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1. Get clear on your “why.”

All great salespeople know why they sell every single day. They don't just run through the motions. They're intentional about why it matters. So, why do you sell? The answer to this question will become the foundation of your sales strategy. Really dig deep here. Don’t say, “I sell because I want to be successful.” If that’s your answer, then I can tell you right now that you’re only destined to be a “good” salesperson at best, no matter how great your think your sales strategy is. Great salespeople are driven by powerful personal factors such as family, kids, fear of being poor again—whatever it is, get incredibly clear on why you’re going to pick up that phone tomorrow, why you’re going to hop on that plane to meet prospects next week, and why you’re going to ask for that next introduction.

2. Say “no” often.

Good salespeople love to say “yes.” Great salespeople say “no”constantly—and it’s not because they're mean. It’s because they understand the value of their time. Time management is one of the most crucial elements of any strong sales strategy. That’s why top salespeople think more like high-powered attorneys billing at $1,000 an hour. Now, would that $1,000-per-hour attorney say “yes” to just anyone? No way. They jealously guard their time, and they say no to distractions constantly. “No” is a critical part of their strategy, just like it should be a critical part of your sales strategy. Get vigilant about your time and start saying “no” to people who want to pull you away from selling.

3. Disqualify prospects.

Not all prospects are alike, and just because someone has a pulse and can buy from you, doesn't mean that you should spend time trying to sell to that prospect. In fact, at least 50% of your prospects are not a good fit. The best salespeople disqualify that 50% right away as part of their sales strategy, so that they don't waste any more time. In other words, good salespeople will sell to anyone, but great salespeople only spend their time with well-qualified prospects. Make disqualification a central part of your new sales strategy.

4. Big over frequent.

People always want tips for closing more sales, and I've always said that this is just the wrong question to ask. Why? Because closing more sales isn’t nearly as important as closing bigger sales. Good salespeople usually sell about as frequently as great salespeople. The difference between the two is the size of the sale. Focusing on big sales should become the lynchpin of your sales strategy. Yes, it’s hard work to sell more, but the difference between closing small sales and big sales has very little to do with effort. In fact, both require about the same amount of effort. The difference is guts. It's about having the confidence to sell high-level buyers at bigger companies. It's about being willing to be more expensive than your competitors in the eyes of your prospects, but also about offering more value. So start going after those bigger opportunities to make bigger sales.

5. Stop looking for friends.

Just last year I had a prospect actually ask me to leave his office. Now, I could tell that this CEO was bullshitting me, and I actually told him so, and he didn't like that I challenged him. He was a weak leader and he couldn't take the truth. He kicked me out of his office, so I left, and after that experience, I could not wait to call my wife right afterwards to tell her the story, and we laughed our asses off. That night, I slept like a baby. I wasn't sad. I wasn't upset. In fact, I did my job, and followed my sales strategy, which was to challenge my prospect to understand what the real issue was, and he couldn't handle that. He got mad, and he kicked me out of his office, and I didn't care. Good salespeople want to be everyone's friend. They want to be the friend of every prospect. But great salespeople challenge their prospects, and they don't care to make friends in that sales process. Be willing to piss people off, and you will close bigger deals more frequently. Making friends shouldn’t be part of your sales strategy.

So, there you have it. Now you know the five steps to become a great salesperson by making a few changes to your sales strategy. I want to hear from you. Which of these ideas did you find most useful? Be sure to share below, in the comment section, to get involved in the conversation.