The first brutal years of being an entrepreneur slapped me out of my executive slumber and into frigid cold reality. I learned to reinvent myself. I did it fast because I had to.
I thought I was a good salesperson. I was wrong. This time around, I had to sell myself. I learned how to become a great salesperson.
Here is what I've learned that can help to make you 10% better at selling.

There is nothing unique about you.

Once you embrace this, you can go about being exceptional. Sales people are a dime a dozen. We're everywhere. The people you most want to sell to are being sold to by others. All the time.
They have their defenses up. Stop selling your product. Stop selling your company. Start solving problems. And focus.
Focus on your energy. Focus on your fitness. Focus on your enthusiasm. Focus on your skill set. Focus on constant improvement. Focus on being playful. Focus on bringing joy to people around you. Focus on having reverence for your prospect.

There is everything unique about your prospect.

Take the time to think about your prospect's business from your their perspective.
Back in 2010, I was working on a deal for Michael Kors. I had been selling to them for months. The senior executive that I had been working with was great. Intelligent, engaged and interested.
She convened a meeting of senior level team members. Moments before the meeting began I asked her what I could do to help her? She said, "get me a promoted today."
Do everything in your power to get your prospect promoted, and you will close every deal you approach.
Focus your energy on solving the biggest problems for your prospect. If they don't fit into your business strategy, provide them with leads. Act like you work for your prospect before you work for your prospect.
If your business only solves one problem for them, make the whole problem go away. Become a guard dog protecting the well-being and livelihood of your prospect. Never lose site of this.

Don't sell the meeting

Many salespeople make the mistake of thinking that getting a meeting is a sale. They try every tactic to "get coffee" or "set a meeting with my team." This is a flawed selling concept. It's a numbers game. X amount of meetings closes X amount of deals.
I have a better concept for you.
Dazzle one huge prospect with deep solutions that will make them look good, get them promoted. If this solution is frictionless to make happen at their organization you will win.
Or continue to send those horrible emails blasts. This way you will dilute your personal brand by aggravating people. Super.

Deep and strong is better than shallow and weak.

Casting a wide net doesn't work. Don't do it. Focus on your best prospects and dazzle them. Do the work in advance. Show them the result you will create for them.
So instead of sending out 1000 emails to a list through MailChimp. Send three emails per week with very specific and powerful solutions. If you find a pain point, don't answer the question. Solve the problem.
Do it for free. Do it in a blog post. Send your prospect a deck that you spent a month on which will solve a huge problem for them. Become a secret weapon before you close the deal.
These will help you to become 10% better at selling. I promise.