If you believe that you will never have anything to do with Sales, you are making one of the biggest mistakes of your life! In today’s world, we’re constantly selling ourselves in some form or another. For instance, when you’re on a date strategically wooing a potential mate, or when you’re negotiating a salary increase with your boss, you’re tactically demonstrating how you’re better than the competition, i.e. selling yourself. I would go as far as proclaiming that even recommending a restaurant to visit for a family dinner would involve thinking of a strategy to sell your recommendation.

In The Sell, Fredrik Eklund, the #1 real-estate broker in New York City for the third year in a row, divulges the tricks of the trade that he has successfully employed to stay at the top in arguably one of the most competitive real-estate markets in the world! The audience for the aforementioned book is vast, as everyone can learn the techniques to project their best image when it comes to their career, life & overall ambitions. Whilst reading the book, a multitude of ideas resonated with me and since keeping them to myself would serve as a selfish act, I’ve highlighted a few insights and explained how we all can benefit from them.

1) Dress to Impress

If you’ve ever had a job in Sales, you’ve most likely figured out that the highest earners are always the ones that rapidly grab their target buyers’ attention. An important contributor to grabbing attention is being dressed to impress, because people like being in business with someone confident that looks the part. I truly believe in Frederick’s idea that 5% – 10% of your paycheck early on in your career should be spent on your wardrobe and personal presentation, as that can do you wonders in terms of getting noticed. Always being well groomed & put together gives you a certain confidence, which is quintessential to being a good salesperson in most aspects of your life. Contrary to that, being ill dressed portrays a lack of self-respect & self-esteem; would a projection of that really serve to help you win that sale? Being bold in your dressing style & having a personal trademark that people always look for in you can work to your advantage. Take Christian Loubatin’s red sole or Nike’s swoosh for instance, two trademarks that can be recognized from a distance. What we as ambitious individuals can take away from this example is to have a personal trademark & confidently utilize that to stand out from a crowd of people wearing the same boring professional costume. It can be anything from a colorful scarf to a pair of wacky socks, or even wooden accessories. Evaluate what presents you in the best light & employ these touches to get noticed. Moreover, staying up to date with technology and contemporary clothing screams that you’re relevant & in-tune with modern ways of living. While I wouldn’t recommend going to your favorite store & emptying your wallet on the latest trends every season, it’s important to build an interchangeable wardrobe that serves many functions but gives off the vibe that you take personal presentation seriously. What you can do is allocate a budget every month/six months dedicated to investing in yourself. Those outfits will make you feel confident & that attitude will show in your work, proving to be a great Return on Investment.

2) Sleep/Morning Routine + Food Intake

Most people get less than 5 – 6 hours of sleep a night under the same horrendous excuse that life is too busy or that they’ve got too many commitments. I do understand that at some periods in life it’s hard when you’re simultaneously working & studying with a family; it can be challenging to adhere to a consistent sleep cycle. However, looking fresh & enthusiastic in all your interactions makes you a better salesperson in all aspects of life.

Along with working on attaining a good night’s sleep every night, having a good morning routine to complement your sleep is of the utmost importance. While claiming that the first 15 minutes of your day determines the next 15 hours of it may be a stretch, there is conclusive evidence that suggests that the highest achievers in almost every profession have tailored their mornings to set themselves up for success during the day. This doesn’t have to be same for all, but having a routine that forces you to get out of bed will help you be the best version of yourself throughout the day. For some it could be an intense workout, and for others it might be practicing gratitude.

Larry Winget appropriately wrote:

“Nobody ever wrote down a plan to be broke, fat, lazy or stupid. Those things are what happen when you don’t have a plan”.

This manifests itself in your daily planning. In addition to enjoying your beauty sleep & having a good morning routine, it’s very important to watch your food intake during the day. Eating sugary processed items can take a toll on your presentation & overall demeanor. Planning your week’s food ahead of time can help curb cravings & poor last-minute food choices, putting you in a formidable position when compared to a sloppy eater.

3) Work Life Imbalance

Achieving your audacious goals with the expectation of working a consistent 9-5 40 hour work week is like hoping your dreams come into fruition while sitting on you’re couch watching TV. I do acknowledge that a lot of successful people define themselves by their extra curricular activities & impact on society, limiting the amount of time they could spend at their full-time job. However, I believe that at some point you have to go the extra mile to even have the chance of reaching the top of your field. Think about it this way, how could you rise to the top if you aren’t committed to outworking & outlasting your peers? When I mention at some point, I really mean the earlier you start, the less sacrifices you will have to make going forward. Honestly it’s great to leave work at 5:01 pm & begin pursuing your hobbies, but do you think that will propel you to the top? What Frederick really emphasizes on throughout his book is the art of outworking your competition while still enjoying your life to the fullest. In short it’s called the ‘Work Hard Play Hard’ philosophy, which is pretty common in most of today’s successful young guns. While having a well orchestrated career plan is important, having a well planned vacation on the books & something to look forward to at all times is extremely beneficial. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a weeklong trip to the South of France, having something to look forward to will always motivate you to go the extra mile without experiencing burnout, and promise rejuvenation through your journey to the top.

In this article I’ve highlighted three major takeaways that influenced me the most. There are various other topics such as importance of Social Media presence, tips on wealth accumulation, etc. that would greatly benefit everyone & I encourage you to read the book if that fuels your fire to stand out. I’ll end with the famous words of Mark Cuban “Sales cures all”; if you wish to tap into that phenomenon, why not commence by positioning yourself in a marketable way?

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Writer: Umang Bengali

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