often wonder what the secret to success is. Especially when it comes to business. Because, at the end of the day, we're all in this struggle. A rat race, if you will. Constantly fighting an uphill battle. Often, we feel frustrated. Sometimes, defeated. But, what if I told you that the secrets to success in business aren't as complicated as many make them out to be?
Okay, coming from me, those words might not have the same impact. But, what if I told you that this information comes directly from two of the best salespeople on the planet? As a student of self-improvement, I've followed many of the world's most sought-after purveyors of success. Anthony Robbins, for one. He's definitely my hero. But, so is Zig Ziglar.
If the name Zig Ziglar doesn't ring a bell, then you might have been hiding under a rock for the past few decades. He's touched the lives of over 250 million people around the planet. Sold millions of books. And most certainly created thousands of millionaires. Now, while Ziglar might no longer be among the living, his words most certainly live on.
Ziglar coined iconic quotes that are often referenced today in business. Things like, "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude." Along with, "What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." And, "You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win." Plus so much more.
These are age-old adages. Sure to last generations upon generations to come. But, I wasn't just interested in his words. I was also keenly interested in his students. In fact, one in particular. Kevin Harrington, which many know from Shark Tank fame, is by far one of Ziglar's most successful students. While Ziglar mentored many, Harrington has taken that knowledge and created a proverbial empire with it.
So if there was one person in particular to ask about the secrets to success in business, a person who I could speak to today, it was Harrington. Over the past 30 years, he's helped launch over 500 products. Those products have generated well north of $5 billion in sales. As one of the original sharks on the Shark Tank, he's also the father of the infomercial.
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How to Sell Anything to Anyone
There are so many facets to sales. I talk about sales because it's the foundation for success. To succeed, you have to know how to sell. Hands down, it's the most important skill you can have. Everything revolves around sales. If you're no good at sales, you'll have a hard time succeeding in business.
Sales is about influence. There are methods of persuasion that work very well in business. But, there are also several fundamentals that need to be in place if you want to succeed. If those fundamentals aren't in place, you can pretty much kiss your chances for success goodbye.
So let's just call them secrets. Sure, they're fundamental. But, they're also categorically secret. Not in the terms of nobody knowing or understanding them. More so, people simply overlook them. And I knew, that if anyone had those proverbial secrets to success, it was Harrington.
Not convinced that sales is the basis for success? Just imagine for a moment what you're selling at any given moment. No, I'm not talking about products or services or information. I'm talking about selling yourself. You need to sell yourself at just about any point if you want to succeed:
You need to sell a good college on why you would be a great fit
You need to sell your skills to a potential employer to get a good job
You need to sell a potential spouse or date on why they should be with you
You need to sell your parents on why they should give you an allowance
You need to sell your bank on why they should give you a mortgage
You need to sell a landlord on why you would be a good tenant
Selling is everything. Everything. Hands down. Now, selling without holding steadfast to a variety of so-called secrets doesn't guarantee your long-term success. Sure, you'll make some short-term progress. But, not strides. There won't be exponential growth.
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Secrets to Success in Business
If sales is the basis to success in business, what are the secrets to succeeding at sales? At the foundation of any business, there are quite literally five fundamental keys that you need to have in place. This is not just about building an irresistible offer. Yes, you need that. But, you need so much more in place before that's even concocted or created.
While there are likely dozens, if not hundreds, of secrets to success, these five are crucial. Harrington says that if you follow these, you can navigate your way to success in the long term. Not in the short term. Remember, this is about consistency in your approach. It's not about faltering or giving up or making excuses. It's about staying on the straight and narrow.