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Are You Being Sales Distinctive?

Sales Distinction! This is going to be quick and easy.

If you truly want to make more money in your sales career, if you really desire to close more sales and grow to be the sales leader you have always wanted to be, then you must become sales distinctive!

Before we begin you will need a swinging watch because I am going to hypnotize you! You remember a watch, don’t you? It’s what you used to find out what time it was before you got a cell phone. And some watches were on chains. Okay? Ready? Have your swinging watch? Good . . . Let’s begin. Close your eyes. Imagine a peaceful place that you have always wanted to belong . . . feel that deep sleep coming on . . . DEEP sleep. Good.

“What is your #1 Distinctive Sales Technique?”

“I give out Starbucks Gift Cards. I give out Starbucks Gift Cards. I give out Starbucks Gift Cards!”

Wow. I’m impressed. Giving out Starbucks Gift Cards? That is the most distinctive sales tip I have ever come across! Okay, I just snapped my fingers.
It’s time to WAKE UP.

You are not dreaming . . . this is . . . R-E-A-L-I-T-Y. And the reality is this: if you are using the proverbial Starbucks Gift Card it is time to start understanding SALES DISTINCTIONS. And by reading this article I guarantee that you will make adjustments to your follow up procedures and you will close more sales!

Sales Distinctions are a very important part to becoming “Sales Attractive” in your sales and marketing plan. Your personal and professional distinctions are something that you can control, accomplish, and maintain with ease. Why? Because most salespeople are not distinctive—all they do is follow one another. Or they’re afraid to venture out to untested waters.

It’s not just okay to be distinctive—it’s necessary! And that’s where the adventure begins! Being distinctive is an attraction skill that each salesperson should place high significance on. Give your prospects and clients reasons to want to work with you—so start by being DISTINCTIVE!


The dictionary defines DISTINCTIONS this way:

  • Being different from others
  • The act of distinguishing
  • The condition or fact of being dissimilar or distinct
  • A distinguishing factor, attribute, or characteristic
  • Excellence as of performance, character, or reputation: a diplomat of distinction
  • A special feature or quality conferring superiority
  • Recognition of achievement or superiority

If you dig deeper in your sales processes you will see that most of your skills are non-distinctive, skills that every salesperson has! Take a look at your sales processes: is what you do REALLY distinctive? Does it set you apart from the sales pack? Could your clients and prospects tell something specific about you? Or do your clients and prospects think of you as “just another salesperson” (yawn)? And what do you know about your clients and prospects? Do you know anything more than their contact information—and what you would like to sell them? Do you know what their occupation is? Their favorite sports team? Or their favorite activity with their family? Have you asked The Top Secret Question?

Example: Mailing Holiday Cards to your clients—is that really DISTINCTIVE? Come on . . . really imagine your way through this—you CAN do better! You have to think of something different to stand out from the red, green, white—and sometimes blue, gold, or silver—envelopes that show up in their mailboxes in December. It could be something as simple as a different-colored envelope, or, better yet, a hand-delivered package with their favorite holiday munchie, holiday ribbon that they can use for their packages, or a small holiday decoration in a favorite theme?

(SPECIAL NOTE: My coaching clients never send Holiday Cards en masse—they replace that technique with something more memorable!)


Broad-based personal and professional distinctions to consider:

  • Immediate & Precision-Based Follow Up Skills (this could cover 100s of ideas)
  • Using a Calligraphy Pen for Follow Ups
  • Use BRIGHTLY Colored Envelopes With FUN Stickers
  • Crinkled Sales Letter
  • Send a Personal Letter to The Product Instead of the Client
  • Video E-mailing vs. Regular E-mail
  • Fax vs. E-mail or Mail—Yes, Faxing is making a Comeback!
  • Manicured Nails if You Are a Guy!
  • Increase Your Dress Standards—Get a Personal Tailor
  • Increase in Your Health & Fitness—Get Lean!
  • Use of the Outlook Calendar Invite Feature for ALL Sales Appointments & Phone Calls
  • Purchase a Domain Name On Behalf of A Client
  • STOP Answering the Phone When It Rings
  • Send An EMPTY Envelope Through The Mail—You’re Asking “Okay Chuck, WHY?” Gotcha!
  • Purchase Shredded Money—Place a small amount in your letter or card. Write on the note: “Save more money by using (your name) and (your company name)!”

Your Top Three Professional Distinctions:

  1. _______________________________
  2. _______________________________
  3. _______________________________

Your Top Three Personal Distinctions:

  1. _______________________________
  2. _______________________________
  3. _______________________________

Now for the most amazing sales distinctive idea I have ever come across in 30+ years of being involved with sales! I recently met a salesperson who lives in Central Texas. After five years in the financial planning industry he had become a HUGE success. He has over 2,000 clients in his database, he does ABSOLUTELY no advertising, and most importantly, he now works only FOUR days a week. (The fifth day he volunteers for a charitable organization).

Yet during his typical four-day work week he has only three appointments a day—all in his office. His office is comfortable. He offers food and beverages. The setting is in a wonderful location. And the typical appointment lasts about two UNHURRIED hours. Clients FLOCK to see him.

So what are his MAIN Sales Distinctions?

  1. He sends a limousine service to pick up his clients and bring them to his office! And then return them to their home or office! Remember, he spaces his appointments so the clients are not hurried and thus have a positive and distinctive experience with him.
  2. Sales Distinction? Once a year he provides a holiday bonus to his top twenty-five clients. Remember, his top twenty-five. The clients are aware of this! They have to be in the top twenty-five to go on the holiday bonus trip.Subconscious note—they invest in larger amounts of his product so they qualify to go!

Now for the trip—he rents five limos (five clients per limousine) and treats those twenty-five VIPs to a special holiday dinner at a fabulous Dallas restaurant. After dinner, they are ushered off to a special holiday theater production of A Christmas Carol. They then return home via the limo!

That, my sales friends, IS DISTINCTIVE! This salesperson truly understands what being distinctive is all about. His clients do nothing but talk about him all year long. It was easy for him to build a referral-based business once he understood the power of being Sales Distinctive.

Talk about T.O.M.A.! For those of you reading this: START TODAY. Not tomorrow—RIGHT NOW! Don’t procrastinate: get going. It does not have to be a limousine service. It could be as something as simple as sending a thank you card the moment you meet a potential new client or just using a bright-colored envelope. It could be sending a pre-appointment letter or a note on a card featuring your client’s favorite sports team—or even a link to an article on the ‘net in which they might be interested. Whatever it is, it should be something that will show the client or prospect that you have remembered and listened to them—so they will remember and listen to you!

Remember, whatever DISTINCTION you choose to start with, create a 30-day discipline. Commit to doing this one distinction for 30 days. You may even commit to doing the distinction multiple times per day. It’s easy when you use time-saving technology. Open up your Outlook Calendar, and log it in for the next 30 days by using the recurrence feature. After you create one repeatable, whether email or video, you’ll have time to make another—and make yourself more distinctive!

Follow your plan and watch: after 30 days of disciplined activity, your Sales Distinction will then turn into a HABIT. I know you can do it—get started on this TODAY!

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