destination.
Objectives are those milestones that will
grow exponentially our chance to reach
success. They offer us feedback, showing
us if our actions are constructive and
lead us in the right direction. Through
objectives, we adjust our direction and can
measure our evolution in time. Not few
times, objectives turn into obstacles that
have the role of testing or adjusting our
direction. They work as safety elements
sending us the message that we have
to change something, adjust or simply
give up on some habits or principles.
Objectives are the things that constantly
offer us information regarding our
personal evolution and tell us what we can
or cannot achieve.
Usually, people who set objectives tend to
be pragmatic, measured and much more
efficient. What I have noticed during the
years is that these people tend to give
higher interest to the activities they do
and this grows their attention for details.
Many times their results will surprise
you, but these are nothing else but the
consequence of a job well done.
Objectives are in a strong relationship with
discipline. When we think about objectives,
we tend to associate them with medium
or even long periods of time, but just few
of us take into consideration the fact that
Objectives
CHAPTER 1
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

18
the most important ones are those set on
the short term: daily or even hourly. What
is interesting at setting these objectives for
short periods of time is that they tend to
become habits. It is proven that achieving
goals is strongly connected to the release
of endorphins in the body, responsible
for our well being. This way, the more
often we reach our goals, the more we
become motivated to continue, and this
process turns into a healthy habit. Warren
Buffett said that having the right work
habits was the key to his success. He said,
“Imagine you would be given 10 percent
of the future earnings of one person you
know. Who would you pick? Would you
pick the most talented person you know?
The fastest runner or the smartest person
you know?” According to Buffett, “You’re
going to pick the person who has the right
habits.”
How do objectives apply in sales?
For many of the sales agents at the
beginning of their career, professional
objectives are found in strong connection
with financial targets. This is an often met
image in the collective mentality, a reason
why you would be tempted to say that
you cannot become a successful sales
agent if you do not have such aspirations.
This is the difference between amateurs
and professionals - the way they set their
objectives in time, depending on the
interior resources in order to reach their
target. Try to set objectives as bold as
possible on medium and long term, but
also many short-term deadlines, such
as a number of meetings, phone calls or
promises in a day.
Objectives
CHAPTER 1
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

19
I can tell you a story about one of my sales
agents, who was calling a client every
day at 17.00 o’clock. For a long period of
time, I was asking him “If you are not able
to move forward with this client, why do
you keep calling him?”. The client was
rejecting his phone calls, finding ways
to avoid him. And my guy told me that
no matter how long it will take, he will
convince that client. And he did it, after
5 months of calling him every day! And
this turned out to be our biggest client so
far. So, what I have learned is that if you
are determined enough to do a certain
thing, even though others might tell you
to stop, you should always follow your
intuition and be persistent and prove that
they were wrong. Such an approach needs
experience, but as with any other habit,
this is learned gradually. The force of a
successful sales agent is impregnated in
his personality, in his life experiences and
determination. Many times I have met top
sales agents without academic studies, but
with an attitude that transmitted ambition
and a huge desire to succeed. For trusting
their own skills, I confess that I admire
them quite a lot.
Reflection
When was the last time you set
some personal objectives? Have
you ever felt that they help
you evolve or on the contrary,
they put pressure on you? Do
you believe that our evolution
is about reaching certain
objectives, or do you believe
that we can evolve without
them?
Objectives
CHAPTER 1

20
I have defined in the previous subchapter
what is behind all of these concepts that
defines the profile of a successful sales
agent and the way they determine each
other. Let us recap: Mission direction,
Vision map, Values rules, Motivation fuel,
Objectives coordinates.
Since this first chapter is called “The
philosophy of a sales person”, all that is
left is to define what Philosophy means in
the context of performance in sales.
Well, Philosophy is the experience that
we get in time and which defines our
personal note, that unique fingerprint
that we leave to people around us.
We all like to meet people who have a life
philosophy. They send the message that
they have something to say, that they
see the things around them in a special
light, offering us a different perspective in
order to understand and feel the things
around us. Having a life philosophy
means having reached the depth of
things, looking at the bigger picture and
finding meanings and interpretations
where others see nothing.
Usually, these things are strongly
connected with emotional maturity and
with the sedimentation of principles
about life and people. This makes people
who reached such a depth to impose
respect and authority to those around
them and this way they will be seen as
models to follow (see the next chapter).
Philosophy
CHAPTER 1
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

21
What does it mean to have a personal
philosophy in sales?
A successful salesperson is a man of
action, and his own life philosophy
gravitates around this idea. For him,
everything is in perpetual movement,
and his ability to adapt to new situations
makes the difference between
performance and abandon. In this
connection between success and failure,
everybody’s philosophy crystallizes.
There is a principle saying that only the
people who have earned the big prize at
the lottery have the right to tell the story
behind the ticket. The same principle
applies to all the inspirational and
successful stories, including the stories of
successful sales agents.
In order to develop a philosophy, you
must have experienced the road from
failure to success. On this rocky road, with
plenty of hurdles, principles are born and
judgments are refined. This is the place
where most of the people give up, where
pressure and stress break their emotions,
pushing them towards doubt and fear.
Here is the place where many give up
believing in their dreams.
However, those who manage to remain
strong until the end will have a story
to tell and this story will become their
philosophy, that personal statement that
success is a personal duty. They earn the
right to be listened by others, they are the
ones who have something to say.
Reflection
Have you ever found inspiration
in a person’s life philosophy?
Something to guide you, to offer
you another way of making
things better? What about you,
did you manage to crystallize
your own philosophy?
Philosophy
CHAPTER 1

22
I have coordinated over 200 sales agents
and this experience has proven me one
thing - people need models to relate to. If
they lack, people feel lost, confused and
without direction.
The role of models is to show us that
things can be made differently, that we
can change, that we can find resources in
ourselves and in the people around us in
order to evolve. Models can create change,
not because they impose it, but because
their presence transmits it to people
around them. This is why a leader or a
mentor will never call himself this way; he
will be recognised and accepted by the
others as a source of inspiration. He will
convince everybody that there is potential
in each one of us if we have the right
models in our life.
This is why it is important to pay attention
to the persons we are spending time with,
because they determine who we are. They
are our mirror, they reflect the choices we
have made during the time. They can limit
our evolution or can elevate us; it is only
up to us to identify what their presence
brings in our life.
What is the impact of a mentor in your
life as a sales agent?
Personally, I believe that having a role
model that inspires and motivates you is
a necessity. His role is to be an example,
to prove that you can do more and that
satisfaction will be yours if you persevere
enough. Many times we need confirmation
or an anchor in order to remember that
we are on the right road and that giving
up is not an option.
Role models
CHAPTER 1
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

23
A true mentor is not a person who stays
with you all the time, or who pushes you
from behind permanently - this is your
duty. A mentor is a person whose success
inspires, who does not try to position
himself above you, in a dominant way,
but who builds mutual respect. A mentor
will help you in the difficult moments
when maybe you have lost direction. He
is a person who will offer you balance in
the truly important moments, having the
experience of similar situations.
In my experience, I had two role models.
From one of them, I managed to learn
the power of being a true leader. He
was always a leading force in the sales
environment, always kept the team
moving forward. I have always seen him
100% motivated and willing to motivate
others, and with his energy, he was
pushing the whole team forward. Even at
the lowest point, he was always focused
on opportunity and on the ways that we
can benefit from any bad situation that
might have occurred. With this attitude he
made us feel unbeatable. He has always
been my source of power.
My second mentor is a guy 100% different
from the first one. He always looked for
fairness, ways of improving the industry
and always told us that first we have to
get the knowledge and dedicate a lot of
our time in becoming more professional.
He made me believe that the knowledge
is the ultimate power and that the best
advantage you can have is figuring out
how can you be different from everyone else.
Role models
CHAPTER 1
Vision
Values
Motivation
Objectives
Philosophy
Role models
Chapter1

24
Internationally, I think that one of the best
salespersons at this moment is Grand
Cardone. Through his complex personality
and the knowledge that he possesses
he manages to combine constructive
aggressiveness with original sales logic.
The training systems and strategies
that he uses for promoting different
services and products validate him as an
inspirational and educational source for
those who want to excel in sales.
Reflection
Can you think about a person
who managed to inspire you
through the things he did?
What exactly from his attitude
appeals to you? Do you believe
we can evolve without a role
model?
Role models
CHAPTER 1

26
One of the projects that brought me the
biggest references about the mental
traits of a successful agent has been
implemented in my sales department
consisting of 50 agents.
For three months, I worked with a
psychological profiler in order to
understand what hides behind the way
people communicate, as my purpose was
to optimize and perfect my training and
the interaction with my team.
I knew many of them since many
years ago, but in the end, I changed
my perception about the things that
motivated or stressed them completely.
I discovered that:
• A person in an emotional state -
whether we are talking about anxiety,
rage or fear - will not make any
change in his behavior as long as you
communicate the information to him
at a rational level;
• The sales agents with good results
always put themselves in relation to
big objectives and will do everything to
achieve them;
• Personal development is essential for
every manager who wishes to motivate
his people;
• People need leaders with vision to
guide them.
Chapter 2
PSYCOLOGICAL TRAITS OF A
SUCCESSFUL SALES AGENT
Personal & professional
development
Social background
Personal boundaries
Chapter2

27
What I have learned is that for every
situation we must find the right
communication protocol and that we have
to understand what is the right frequency
to use so that our message can create real
change for people around us.
In this chapter I will share some of the
conclusions we have arrived at through
this project: what are the things we
have to care about in our personal and
professional development and also what
is the right positioning in relation to the
direction we wish to follow.
Chapter 2
PSYCOLOGICAL TRAITS OF A
SUCCESSFUL SALES AGENT

28Personal & professional
development
CHAPTER 2
When we speak about a sales agent’s
profile, we must underline qualities such
as communication, persuasion, intelligence
and last but not least, his native talent of
building and maintaining human relations.
In this project, I have noticed that the
success of a sales agent is defined by the
perseverance and determination to develop
himself personally and professionally.
When I say personal development I think
about the road to self-knowledge that
involves the refining of behavior and
the change of bad attitudes that stop us
from reaching our potential. On the other
hand, professional development means
enhancing aptitudes and competences
that help us perform, be effective and more
productive.
This mix between the right attitude and the
desire to perform is the one that will pay
out, no matter the field you activate in. In
the case of sales, maybe more than in other
fields, these two elements are vital for the
agents who aspire to achieve success.
We all know that the rate of those
abandoning sales is huge, and the reasons
are countless. I will only talk about one: the
human factor.
When we want to establish relationships,
besides the informational transfer we must
also engage in an emotional transfer that
will give birth to perceptions about people
and life itself.
development
Social background
Personal boundaries
Chapter2

29Personal & professional
development
CHAPTER 2
When these perceptions are negative, our
entire inner speech does nothing else than
reflecting the way we see things in our
behavior. This is why the motivation level
drops and, in the end, our attitude is no
longer suitable for a person who wishes to
achieve performance.
I have learned that personal and
professional development are common
traits for all those who had results. This
way, I noticed that their ability to look at
failure and to own up to their professional
role was much more developed in
comparison to those who did not value self-
knowledge that much.
Reflection
How many resources (time,
money, research) do you usually
invest in yourself? If you were
to start a personal development
plan, which would be the first
thing you would start with?
How many persons around you
are personally developed? Did
you learn anything from them?
What classes, books or movies
would you recommend to a
stranger if you would like to
help him evolve? Do you have a
list of classes, books or movies
that you want to cover in the
near future?

30Social background
CHAPTER 2
When I have started building this
psychological profile, I have only asked
myself one thing: is there a pattern that
can help me recruit the persons who have
potential in becoming performant sales
agents? Also, what are those specific traits
that, once activated, will ensure the
desired results?
I believe that in this field personality
and originality make all the difference.
Also, being authentic is mostly about
self-awareness and the freedom that
you are able to give to yourself, no matter
the circumstances.
Since these things are connected with
the personal background, we wanted
to find out what exactly from a person’s
past can make the difference. During the
time, I have known good sales agents with
an impressive background in terms of
experience and academical basis, but also
good sales agents who came from poor
environments, who grew up with hardships
and without higher studies.
The surprise was that for the last ones,
personal ambition made them overcome
their difficulties. Most of them had
experienced problems from an early age,
but this turned out to be an advantage
for them. Under such circumstances, I
saw how they had built their own defence
mechanism against refusal, aggressiveness,
or for the client’s lack of interest. More
than that, I identified in most of them a
higher level of aggressiveness, balance and
determination in their continuous wish of
taking action at every step of the way.
development
Social background
Personal boundaries
Chapter2

31Social background
CHAPTER 2
On the downside, they always believed
that what they knew is enough and that
they can do everything by themselves. This
auto-sufficiency stopped many of them
from sharpening their talents, developing
new skills and reaching a good level of
proficiency. In this case, their background
became the enemy in the path of their
development.
In opposition, sales agents who had an
emotionally clean background had to
work a lot with themselves in order to be
able to resist in this field. Unlike the first
category, the interactions with the clients
had a huge impact on them and refusal
was always taken personally. However,
eager to learn and to listen to others, many
managed to obtain amazing results, worthy
of appreciation.
Finally, I believe that everything is about
the way we see things around us. We can
be very gifted and waste our talent or
we can fight with ourselves in order to
overcome our fears. There is no recipe for
success, there are only general principles,
strongly connected to the way we choose
to cope with personal boundaries.
Reflection
Do you believe that talent
without work can bring
anyone good results? If you
knew someone talented but
stubborn, what would you
recommend him to change? If
you were to choose between
someone gifted, with good
results, who does not want to
improve and someone willing to
invest a lot of work in order to
obtain good results, who would
you choose?

32Personal boundaries
CHAPTER 2
There is a vast literature - from motivational
authors to coaches or successful persons
- about overcoming personal boundaries
that stop us from evolving. All of these end
up talking about how do we perceive things
around us. Since perception fools reality,
we end up thinking that our truth is the one
defining normalcy.
We can talk about two normalities in sales
- the one of the client and the one of the
sales agent. I challenge you to imagine
these two as separate circles, that once
overlapping, create a common ground
where a partnership can start.
When I talked with my agents about
personal boundaries, I noticed that we tend
to defend our beliefs, values and ideas
every time someone will doubt them. This
reflex of protecting them can be overcomed
by our ability to think past the horizon of
our own knowledge and by giving up on
prejudice and stereotypes that tell us what
is good and what is wrong.
When working in sales, it is essential to
have a different way of thinking, to give
up on some of our past beliefs in order to
understand the person in front of us. This
attachment to our own beliefs limits our
ability to create relationships and also our
evolution. It is worse when we believe that
we know for sure what the people in front
of us need, without even consulting them or
understanding their needs.
When we distort reality, the effect can only
be bad. Our personal identity goes in a
crisis, and the social role we play tends to
change its shape and fond.
development
Social background
Personal boundaries
Chapter2

33Personal boundaries
CHAPTER 2
Our boundaries are the ones keeping us
prisoners. There is no limit that we cannot
overpass as long as we believe that it is
possible. We must only accept that diversity
is part of life and that people think and
feel differently.
This is the only way a sales agent can be
able to connect to his partner and make
him see the product or services as a need
or a wish. This is a conclusion that needs no
further explanation.
Reflection
What do you think are the
boundaries people face when
they must take action? Are they
aware that these are holding
them back? What would you
recommend to a person who
faces such obstacles? Can they
really be overcomed? Have
you faced such obstacles in
your life? If yes, how would
you present your story to a
stranger?

34Perception of fear
CHAPTER 2
Most of the successful people have the
component of failure in their life stories as
well as anyone else. Without it, they would
have never achieved excellence. For me,
a failure is only a feedback tool, pointing
towards the things that I have to change in
my life and the things that I have to add in
order to get closer to my goals.
Personally, I have experienced failures that
seemed to have no solution. However, I
always tried to adapt and not to discourage
myself. I trusted myself and the valuable
people around me. In failure, I only see the
potential to develop, draw conclusions fast,
reevaluate and find new ways of successfully
adapting to change. Failure is one of the
hardest ways of testing our emotions and
limits. In sales, you stumble upon it very
often, in the form of the client’s refusals.
While trying to identify the profile of a
successful sales agent, I focused on the way
my agents perceived failure. I discovered
that every sales agent was influenced by his
relation to failure.
I tried to explain to these people that
there is no success without failure.
Those who understood this had a great
opening, developed positive thinking and
determination not altered by lack of
self-confidence.
In conclusion, I can say that people can
be divided into two categories: those who
give up on an idea when they experience
obstacles - most of us are like this, giving
up on our dreams because we lack the faith
in our chances - and those who perceive
obstacles as opportunities to grow, turning
negative emotion into energy.
development
Social background
Personal boundaries
Chapter2

35
CHAPTER 2
Leaders and people with vision are born
from the second category and they end up
inspiring those around them through their
actions and way of thinking.
Motivation and vision are important assets
in front of failure. Many successful people
see failure as something necessary in their
development. Have you ever heard the
expression “never give up!”? I believe that
our inner speech is strongly connected to
the way we cope with failure. Our evolution
depends on it, and the ability to reposition
ourselves when we experienced failure is a
quality many of us should have.
Reflection
What is your perspective on
failure? Can it be a trigger
in your development? What
are the main reasons why
someone quits? Have you ever
experienced a type of failure
that offered you an exceptional
experience? What is the advice
you would give to someone
facing failure?
Perception of fear

37
You can enter in sales without a specific
training. However, it is not the same when
it comes to your personality. Your own
attitude towards clients is very important
and has the power to transmit to the
person in front of you how much you
own up to your own decisions, and how
determined you are in your actions.
Unfortunately, I have seen many sales
agents showing a false attitude when
interacting with clients. Such an attitude
is disgraceful and does not help anybody
in his professional development. If our
speech is not in accordance to what we
are trying to show, we will never manage
to make the people around us believe that
we are authentic.
In other words, attitude is like a mirror
that reflects our inner structure, the basis
of the behaviors we manifest in relation to
others. In this chapter, I chose to underline
some common traits for all the successful
sales agents.
Chapter 3
NECESSARY ATTITUDES
OF A WINNER
Determination
Owning up
Action
Perseverence
Chapter3

38
CHAPTER 3
Determination
Owning up
I will start with determination: nothing
happens without it. A person who is
determined will act in a certain direction.
That person will have a high level of
motivation and involvement. A sales
agent with this attitude will always be
in contact with his clients, present and
active in relation to them. He will transmit
power and will maintain a certain rhythm
on the medium and long term. Without
determination, a sales agent will always
end up without results.
This attitude sends out the message
that those around us are authentic and
dedicated in what they do. Once you
own up to a position, you make others
perceive you as a determined person, with
a mature and responsible way of thinking.
Such a sales agent sends out the message
that he is a true professional through the
attention he gives to his clients. There are
sales agents who fail to understand what
they promote, and as a result, they will
never be able to build a strong relation
with their clients, as these will perceive
them as dishonest and will think that
they are doing their job automatically. A
professional sales agent has to identify
himself with the product or service that he
is promoting.
Determination
Owning up
Action
Perseverence
Chapter3

39
CHAPTER 3
Action
Perseverance
Many of us find motivation, but we forget
something very important: to act! Action
is not something that should be done only
once, and then draw conclusions. Taking
action is a constant process that you must
own and improve daily.
Action is about the big things, but also
about the small ones that we usually do
not pay much attention to, but in the end,
they do make the difference. Michael
Phelps explains success in just one phrase:
”I worked harder than others.” He trained
daily for four years at a higher level than
his opponents. Many sports analysts said
that the human body cannot sustain on
the long term such a training programme,
but he kept on going and we all know
the results.
Without action, everything becomes
irrelevant: we can spend an eternity
dreaming, talking and hoping, but without
taking action, we will never see any results.
This quality makes the difference between
a successful sales agent and an average
one. Perseverance is about inner strength
and resources activated for reaching one’s
goals. A perseverant agent never gives
up at the first “no”. He manages to stay
involved, without falling into negative
thoughts. Perseverance brings you closer
to success. It is nothing else but a line of
constant actions, turned towards a precise
goal, by keeping the rhythm or
the intensity and sustaining it when
obstacles appear.
Determination
Owning up
Action
Perseverence
Chapter3
Reflection
What attitudes define you in
your job? Do you think that
someone can perform without
the right attitudes? How would
you describe the people with
the right attitude? Who are the
first three people from your
circle of friends whose attitudes
drove them to success?
Describe these attitudes and
three others that you find
essential for evolving.

41
Human behavior is the representation
of personality and temper through
actions. We generally talk about positive
or negative behaviors in relation to the
way they manifest. Having an appropriate
behavior means adapting to the context
that you find yourself in.
In sales, behavior is very important and
reflects the level of preparation and
expertise of a person. The attention to
details, the protocol elements and the
conduit are only some of the habits
that become the second nature of an
experienced sales agent.
In this chapter, I will emphasize the way
an agent looks, speaks and behaves.
These three categories are essential
for the human interaction in all social
environments, whether we talk about the
personal or professional environment.
Chapter 4
THE PROPER BEHAVIOURS
Way of looking
Way of speaking
Way of acting
Chapter4

42
CHAPTER 4
Way of looking
When we refer to a sales agent’s etiquette,
you must know that it represents his
mirror. We place people in certain
categories since the first time we see
them. It is important to realise what is the
impact that the way we look has on our
professional lives.
The dress code is important for anyone
working in sales. This and a natural
behavior will speak for the sales agent no
matter the situation. A good sales agent is
always aware of the importance of a good
impression. With an impeccable image, he
will know how to catch the attention. Thus,
he will be appreciated by his clients. They
are often more compelled to buy from
someone who makes a good impression.
Shortly, as a sales agent, you cannot
promote a product or a service without
presenting yourself properly. Every
situation is different, but people always
tend to associate themselves with others
similar to them.
Way of looking
Way of speaking
Way of acting
Chapter4

43
CHAPTER 4
Way of speaking
In a conversation, you must know how
to explain your ideas clearly. Use the
arguments about the quality of the
product or service carefully. Also, you
must pay attention to the traps your client
might set, and for this, you must use your
logic and analytical thinking. This is why it
is important to control your attitude, tone
of voice and used vocabulary, in order to
not distort the other person’s perception
about you.
Since the verbal and nonverbal language
sends around 70% of the information,
the rest is done by our tone, rhythm
and speed of speaking. The degree
of involvement makes the difference
between a good and a bad sales agent.
The first one will focus on delivering
the same message through verbal and
nonverbal language.
Although we like to think that we make
decisions rationally, the truth is that
most of the time they are based on our
emotions. We like to think that rationality
dictates our direction, but in many cases,
the subconscious has the final word.
Consequently, a good sales agent is
aware that emotions can get you closer to
performance. If he wants to transmit trust,
he must be the first to have faith in the
product or service that he promotes. If he
wants to send out the idea of opportunity
or potential, he must openly show his
enthusiasm every time a conversation
takes place. Shortly, trust and energy must
come from inside, and this will be shown
in every aspect of communication.
Way of looking
Way of speaking
Way of acting
Chapter4

44
CHAPTER 4
Way of acting
In my career I have met sales agents who
considered that wearing a mask was enough
to get into the role. This wrong attitude sends
the message of sufficiency and shallowness.
Being a good sales agent is not only about
convincing a client to buy something, but also
about the coherence in what you say and do.
Our behavior always reflects our training and
the connection with the product or service.
The final goal is that our attitude will reflect
our knowledge through the confidence and
trust we show.
In my opinion, a good sales agent does not
need a mask, he only needs proper behavior,
emotion and originality. This is why we
cannot be good sales agents if we constantly
control ourselves - words, gestures, tone.
Things must come out naturally, our behavior
must show confidence, trust and a real desire
to do our job.
Personally, I believe in the “act as if” principle.
We often label ourselves and then we want to
convince others that this is who we are. It is
hard to convince someone you are successful
if you do not really feel that way about yourself.
When a sales agent shows agitation,
discomfort or mistrust in himself, the client
will perceive him just like that. You must
show confidence in every situation. Act
and think accordingly to what you wish to
become!
In other words, it is very important to
understand that the way we look, our tone,
our body language and the logic of our
speech must be in harmony in order for
us to get where we want. Every component
works as a puzzle piece - if one misses, the
whole process will stop.
Way of looking
Way of speaking
Way of acting
Chapter4
Reflection
Which one of these three
categories do you think is your
strongest right now, and which
is the one you need to improve?
Do you think that everybody
can develop these habits?

46
I have always believed that the relation
between a sales agent and a client must
be unique, in accordance to the necessities
and needs of everybody. No matter the
product or service that brings them to the
table for a week, a month, a year or even
more, communication is the common
ground.
A fundamental principle of communication
is that it is not the same with speaking.
Communicating means being careful
with the way you deliver the message,
its content in relation to the context, the
partner’s position and his needs.
In this chapter I will present some of the
techniques and ways of communication
that can help you in your relationship with
clients, to give you control and also make
you realise the way your message reaches
the source.
Chapter 5
SKILLS AND APTITUDES
Active listeting
Positive language
Assertiveness
Feedback
Chapter5

47
CHAPTER 5
Active listening
As a sales agent, you have to know that in
order for you to understand the client’s
needs, the best thing you can do is
listening to him. The message he delivers
to you is exactly the base you build a
successful sale on. This is a rule
to remember!
Listening is more important than speaking,
this being the most valuable component of
communication. When we listen actively it
means that we listen carefully and that we
are interested in what the other has to say.
Paying attention means being connected
authentically with the one in front of you.
People who listen actively have a great
quality - they do not structure answers or
arguments in their head. For these types
of people, the focus falls on others, they
understand other people’s needs. People
who apply this principle are interested
to find out what is behind words and
gestures, to understand client’s needs.
This is why applying this technique in
sales becomes fundamental in creating
a connection with the clients. Otherwise,
we risk becoming just speakers who make
background noise.
Active listening
Positive language
Assertiveness
Feedback
Chapter5

48
CHAPTER 5
Positive language
Through their language, people are
assessed daily. Learning to choose the
right words and combining them can be a
true art, and practicing positive language
can bring a good change in everybody’s life.
There is a strong connection between our
inner speech and success in life. The way
we represent verbally our vision about
ourselves, about people and life becomes
the reality we live in. No matter if we
put ourselves in relation to personal or
professional experiences, with failure or
success, they are all connected to using
our own language.
This is why positive language in
communication is nothing else but a lever
that can help us boost and strengthen our
qualities. When we use negations, when
we end up criticising and blaming, we only
push ourselves towards failure.
Personal language is nothing but a
representation of our inner life. A
professional sales agent knows that
success is about his own mindset, self-
trust and way of seeing things. He will
understand that negative language will
never be compatible with reaching his goals.
Active listening
Positive language
Assertiveness
Feedback
Chapter5

49
CHAPTER 5
Assertiveness
Misunderstandings that come from
communication can have consequences.
Many times these can generate powerful
conflicts that in the lack of a consensus
can break relationships.
The causes of conflicts are varied, but they
all have strong emotions of rage, fear or
discontent as a base. When they cannot
be controlled, impulsivity and verbal
aggressiveness take over, and the effects
are bad for everybody.
Assertiveness’ principle states that I am
ok, you are ok, and my rights are being
respected without the intent of creating
a discomfort for others. Being assertive
means to be aware of your emotions, to
place yourself in the same position with
the one next to you.
Being assertive in sales is a quality. It
will help you build and maintain social
relationships in a healthy way on the long
term, avoiding the discomfort of conflicts.
Active listening
Positive language
Assertiveness
Feedback
Chapter5

50
CHAPTER 5
Feedback
Feedback is the main tool for controlling
emotions and perceptions in human
relationships. When we communicate
a message we focus on the way we see
things, and we are sure that the one
listening to us approves. However, we
often find situations that we thought will
go into a certain direction, but they turn
out into a different way.
Other situations that create
misunderstandings are the ones when
the perception we have about ourselves
is different from the one that other
people have - underestimating and
overestimating. We cannot evaluate our
behavior and personality in an objective
manner, without being aware of the
disadvantages that this can create.
People who constantly ask for feedback
are open to opposite ideas, although
perceptions can be wrong. Asking
for feedback means to be willing to
understand what you transmit in order to
shape your attitude and behavior.
The problem appears when the people
who offer feedback do not know its base
principle and thus only criticise instead of
doing it in a constructive way.
The idea is simple: feedback can become
a life principle. For me, as a sales agent,
feedback is an essential part of my
personal development and it helps me
maintain a good relationship with the clients.
Active listening
Positive language
Assertiveness
Feedback
Chapter5
Reflection
Which one of the four
instruments of communication
presented above is the one you
use more often? Which one of
these would you like to develop
at a higher level? What benefits
would owning and applying
them bring you in your daily life?

52
When it comes to human nature, there is no
perfection and we will not find two identical
persons. We can talk about progress,
development and performance, only when
talking about success and failure.
I believe that our personal and professional
evolution has some simple principles that
we tend to evaluate swiftly. We look for
complicated solutions and the clear answers
that we get seem insufficient and we dismiss
them easily. We do not listen enough to what
others have to say, and we put too much
value on our perceptions. We tend to be
slaves of self-sufficiency, without realising
how much it limits our development and
informational horizon.
All throughout this e-book, I have been
talking about simple things that I have
learned from others, that I have studied
and implemented, and that always brought
me results. There are things I believe in,
habits that I fight maintaining or skills that I
rehearse daily in order not to forget them.
It is not an easy path, but I believe that
personal discipline is a necessary condition
if we want to have success or if we wish to
control our professional and personal life.
I believe that things must be taken step by
step, only this way we can find gratitude for
every moment that fulfills us or every success
that we achieve.
We live in a society where things are
changing fast, and the uncertainty of
tomorrow is more and more accentuated.
However, even though we have the
technology to be permanently connected to
each other and the access to information is
only one click away, we tend to be more and
Chapter 6
CONCLUSIONS
Chapter6

53
more distant and more and more superficial.
Even though it is healthy to live outside the
small things that get our attention such as
televisions and social networks that keep us
captive, we tend to become more and more
addicted to them.
Let us spend more and more time with
ourselves in front of the mirror, to know
ourselves and to asses what truly matters.
Let us search for projects that motivate us,
that have a vision that can inspire us daily.
Let us associate ourselves with strong people
who can help us evolve, who can share new
values and ideas with us.
Competition is tough and does not care
about borders. Many of us have equal
chances, opportunities and the possibility to
choose the place where we want to be. The
battle for resources is fierce, and this is why
without defined objectives we risk to remain
stuck or lose the train towards performance.
History proved that us, people, always
looked for evolution and progress, whether
we talk about technology, spirituality,
psychology or others. Evolution is part of
our DNA, and this pushes us to use the time
and resources that we have in order to bring
value to the world we live in. It is our duty to
do this.
We are our only limitation, but also our
only solution. I invite you to own up to your
success and failures, to always look ahead
and also make every day of your life an
experience that deserves to be lived and told
to those around you. Let us make our life a
permanent inspiration!
Respectfully,
Adrian Mazilu
Chapter6

Adrian Mazilu
trade.Berry Founding member
www.adrianmazilu.com
contact@adrianmazilu.com
Contact
MARKETING TEAM
www.sales-am.com
Renata Cheptene
PR & Marketing
marketing@sales-am.com

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