What makes someone successful? Why are they the best? If you look at some of the most successful people in the world, there’s one common belief they all share: They believe in continuous learning and ongoing development. Bill Gates. Warren Buffett. Oprah Winfrey. These are just a few examples of the many prosperous people who are committed to lifelong learning and education. But for most people, your professional day is measured by how much you get done, not by how much you’ve learned. Focusing on getting things done so you can check it off your to-do list without truly thinking about the outcomes and understanding the value of your activities is a sure-fire way to remain the same and never grow. This is why the best of the best continue learning. They don’t just take a ‘get it done’ mentality, they focus on understanding the how and why of things. They focus on learning what’s working and what’s not working and then adapt their approach based on these findings. They are constantly seeking new information and new perspectives to make them better at what they do.

This week, I attended IMPACT Live 2018, which was an exclusive, 2-day experience designed to bring marketing and sales leaders together to learn and make valuable connections. To give you a little more background, the theme of the two days revolved around redefining inbound marketing. In the opening session, Marcus Sheridan, shared an honest look into where we were, where we are, and where we need to go to make inbound an even more essential part of doing business. He also shared a powerful perspective and three compelling beliefs that all inbound professionals should consider and share as the new era of Inbound emerges: Inbound is a MINDSET, a PHILOSOPHY, and a CULTURE. We must share three main beliefs: Trust is the most important currency in business. There is power in community. There is always room for growth.

What does it take to create and present a winning digital solution? What can you do to gain a competitive advantage over the “other guys”?

Why pipeline management? Whether you think you are going to reach your goals or miss your goals, how do you know? Can you identify the path that will, or won’t, lead you to success? To do build and maintain the right pipeline, we have to change. Change the way we prospect, the amount of time we prospect, the way we qualify, present, negotiate and close. One thing is for sure, your sales come from your pipeline. And your current pipeline represents the way you sell. To make your pipeline look better, you will have to change something: your sales tactics, strategies and/or sales habits. Your pipeline will guide you to know how much and how often you need to change.

How do you stay motivated when you just don’t feel like selling? What can you do to maintain your sales momentum? Who do you look to for inspiration? DMTraining talks to a lot of salespeople, and a common theme we are asked about is motivation. Many sales reps believe motivation is something that just sort of happens. But motivation is something you do, or don’t do, for yourself. It’s the daily sales habits, routines and mental processes that you set for yourself that will truly get you going and keep you going. Don’t get me wrong, this is no easy task. But given there are so many factors out of your control throughout the sales process, why not take control of your attitude and your ability to motivate yourself? To help you get a jump start, we’ve put together this list of 47 motivational quotes to remind you that even when you’re dealing with a difficult prospect, lost sales, or poor market conditions, you can still prevail and succeed!

An alter ego can be viewed as “a second self or different version of oneself” according to Merriam-Webster. In sales, many reps unconsciously craft a sales persona or “alter ego” around familiar tendencies instead of learning how to reinvent themselves to think differently about each new sales opportunity. This results in bad sales habits and misconceptions about the reality of your sales cycle and pipeline. I’ve spent a lot of time asking salespeople why they do what they do. Most sales professionals know what they should be doing and can justify how they spend their time and why they make the choices they do. This is a skill that is extremely valuable in a seller of your product or service, but ironically, it can also have a negative effect if it becomes a habit outside of the sales arena. Take a step back by asking yourself: Am I making exceptions to my own sales rules?