Amazon.com currently lists more than 13,000 books purporting to teach effective sales conversion techniques. Unfortunately, some authors and “sales experts” continue to perpetuate age-old myths about selling that need to be dispelled, says Douglas Smith, founder of Douglas Smith & Associates. Here are three of the biggest myths:

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1. Anyone can be successful in selling if they work hard enough. Hard work helps, but it takes more to be a successful salesperson. There are salespeople out there who work 60-hour weeks and stay busy as bees, yet still struggle to find a prospect or make a sale. Selling is a talent. Ability, skills, and approach define a successful salesperson, not the number of hours worked.
2. Successful salespeople are born that way. No one is born knowing how to sell. Selling is an acquired skill that is discovered, developed, and honed over time. It’s a fact that some people learn to sell easier than others, but it’s not because they are fitted with a “sales gene” at birth. Those who are successful in sales have simply married their natural discipline and drive with a comfort for interacting with people.
3. Success in selling is all about attitude. There are thousands of starving salespeople who have positive outlooks and pumped-up attitudes. Success isn’t just about attitude, it’s about aptitude. Attitude will get you up and to work every day, but it won’t land you new customers. Top performers have built a knowledge base that allows them to sell from a level of expertise few others have.

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