If you’re not familiar with Sandler Training, it was developed in 1967 by David Sandler and is a unique and revolutionary approach to sales. It focuses on asking questions, talking less, educating more, and knowing when to walk away. I’ve been a student of Sandler for over 4 years.

Each Spring, over a thousand sales professionals from various industries, gather for 2 days in Orlando, FL to network, collaborate and participate in breakthrough sessions led by top Sandler trainers. This was my 3rd Summit, and I’m amazed each year at how much I learn in so little time.

My Top 10 Takeaways

#1 Success is linked to happiness, achievement, legacy, and significance. 

• In order to be successful, you must be clear on goals, commit to a plan, be consistent in your actions, and don’t give sanction to unsolicited feedback.

#2 Goals are about committing to behaviors.

• Success is made up of the daily grind aka the little things. Commit to small changes and set short term goals to reach larger ones

• Write down daily goals (top 3-5 things you want to accomplish each day) first thing each morning before you do anything else. 

• Build goals, track them frequently, and then fine-tune along the way.
  

#3 It all starts with your attitude. 

• It’s easier to coach skill instead of will. 

• Have a deserving mindset. Instead of saying “I have to do this” say “I get to do this”.
  

#4 Great leaders adjust to their audiences, are mindful in their message, and are deliberate in their behavior.

#5 If your prospect doesn’t have any pain, there is no sale. 

• Connect with empathy and seek to understand what is going on in their world. 

• If there is no pain, move on! Stop having a “fluffy sales pipeline”.
  

#6 Use the 70/30 rule. 

• Your prospect should be talking 70% of the time and you are only talking 30%.

#7 What your prospects see, hear, and experience determines how they feel.

• It takes 5 positive interactions to make up for 1 negative.

#8 No matter how long you’ve been in sales, always pre-call plan before a set appointment. 

• Think about what questions might they ask, what could derail the conversation, and what is the minimally acceptable outcome.

#9 You should always be focused on account management and client retention.

• Your clients are your competitor’s prospects.

• There are 4 types of relationships: vendor (lowest trust), solutions provider, partner, and advocate (highest trust). Where do you fall?
  

#10 You have to believe in what you are selling!

• It is unethical to sell someone something they don’t need, but it’s also unethical NOT to sell someone something they DO need. 

• When salespeople don’t believe in their product or service, they stop prospecting, don’t close, are doing unpaid consulting, and negotiate on price instead of selling on value.
  
  

Interested in learning more about Sandler Training?

I’d love to share more about my experience and would be happy to connect you with a Trainer!