But here’s the rub: wanting more sales and being willing to learn how to sell better are not the same thing.
The truth is, most franchisees aren’t actively improving their sales skills. And I don’t mean occasionally picking up tips in passing – I mean deliberately, consistently, investing time into learning.
So let me tell you a story about someone who took that challenge seriously:
A room, a stage, and a sentence that changed a life
The year is the late 1980s. In a seminar hall filled with ambitious faces, a teenage Brad Sugars is in the audience. He’s travelled to hear the legendary Jim Rohn speak – a man whose calm presence and razor-sharp wisdom has already shaped the thinking of entrepreneurs worldwide.
At one point in the session, Brad gets the chance to ask a question. He doesn’t overcomplicate it:
“How do I become successful?”
Rohn looks him square in the eye, his voice steady:
“Simply read one book a month, son – and you will be rich in more than wealth.”
That was it. No secret deal-closing script. No seven-figure formula. Just a challenge: build the habit of reading, and keep it for life.
From one book a month… to one a week
Brad took the advice seriously. More than seriously – obsessively. The monthly goal became a weekly one. Over the decades, the habit shaped his thinking, sharpened his skills, and ultimately helped him grow ActionCOACH into the world’s largest business coaching franchise, with over 1,000 offices in 70+ countries.
It wasn’t just sales books. It was marketing, leadership, psychology, negotiation – anything that could make him more effective as a businessperson and leader.
The lesson wasn’t that books themselves are magic. It was that sales success follows personal growth. The more he learned, the more value he could deliver. And the more value he delivered, the more the sales followed naturally.
A kneejerk reaction to a life event
Years later, when Brad found out he was going to be a father to twins, there was no hesitation, no panic. His first instinct? Buy the top six books on raising twins!
That reaction, to learn before acting, is telling. It’s the instinct of someone who sees learning as the first step to solving any challenge, whether it’s raising children or closing deals.
So, what about you?
Let’s be honest. You say you want more sales. But when was the last time you did anything deliberate to improve your ability to sell?
When did you last:
- Read a sales book? (To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink, The Perfect Close by James Muir, Ziglar on Selling, to name just a few.)
- Listen to a dedicated sales podcast or attend a workshop?
- Practice your pitch with a mentor or coach?
If your answer is “I can’t remember” or “never”… then what you have isn’t a sales problem. You have a learning problem.
Wanting vs. willing
The distinction is critical:
- Wanting more sales is about desire.
- Being willing to learn how to sell better is about commitment.
One is easy to say in conversation. The other requires effort, humility, and consistency.
When Brad Sugars met Jim Rohn, he didn’t just nod at the advice and carry on. He acted immediately – and kept acting for decades. That’s why his story is worth telling.
Your challenge this month
If you genuinely want more sales, prove it to yourself. Choose one of the following and commit to it over the next 30 days:
Read one sales book – take notes, highlight key points, and discuss them with a fellow franchisee or your franchisor.
Attend one workshop or webinar focused on sales.
Practice your sales process with a peer or coach until it’s sharper than it is today.
Don’t wait for the “right time.” Growth doesn’t come from waiting – it comes from learning and taking action.
Final thought
Brad Sugars’ success wasn’t built on a secret talent for selling. It was built on the habit of learning – consistently, deliberately, for life. That habit was born from a single sentence, spoken in a seminar hall more than thirty years ago.
If you’re not feeding your mind with new strategies, insights, and skills, then your ambition to “make more sales” will stay exactly that – ambition.
So here’s my question to you, the franchisee reading this right now:
What will you learn this month that will make your next sale easier?
Because until you can answer that, I don’t believe you really want more sales.
