Sales Dogs

1. Unleash Your Inner SalesDog: Embrace Your Breed

The truth is you don’t have to be a thick-skinned “attack dog” to be successful in sales.

Discover your canine sales style. The core message of "SalesDogs" is that sales success isn't about conforming to a single, aggressive stereotype. Instead, it's about identifying and leveraging your natural talents. By understanding your inherent strengths, you can tailor your approach to be authentic and effective.

Individuality is key. The book encourages readers to move away from the "one-size-fits-all" approach to sales and embrace their unique personalities. This involves recognizing that different people have different strengths and that those strengths can be used to achieve success in sales. It's about finding the "great salesperson" within, rather than trying to become a carbon copy of someone else.

The SalesDog concept. The book uses the analogy of dogs to illustrate the different sales personalities. This is not meant to be demeaning, but rather to provide a fun and accessible framework for understanding different approaches to sales. The key is to identify your dominant breed and then learn how to leverage its strengths.

2. The Five SalesDog Breeds: Know Thyself and Thy Pack

In the world of the SalesDog there are only five pedigree breeds—Pit Bull, Golden Retriever, Poodle, Chihuahua and Basset Hound.

Five distinct sales personalities. The book identifies five primary "breeds" of SalesDogs, each with unique strengths and weaknesses:

• Pit Bull: Aggressive, tenacious, and fearless.
• Golden Retriever: Friendly, service-oriented, and relationship-focused.
• Poodle: Image-conscious, marketing-savvy, and charismatic.
• Chihuahua: Intelligent, detail-oriented, and passionate about product knowledge.
• Basset Hound: Trustworthy, persistent, and skilled at building long-term relationships.

Beyond purebreds. While the book outlines five distinct breeds, it also acknowledges the existence of "SuperMutts," individuals who possess a blend of traits from multiple breeds. These individuals are often the most successful, as they can adapt their approach to different situations.

Understanding your team. Recognizing the different breeds within your sales team is crucial for effective management. By understanding each individual's strengths and weaknesses, you can assign them to the right tasks and provide them with the support they need to succeed. This also allows you to create a well-rounded team that can handle a variety of sales situations.

3. Big Dog Mindset: Confidence and Vision are Key

It only takes one Big Deal to create a Big Dog.

Beyond breed, a state of mind. The "Big Dog" isn't a breed, but a mindset characterized by boldness, self-belief, and a focus on high-value targets. Big Dogs are legends in their own minds, and this confidence is what fuels their success.

Prime rib only. Big Dogs don't waste time on small deals or low-level prospects. They go after the "eight-hundred-pound brown bear," focusing on the main decision-makers and pursuing opportunities with significant potential.

Inspiring and Intimidating. While Big Dogs can be valuable assets, they also require careful management. Their propensity for exaggeration and their disregard for rules can lead to mistakes. However, their charisma and vision can also inspire others and drive significant results.

4. Match the Pooch to the Prey: Strategic Sales

The greatest single mistake that salespeople or sales managers make is believing there is one particular set of characteristics or traits that all salespeople need to have to be successful.

Tailor your approach. Not all sales situations are created equal. The key to success is to match the right SalesDog to the right "prey." A Pit Bull might be ideal for cold-calling and closing deals quickly, while a Golden Retriever might be better suited for building long-term relationships with key clients.

Avoid mismatches. Sending a Poodle to a high-tech data freak or a Basset Hound to a fast-paced networking event is a recipe for disaster. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each breed allows you to make strategic assignments that maximize their potential.

The UNISYS example. The author shares a personal anecdote about working under two different sales managers at UNISYS. The first manager, a Pit Bull, tried to force everyone into his mold, leading to frustration and high turnover. The second manager, a Retriever, recognized the different breeds within the team and assigned them to roles that played to their strengths, resulting in a dramatic increase in sales.

5. SuperMutt Conditioning: Cross-Train for Sales Supremacy

The key to being a Champion SalesDog is understanding and operating from your strength, while acquiring the positive traits of other breeds.

Beyond purebreds. While understanding your dominant breed is important, the most successful SalesDogs are those who can acquire traits from other breeds. This "cross-training" allows them to adapt to different situations and become more well-rounded.

Learning from others. A Golden Retriever can learn to be more assertive from a Pit Bull, while a Pit Bull can learn to be more patient and service-oriented from a Golden Retriever. The key is to identify your weaknesses and then actively work to develop those skills.

The investment banker example. The author shares a story about training a team of investment bankers who were primarily Pit Bulls with a strain of Chihuahua. By teaching them the importance of listening and building relationships (traits of the Basset Hound and Golden Retriever), he helped them to become the highest-producing sales division globally.

6. Manage the Kennel: Training and Teamwork

Salespeople can be the same way if they don’t get themselves trained properly.

Training is essential. Just like dogs, SalesDogs require training to reach their full potential. Without proper guidance and direction, even the most talented individuals can become unruly and unproductive.

Tailored training. Effective training involves recognizing the different breeds within your team and tailoring your approach to their individual needs. What motivates a Pit Bull might not motivate a Golden Retriever, so it's important to understand what makes each individual tick.

House rules. Establishing a clear code of conduct is crucial for creating a positive and productive sales environment. This code should outline expectations for behavior, communication, and teamwork, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

7. Dogged Belief: The Four Mindsets of Champion SalesDogs

The quality of your decisions determines the quality of the result.

Mindset matters. Beyond skills and techniques, success in sales depends on having the right mindset. The book outlines four key mindsets that are essential for champion SalesDogs:

• Face the challenge: Approach adversity with courage and determination.
• Trap negative dialogue: Prevent negative thoughts from derailing your efforts.
• Celebrate all wins: Acknowledge and celebrate successes, both big and small.
• Project the power of your personal intention: Believe in yourself and your ability to succeed.

Think like a dog. These mindsets are inspired by the simple, unwavering focus of dogs. By adopting a similar approach, you can overcome self-doubt and achieve your goals.

The importance of externalization. When faced with a setback, it's important to externalize the cause, attributing it to factors outside of your control. This prevents you from internalizing the failure and damaging your self-confidence.

8. The Hunt: A Simple Sales Cycle for All Breeds

In all my years in sales and in all my years in working with great salespeople, I have found that the sales process is fundamentally very simple.

Three basic parts. Despite the complexity of the sales world, the fundamental process can be broken down into three simple parts:

• Prospects: Finding potential customers.
• Appointments: Securing meetings, either in person or over the phone.
• Making arrangements: Closing the deal and finalizing the sale.

Simplicity is key. The book emphasizes that sales is not rocket science. By focusing on these three basic steps and mastering the skills outlined in previous chapters, anyone can achieve success in sales.

The importance of energy. The author stresses that sales is a pure energy business. The person with the highest energy in a sales situation is the one who is most likely to win.

9. Guard Dogs and Pigs: Navigating Gatekeepers and Avoiding Time Wasters

Don’t try to teach a pig to sing because it annoys the pig and it can’t carry a tune anyway.

Making friends with gatekeepers. Instead of trying to outsmart or bypass gatekeepers, the book encourages readers to make them their allies. Treat them with respect, listen to their concerns, and find ways to make their jobs easier.

Recognizing pigs. Not all prospects are worth pursuing. The book warns against wasting time on "pigs," individuals who are negative, argumentative, and unwilling to cooperate.

Focus on the right opportunities. By learning to identify and avoid time wasters, you can focus your energy on prospects who are more likely to convert into customers.

10. Stay Out of the Pound: Career Progression and Focus

The quickest way to find yourself in the pound is to live your life as a SalesDog with a “grass is always greener” mentality.

Commitment and focus. The book emphasizes the importance of commitment and focus for long-term success in sales. Jumping from company to company or industry to industry can prevent you from building the relationships and expertise needed to thrive.

The value of training. When choosing a company, prioritize those that offer excellent training programs. This will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed, regardless of your natural talents.

Career progression. The book outlines a natural career progression for SalesDogs, starting with retail sales and moving into corporate sales, management, and eventually entrepreneurship. By following this path and staying focused on your goals, you can achieve lasting success and avoid ending up in the "pound."

Last updated: April 4, 2025