National Sales Award

innovative risk

I had worked in the Select Comfort (later Sleep Number) sales training department for four years and had a credibility gap because I did not have sales experience. Some people thought I wasn’t qualified to facilitate sales training. I joined a sales team to both expand my skills and to prove the process works if you work the process. This was a risk for me and the sales organization, because if I failed, other sales professionals would be able to say the process itself was flawed.

The Store Sales Professional of the Year Award went to the person who achieved the best overall results out of 1,200+ sales professionals, as measured by a formula including indicators such as percent to goal, accessory sales, and returns. Importantly, the store also won the Store of the Year Award, which showed the sales process worked for everyone, not just for someone with my training experience.

The Store Sales Professional of the Year Award removed the doubts about both my qualifications and the sales process. It also provided a proof point for trainers and managers if they worked with someone who resisted using a prescribed sales process. Due to my past training experience and this award, I was promoted to a high-growth project in the company, and I went on the road to train salespeople to sell Sleep Number beds in non-exclusive mattress stores.

The benefits of taking this professional risk validated my commitment to innovation. I demonstrated I don’t just ask others to grow, I create growth for myself, too.