As the advertising director at The Saratogian, I manage a team of 9 outside sales reps and managers in addition to an inside sales staff. Although it's not always the case, this particular group of sales professionals has incredible synergy as a team with several at or approaching "rock star" status.

Every sales manager knows that creating and managing a successful team takes skill, experience, timing and, in my opinion - a little bit of luck. Recruiting talent is commonly an agenda item on management conference calls these days because it's both challenging to pull off and at the same time critical to a company's bottom line. So, what does it take to build a successful team?

I thought I'd take a look at my current team for information and inspiration. As it turns out, they have some things in common:

- 77% played competitive sports in high school and/or college.
- More than half hold degrees in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing, Communications and Economics.
- 2 hold degrees in Fashion Marketing/Merchandising.

So are sales people hard wired for the profession? Partly, I think. Sure it's about maximizing natural talent, but it's also about developing the right habits.

This week's sales meeting/training I held focused on time management and other habits that successful sales people have in common. Let's face it, just about everyone I know is being asked to do more, do it better, and do it FAST. Patricia Drain, author of Sell the Sizzle, had the opportunity to interview 177 top sales producers, both male and female, from all backgrounds. She discovered several main points in common. Here's what she had to say:

"...I discovered that each individual followed certain daily habits that took them to the level of Top Producer in their profession,” says Patricia.

7 Habits That Top Sales Producers Have in Common Are:

Habit #1: Develop a PLAN. Sizzling salespeople plan their days, weeks and months. They set goals in place and work their plan to exceed those goals.

Habit #2: They Create a Clear FOCUS. Sizzling salespeople ALWAYS stay focused on their specialty and their plan. They stay focused by prioritizing each day.

Habit #3: They Ask QUESTIONS. Sizzling salespeople understand and utilize the art of asking the right questions. They list the RIGHT questions to ask when sizzle selling.

Habit #4: They SHARPEN Their Skills. Sizzling salespeople understand the importance of sharpening their saws. They invest in the resources needed to assure ongoing training.

Habit #5: They Understand the Power of NUMBERS. They understand that to increase their sales, they must increase their prospects, customer base and sales volume.

Habit #6: They Know How to Stay in CONTROL. Sizzling salespeople stay in control of themselves to stay on track. They use this control to keep a personal balance in their lives.

Habit #7: They Have a Strong BELIEF SYSTEM. Sizzling salespeople believe they are worthy of the highest earnings, commissions or salary, and that their time is extremely valuable.

I'd like to add a few more I've observed during my 20 years in sales:

Habit #8: They know that INNOVATIVE thinking keeps them one step ahead of their colleagues and competition.

Habit #9: They know how to answer what's in it FOR THE CLIENT when developing pitches, RFP responses and presentations.

Habit #10: They possess INTEGRITY and know that at the end of the day, doing it right trumps selling out.



Source: Patricia Noel Drain is an international author and speaker living in Arizona. Visit her online at http://www.buildagreatbusiness.com and http://www.patriciadrain.com

If you've ever worked with or managed a team of sales people, you know that putting a group of persuasive, talkative, competitive people in one room can get a little crazy. Our team here at The Saratogian is made up of 13 sales (& sales support) people - each as unique as the next. Add the fast pace of a multimedia company in hyper drive and you hear some crazy stuff:

Just for fun, here are a few things overheard in the last week or so...

"I got it!, I got it!"

"Sir, please calm down so I can help you"

"I didn't just hit that car, did I?" (yes, she did)

"Did he seriously just say that?"

"It's called a deadline for a reason"

"If they were only ALL that nice..."

"I'm just ducky, I'm barking like a cat"

"I NEEEED coffee"

"You've been mean all day"

"I can't find a paper!" (we've published a daily since 1855)

"You're killing me here"

"How's the North Country treating you?"

"You couldn't HANDLE my account list"

"Out of my way! Late ad coming through"

"Hot yoga tonight, anyone?"

"I just got asked to the prom!" (our intern, Rachel)

I just finished watching the movie Up In The Air with George Clooney and Vera Farmiga as two road warriors who meet on-the-road and become romantically involved. The story line has a lot more to it, but you'll have to watch it yourself to get the gist. I liked the film a lot, for the record.

In the movie, George Clooney's character, Ryan Bingham, is acknowledged mid-air as a "million mile flyer" and the youngest of seven people ever to receive the award and priveleges that go with it. I know I never came close to logging that many miles when I traveled for business, but at one point I was "up in the air" for about two weeks each month. As a mom of a then 2 1/2 year old, I found that I just couldn't keep up the pace and ultimately chose a local media position here at The Saratogian offering more time with my family over the national custom media gig. Motherhood and parenting: it's all about personal choices.

I have to admit that I do miss the travel a little bit. I'm one of those rare individuals who loves airports and happily embraces air travel along with the sea of endless people that comes along with it. I'm an extrovert and feel at home in just about any city or country. On my very last trip to Chicago (the home base of Vera Farmiga's character, Alex, in the movie), I was bumped up to first class both ways. The first leg I was given a first class seat due to the fact that the airline double booked my coach class seat. On the way home I credit my crafty salesmanship for the upgrade. I made friends with the counter clerk and after talking for some time asked if she could possibly upgrade my seat. Sales 101: you don't get what you don't ask for. For the record, flying first class is definitley the way you want to end (for now, at least) your life as a road warrior.

You learn things about yourself on the road. I realized that I have a love/hate relationship with Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Of all the times I've experienced delays, flight cancellations and hassles in general I've been stuck at O'Hare. That's the 'hate' part of the relationship. What I love about O'Hare is that there are at a minimum FOUR Starbucks stores in the airport. It doesn't matter which terminal I was in, Starbucks was always right there with me. Starbucks for me is a travel equalizer. No matter what's happening or where I'm going or why I'm stuck, I can always count on a grande non-fat, no-whip, two pump mocha to settle me down or keep me going, whichever is needed. Depending on my mood, they'll also happily make it hot or iced. With all that can and does go wrong on a business trip, Starbucks always showed me the love.

One time during a layover in Chicago, a colleague and I watch in amazement and then disgust as a flight attendant in a full on flop sweat dripped all over the Starbuck's condiment counter for what seemed like twenty minutes straight. Thankfully we'd already had our coffee. Another time, our team got stuck in Chicago overnight after attending quarterly meetings at our Phoenix office. After a failed attempt to get us all out that evening, our VP of client services managed the next best thing and returned with fresh boarding passes that promised the first flight out the next morning - or so we thought. We were thrilled and relieved until we realized one-by-one that the boarding passes read 9:00 PM instead of AM. After one of us nearly cried (she was pregnant after all) and another laughed nervously, we eventually got it all sorted out. A night at the Hilton, flight out on yet another airline in the morning and a town car ride from NYC back to Saratoga and we were home in time for dinner - albeit a day late.

These days my travel is thankfully limited to the occasional visit to our corporate headquarters in Yardley, PA or a car ride up or down the Northway to see prospects and clients with sales reps. I've come to realize that although I miss the fancy dinners and freshly sheeted hotel rooms, the most important miles logged are those spent running in the backyard with our son.

I don't know of a single person in sales who answered the ever popular childhood question "what do you want to be when you grow up?" with salesperson. Fireman, ballerina, doctor, teacher - sure. Salesperson? Not a chance.

When I was really little I wanted to be a gym teacher. Why? Because I love sports and thought running around outside beat reading a book in class an day. Later, as I dutifully filled out college applications and requested references, I listed "math/management" as my preferred field of study. The reason? I had the greatest high school math teacher ever! Mr. Pidgeon was adept at making math fun and nudged me into the best math student I could possibly be. It was the first time I was consistently getting A's in math.

On completion of my freshman year in college, I was pretty sure that mathematician wasn't going to be my thing. I was going to be a lawyer. Yup, I was sure of it.

When senior year came around, we all got busy sending out resumes and cover letters. By this time, I had changed my major to Business Management with a concentration in marketing and minor in MIS. In a tough economy (not unlike this one) I was all over the map applying for jobs in advertising, publishing and marketing while simultaneously gearing up to take GMATs and LSATs. In addition to trying to land my first job, I was also applying to grad schools with joint MBA/JD degrees. I was hungry and wanted to be the first of my friends to land a job. I wasn't. But, I did have a job within weeks of graduation.

One of my part-time jobs in college was contacting alumni and convincing them to donate to their beloved alma mater. Although I often received bonuses for the highest numbers, one night I received the largest donation EVER from a single donor - $10,000. That "sale" came with a $100 bonus. As any college student or graduate can attest, $100 for a college student is serious money. The really big payoff was that the woman on the phone was coincidentally the human resource director at Crain's Chicago Business, a well respected business weekly in the windy city. She was so impressed with my "salesmanship" that she got me an interview with her counterpart at Crain's New York business in Manhattan. That one call (and subsequent interview) secured my first job out of college.

Looking back, even at that point, I had a whole history in the sales profession. In addition to dialing for alumni dollars, I had sold the most tumblers for my cheerleading squad and led sales for my girl scout troop's cookie drive. It never even occurred to me that sales was a career choice, nor that it would end up being mine for over twenty years' time.

I honestly believe that a career in sales chooses you. It seeks out extroverts and athletes, alike. It demands you take no for an answer (often) and then go on unscathed (albeit a few scratches) to pitch another day. If you have a taste for adventure (read: money) and love the "thrill of the chase", sales might be for you.

My son will turn four soon and I can't help but wonder what he'll be when he grows up. His answers to date have been doctor, chef and animal rescuer (Go, Diego, Go!). Only time will tell, I suppose. It's a lasting question that many people consider well into adulthood. I have quite a few 40+ friends looking to reinvent themselves at what is essentially the mid-point in their careers. If that sounds like you, you may consider asking yourself this question:

What do you want to be now that you ARE grown up?