Sales Training:  Your 5 Mentors To Sales Success  

by Mark Bowser  - Motivational Business Speaker

As you are looking for sales answers, imagine that you walk into your local library.  What answers you ask?  The answers to sales success and happiness.  You walk through the racks of books….wandering about aimlessly until….something catches your eye.  It is a small book on the top shelf on the left side of the rack.  You reach for it and can barely get your fingers on it.  As you pull it off the shelf, dust falls on your forehead.  You think to yourself, “It is obvious this book hasn’t been read in a long time.”  But there is something about this book that rivets your attention.  The title grabs you.  Your Five Mentors To Sales Success.  Who wrote this book?  The author’s name is missing.  You have got to read this book.  

As you reach the front of the line to check out your book, the librarian looks at you with a puzzled expression.   She asks, “Where did you get this book?”  You point to a rack of books on the back side of the library.  She continues, “This is not one of our books.  It doesn’t belong to the library.”  She hands you the book and says, “It is yours now.  Enjoy.” 

You walk out of the library stunned at what just happened.  “I wander where this book came from?”  You run your hand over the worn, torn, leather cover.  You find the first bench you find and begin to read.  

You open the book to the first chapter.  It reads, Tongue Tied for Sales Success.  You think of this as kind of an odd title.  You read about a man who was born with a tongue that didn’t work.  This man believed he had something to say.  Something the world needed to hear.  You are amazed at his determination.  This man went out into the forest everyday where by himself he would practice and will his tongue to work.  Day after day, month after month, year after year…until the day came where this champion became one of the greatest speakers in Greek history.  His name was Demosthenes. 

The second chapter title reads, Determined to Not Quit.  You learn about Bruce Olson.  In 1961, Bruce was a determined nineteen year old.  He was determined not to change the whole world, just one part of it.  Bruce wanted to become a Christian missionary to the Motilone Indians from the jungles of Venezuela.   

The Motilone Indians were a violent tribe which was known for their vicious attacks.  In the previous fifteen years, the tribe had killed more than 500 oil field workers.  What would Bruce be walking into?  No matter what, he was committed and determined.   He had no financial backing so he would have to fund the journey himself.  That in and of itself would shy away most nineteen year olds.  But not Bruce.   The day finally came when Bruce walked into the jungle and made his first contact with the Motilone Indians. 

The first sign of the tribe was a small rustle in the bushes.  The next thing Bruce knew was a shooting pain in his leg as of a result from the arrow sticking out of it.  Lying on the ground, he was soon surrounded by a group of the savages.   They poked hole after hole into Bruce with their spears.  Was this the end?  Had he come so far just to be killed within minutes of first contact?   Bruce was carried back to their village as their prisoner.  Would they torture him?  What were they waiting for?   Maybe they were cannibals.  Three days after his capture, Bruce came down with amoebic dysentery.  He knew his days were numbered if he didn’t escape. 

Under the darkness of night, Bruce made his escape and was able to make it to help and medical attention.   After recovering from his first experience with the Motilones, Bruce ventured back into the dense jungle to attempt contact again.  Soon, he was captured again.  This time Bruce came down with hepatitis.  Bruce managed to escape death again when a helicopter spotted his distress signal.  The Motilones thought the helicopter was a great bird sent by God to take Bruce to heaven to keep them from killing him.   On his third trip back into the jungle, Bruce was slowly and finally accepted by the Motilone Indians.  They couldn’t believe he had returned.  Eventually, Bruce was able to share his Christian faith in Jesus Christ with the Indians.  

Adapted and excerpted from motivational business speaker Mark Bowser’s book Unlocking the Champion Within. Grab hold of your success and close more sales.  For information on how you can get a copy then click here.