Elite Sales Strategies

12Advice for Those Who Are Presently One-Down

The true value of sword-fencing cannot be seen within the confines of sword-fencing technique.

—Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings

Being One-Up may sound intimidating, but remember that anyone who is now One-Up started One-Down. There are no shortcuts to being One-Up: You can't buy a stairway, you can't fake it, and you certainly can't cheat your way in. Like success itself, it requires that you do the work. The level of competency needed to become and stay One-Up means you must do the work to make most of your competition One-Down and no threat to you in a contest for your dream client's business. How could occupying that space not be worth every second of work?

A person who is One-Down will stay One-Down until they take the actions necessary to become One-Up. Fortunately, the time and effort you invest in developing yourself and your approach is largely within your control. If you're ready to acquire the knowledge, experience, and understanding that will let you offer your counsel, your advice, and your recommendations, this chapter (along with the accompanying One-Up Workbook - www.theoneupsale.com) will help you get started.

The Starting Line: Intentionally Intentional

Here at the start of your journey to One-Upness, you need to recognize a key truth about being One-Up that will motivate you to move confidently toward your goal: the large majority of salespeople are not One-Up, regardless of how many years they have ...