Professionals prepare. One does not become a professional simply by proclaiming, “I'm a professional.”

Doctors attend school for a minimum of 19 years before earning the title of medical professional. Attorneys attend seven years of higher education before joining their profession. Accountants must attend school for five years to achieve the benchmark of professionalism in their industry. Professional athletes often have practiced their craft for a dozen years before some team is willing to say, “You're a professional.”

So why can someone join the ranks of salespeople one day and think they can proclaim professionalism the next? I argue that they can't. Professionals prepare. Joining the ranks of sales does not make you a professional; it simply means you work in the profession. And becoming a true professional involves more than possessing the right attitude.

The conventional definition of the professional is someone who has gone through some rigorous preparation and study, is held to high standards and possesses a knowledge or skill that someone is willing to pay for. Again, working in a profession does not make you a professional.

Salespeople become professionals as they study, learn, attend training and hold themselves to higher standards of performance and ethics. Customers tell you when you reach professional status by rewarding you with business, especially repeat business.

Don't delude yourself into believing that just because you get orders you're a professional. It could be that your product is so good buyers must purchase it. It could be that there's no other alternative. If that's why people buy from you, you're simply an order taker. The acid test is this: Can they buy what you sell from another source? If so, maybe you are a professional.

Let's examine what professionals do. They study and attend ongoing classes. The fact that you once attended a factory school or sales seminar years ago isn't enough. What are you doing on an ongoing basis to build your knowledge? Do you read technical journals or magazines in your industry? Do you study new product literature as it becomes available? When was the last time you read a book on selling? Essentially, how current is your knowledge?

How do you prepare for a sales call? Do you wing it, knowing you're quick on your feet? Watch how professional athletes warm up before a game. They stretch, run, practice some fundamental skill drills and review their game plans. What is your pre-game routine?

Plan every call. Practice. Rehearse. Study. Attend training. Hold yourself to high ethical and performance standards. Do what professionals do.

Then you can earn the title, “sales professional.”