Eat What You Kill

something interesting happens when you study great salespeople. the usual advice about perfect pitches and closing techniques? that barely scratches the surface.

the real magic lies in understanding how our minds work under pressure. the way we process rejection. the mental habits that turn good performers into exceptional ones. small shifts in thinking that create massive changes in results.

this chapter breaks down the psychology of high performance in sales. you'll see exactly how top sellers build resilience, form deeper client connections, and develop habits that set them apart. these aren't theories – they're practical tools used by people who consistently hit remarkable numbers.

by the end, you'll have a fresh perspective on what drives success, along with specific techniques you can start using right away. sound interesting? let's dig in.

success in sales often comes down to your mindset more than anything else. and while there are many approaches to sales, we often see two distinct styles emerge: herbivores and carnivores. this distinction shapes careers more profoundly than any product line or sales approach could ever do.

picture herbivore salespeople grazing on what's placed before them. they stay at their desks, counting on their company to supply prospects and opportunities. a car salesperson waiting at a dealership all day shows this perfectly – they sit quietly until a customer walks through the door. when business flows steadily, herbivores can do quite well. but if prospects thin out, anxiety creeps in about finding customers. these salespeople often lose their jobs first during hard times, since they've never built the skills to create their own opportunities.

carnivore salespeople make radically different choices. cold calls, networking, knocking on doors – they chase down opportunities through any possible path. they hunt their own success without waiting for help. this basic difference shapes how salespeople handle every challenge they face throughout their careers, from market downturns to competitive pressures.

but becoming a carnivore alone doesn’t guarantee sales success – you also have to optimize how you see yourself. this means moving through the three stages of sales thinking. at stage one we have victims, who point fingers elsewhere when sales drop. common phrases for victims are things like "these leads are terrible" or "this area's too weak." 

next come survivors, who own their results but aim too low. they focus on getting by instead of pushing ahead. give them an amazing sales quarter that doubles their usual money, and they'll see it as their peak, not their new starting point. many get stuck here, never realizing how much further they could go.

those who reach the highest level become conquerors. they push past comfort zones, always seeking bigger achievements. show them a company record of $300,000 monthly sales, and they'll work to beat it – less for cash than for proving what's possible. these salespeople create new standards of excellence, raising the bar for everyone around them.

but what stops others from reaching this level? many salespeople face an invisible barrier – their mental speed limit. like a golf cart that won't go past 15 miles per hour, they hit an artificial ceiling on their performance. breaking through means stopping comparisons with average numbers. hearing that most sales reps earn $43,000 yearly or that one daily sale counts as good work can plant those figures as goals instead of starting points. this mental barrier holds back countless promising careers.

real sales excellence demands thinking like a carnivore and growing into a conqueror's outlook. by breaking free from self-made limits, natural drive takes over. then exceptional results follow, leaving average performance far behind. the path opens up to remarkable achievements once you recognize and overcome these mental blocks.

building on the mindset of a sales professional at the highest level calls for specific psychological tools that set apart outstanding performers from the rest. after all, getting from good to great takes more than extra hours – it requires working with your natural instincts in smarter ways.

think about a tiger spotting potential prey. that instant rush of focus and energy – what animal trainers call "prey drive" – matches exactly what top sales professionals channel during their work. you can spark this drive in several ways. watching your name climb the sales rankings lights that competitive fire, as you track who stands next to beat. but fear of loss packs an even stronger punch than competition. smart sales professionals create their own pressure points. they might tell their partner they won't book that hawaii trip without hitting certain numbers. the trip itself matters less than avoiding the conversation about missing the mark.

raw drive alone falls short if you work in isolation. like wolves, sales professionals perform best in groups. look at door-to-door sales teams – the standout performers typically travel together, drawing strength from shared victories. these mobile teams grow beyond their individual parts, becoming places where everyone pushes toward new records. but take note: if you can't keep pace with your group, you'll need to step up fast or find different teammates. top performers won't stick around if someone drags down their collective energy.

strong teams offer more than motivation. knowledge flows naturally in high-performing sales groups. the best closers share their approaches, stories, and ways to handle objections – not from duty, but because success multiplies success. after cracking a tough sale, they pass along what worked, lifting everyone's game. that's why even talented solo performers rarely match those who work in strong teams.

this next psychological tool might surprise you – top sales professionals call it selective amnesia. picture the memory-erasing flash from men in black. after each "no," you reset your emotional state completely. during door-to-door sales, five straight rejections might feel like a slump. but each new door brings fresh possibilities, separate from previous attempts. 

outstanding sales professionals keep past setbacks from affecting new opportunities. their hundredth pitch carries the same energy and optimism as their first. this is how they keep their momentum and maintain peak performance, regardless of outside factors.

strong mental skills lay the foundation for sales success, but turning that potential into real results requires a systematic approach. the key lies in precise tracking of your numbers and time – a practice that separates top performers from everyone else.

sales math works simply, but few people map it out. say you want $100,000 this year selling widgets at $1,000 commission each. that means closing 100 sales. factor in a typical 10 percent cancellation rate, and you need 110 deals. if you close one sale per five demos, and get one demo per ten pitches, you'll need 5,500 pitches this year. spread that across 220 working days, counting out weekends and holidays, and you need 25 pitches every day. this becomes your daily score. drop below 25, and you're falling behind. beat it, and you're moving ahead. these numbers tell the true story.

how do you hit these daily targets consistently? sales thrive on contact – more conversations lead to more closed deals. some sales professionals try saving time by chasing only the best-looking leads, but this often leaves them stuck in place. smart lead selection helps, but waiting for perfect prospects wastes precious selling time. you'll gain more from talking to an average prospect now than waiting to reach that perfect customer later.

this leads straight to how you spend your time. sales professionals feeling swamped by nine-hour days might be surprised to see how little time they spend actually selling. careful tracking often shows only two or three hours daily talking with prospects. driving between meetings, handling paperwork, checking social media – these all eat up precious time. the biggest earners don't always work the longest days – they pack more selling time into their total hours.

the answer isn't wearing yourself out with endless work. focus on studying where your time goes, then cut anything that doesn't help close deals. try grouping your paperwork together, setting up automatic follow-ups, or planning your territory better to cut driving time. every minute saved on background tasks gives you time with another prospect, pushing toward your daily pitch target.

after mastering your systems and time, your next step focuses on reading your customers perfectly. even the best-planned sales system falls flat if you can't match how each prospect makes decisions. all that time saved through better planning needs to go into understanding and responding to each customer's unique style.

sales pros break customers into four clear types. skip the old color-coded labels – let's talk about drivers, analyzers, passives, and socializers. each one needs their own special approach to reach a successful sale.

you'll spot drivers right away – they show strong opinions and stick to pure logic. when a driver opens their door or answers your call, they'll try taking charge fast. they worry most about others taking advantage of them, so they'll question everything you present. sell to drivers by matching their energy while staying respectful. keep your position without picking fights. try asking for their guidance: "if this doesn't fit your needs, who else might benefit?" this plays to their love of showing knowledge and influence.

analyzers think like drivers but act more quietly. these engineers and accountants need solid data before deciding anything. their biggest worry? making mistakes. this can make closing feel slow as molasses. the trick with analyzers? let them run their own numbers. skip showing your math – give them tools to find the value themselves. watch an analyzer light up when they discover a smart deal through their own work.

passives and socializers run on feelings more than facts. passives want stability and dodge conflict – they'll agree in person just to keep peace, then back out later. success here means building real connections and offering steady support. more crucial: prevent those day-after cancellations by setting up delivery or installation right away.

socializers bring the most fun to sales – they burst with energy, share stories, and make quick choices based on gut feel. but take note: rushing a socializer kills the sale. one sales pro spent forty minutes admiring a customer's vintage cars before mentioning any products. by then, the grateful customer practically sold himself.

great selling means more than adapting to these customer types – you need to spot them fast and switch your style smoothly. every prospect shows their cards in the first half-minute you talk. learn these signals well, and you'll never waste time using the wrong approach with the wrong person.

the opening thirty seconds of your pitch will make or break your sale. it can transform your prospect from defensive to genuinely curious. sales pros call this the state change, and it mixes five key parts in perfect balance. getting this right makes the difference between a quick rejection and a meaningful sales conversation.

start with a fresh take on introductions. skip the rehearsed speech – top sales pros build trust by breaking expectations. try speaking to your prospect's natural doubts: "you probably see lots of sales folks at your door. that's not what brings me here today." this switch in thinking, plus real gratitude for their time, opens space for true connection. people respond to honesty and directness, especially when they expect the opposite from a sales interaction.

with trust established, your pitch now centers on two critical pillars: the what and the why. the strength of these pillars come from the right ordering. you’ll want to start with the what and break it into three pieces. first, spot the problem, like a doctor making a diagnosis. then, introduce your program as the approach that addresses this issue, framing it as the natural next step. finally, present the specifics, showing exactly how your solution fits. every piece builds on the last, creating a clear path for your prospect to follow. 

the why follows naturally, also in three steps. first, explain the purpose behind your program – what it aims to solve or improve. then, make it personal by sharing why you’re speaking to this prospect specifically, connecting their situation to that purpose. finally, highlight what makes today’s offer unique or timely, giving them a reason to engage now. this sequence taps into both logic and emotion.

many sales pros miss an important move here. they stop after building value and trust, thinking they've done enough to earn the sale. the best pitchers add what they call the pullback. right when interest peaks, they start pulling back that amazing program they showed. they explain that not everyone fits or qualifies – maybe their credit standards are too low, or their program requires serious commitment. this creates a special feeling – suddenly prospects want to prove they belong. you've flipped the chase: now they pursue you. watch their body language change when you suggest they might not qualify.

the final piece in your pitch is the transition. some sales pros pause here, looking for signs to continue. that tiny stop can kill their momentum, like a car stalling at a green light. top performers flow smoothly into their presentation or close, moving forward with confidence instead of asking permission. they know doubt sneaks in through any gaps they leave. their transitions feel as natural as continuing a regular conversation.

so there you have it, a five-part approach that works for every kind of sale, from neighborhoods to corporate offices: introduction, what, why, pullback, and transition. the best sales pros practice these elements until they blend seamlessly together, each part flowing naturally into the next. master this, and selling shifts from hopeful tries to a solid system for creating value and closing deals. your prospects will feel guided through a helpful process rather than feeling pushed toward a sale.

in this chapter to eat what you kill by sam taggart, you’ve learned that your mindset shapes your sales career more than any other factor. you have to choose between passively accepting what comes or actively creating opportunities.

the path to sales excellence mixes smart psychology with practical skills. the best performers tap into their natural prey drive, thrive in strong teams, and build mental resilience to shake off rejection. they focus on the numbers that matter, turning more of their day into active selling time. by reading each customer's style – from the data-driven to the social butterfly – they adapt their approach on the spot. a winning pitch flows through five clear steps: building trust up front, spotting problems, showing solutions, sparking desire through strategic pullback, and keeping momentum alive. put these pieces together, and selling shifts from hopeful attempts into a clear system that creates real value and closes deals.

okay, that’s it for this chapter. we hope you enjoyed it. if you can, please take the time to leave us a rating – we always appreciate your feedback. see you in the next chapter.