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Someone from Success magazine called and asked me for a quote about being a successful entrepreneur and salesman. Here’s the quotation I gave:

“Everyone has heard the phrase “The American Dream.’ I look at it as “The American Reality.’ When you’re in business for yourself, you write your own history, you write your own success story, you write your own legacy, and most important you write your own paycheck. When you write your own paycheck, you control your own destiny. Being in business for yourself gives you the opportunity to work your heart out for something you love.”

FAST-FORWARD FIVE MINUTES: Today’s American reality is that there’s a day-to-day ongoing drama in the saga of business, and on this particular day, I was dealing with major drama. I was in an informal staff meeting trying to resolve an ancient issue: Why can’t everyone just get along?

During the discussion with my employees, I remarked (among other things) that I was looking for long-term harmony, not just a momentary truce or a week of peace. I wanted to get to the root of the issue, not just put a bandage on the surface skirmish.

I decided to talk more about what it takes to have a successful business instead of a petty disagreement. I thought if I got into more detail about how the whole business ran, maybe they would have a better understanding of what they did, and how important it was for each of them to be harmonious with the others.

Below is the essence of what I said. Compare these elements with those in your business. I believe this list to be essential for business success and sales success in any business.

These are the elements that have driven my business to success:

1. Great people. People who are excellent at what they do. Self-starters, smart, responsible, with a passion for excellence and a successful track record. Not just salespeople – everyone MUST be excellent. Reception, accounting, shipping and especially anyone who talks to customers.

2. Harmony within. All employees must decide to “get along” with everyone else. This means their attitude must be positive, and they have to understand and be able to get along for the common good, even though personality conflicts, minor disagreements and major disagreements will occur. They can get over it and get on with it.

3. A continuous flow of ideas. From everyone – especially me as the leader.

4. Unless you have sales, you have no business. You need products and services that are understandable, have perceived value, have gained market acceptance and are easy to purchase.

5. Money. Don’t confuse sales with money. Money comes from making profitable sales. My father once told me, “You can have lots of business but no money.”

6. Creativity and willingness to risk. Try new things and new ways. Your customers demand it, but your competitors hope you’ll do “business as usual.”

7. Earn loyalty from everyone. Loyalty is stability, growth and profit all rolled into one. Loyalty has 3.5 parts. You must earn it from (1) your customers, (2) your vendors and (3) your employees. The best way to get loyalty is (3.5) to give loyalty.

8. Wide-open communication. Speak your mind and say your piece – truthfully.

9. Freedom to succeed and fail. No one fails on purpose. I give everyone freedom to learn, freedom of expression and freedom to take risks.

10. A respected, like leader. I am the leader. The passionate, lead-by-example, cheerleader leader. I love what I do, and it’s contagious to all.

10.5. A fun atmosphere and a fun environment. We won an award a few years ago: “Most fun place to work in Charlotte.” Could your company win that award in your town?

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2007 Jeffrey H. Gitomer