Back in the day (the eighties) when the word “inside sales” didn’t exist, there were true “telemarketing” rooms. And in these rooms, there was a ton of structure, scripts, recording and training. These rooms were mightily successful and helped build giant companies that are around today.

A few months ago I was in Las Vegas training at a very large company’s sales summit. I love these events because I not only get to train wonderful groups of sales professionals, but because I always learn so much myself.

Below is an example of five things I learned from one of the regional sales managers during one of his sessions to the group. They are in no particular order, but you’ll see there is a ton of tried and true wisdom and experience in each one.

#1: “Prospecting is a lot like panning for gold – you’re going to find a lot more dirt than gold.”

I loved this the moment I heard it. And how true it is! Just think of the old gold prospectors who toiled in the hills and caves and rivers panning for gold.

They went through a lot more dirt than they did gold, didn’t they? And isn’t it interesting that the term for cold calling is now called prospecting….

Bottom line is that you still need to do a lot of work and make a lot of calls before you find your gold – a qualified client who buys.

#2: “Most sales reps who call prospects and have ‘commission breath.”

Another gem! I’m sure you know just what that means. The secret to becoming a better sales person is to concentrate on listening to your prospects rather than pitching and begging a deal.

Your goal should be to uncover buyers, not force unqualified leads into your pipeline so you can hound them and chase them with “commission breath.”

#3: “Don’t let the exceptions dictate the rule.”

I can’t tell you the number of times bad sales reps encounter one situation once and then base their whole approach on either avoiding or preparing for that situation again.

And when they do, they throw away all the best practices and proven methods that work in the 90% of other situations. In other words, they let the one exception (“Well, back in ’83 someone said…”) and that hurts them their entire career.

What Top Sales Reps do is follow the fundamentals and practice perfection on each call. Whatever you do, don’t ‘let the exception dictate the rule.’

#4: “Use Bingo to make calling fun!”

For all of you sales managers who missed my article on how to use the game of Bingo to make calling fun and rewarding, read  How to Boost Sales Using Bingo

#5: “Telemarketing training doesn’t exist anymore.”

Another brilliant and right on comment. Back in the day (the eighties) when the word “inside sales” didn’t exist, there were true “telemarketing” rooms.

And in these rooms, there was a ton of structure, scripts, recording and training. These rooms were mightily successful and helped build giant companies that are around today.

But along the way something happened. Telemarketing became a bad word, and as it was tossed out, so was all the great structured training and skill sets. This regional manager was right: ‘Telemarketing training doesn’t exist anymore,’ – but I’ll add – for the most part.

There are still a few masters around who know how to build multi-million dollar inside sales teams, and luckily, you’re reading one right now.