The road to financial freedom and wealth building often starts with seminal moments that reshape our perspectives. For me, that moment arrived in the form of Robert Kiyosaki’s book, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” The book drilled into my head the concept of OPM—Other People’s Money—as a vehicle for wealth accumulation. But for sales professionals and sales leaders, the concept that has arguably more immediate and long-lasting impact is OPT—Other People’s Time, Talent, and ultimately, Trust. Let me explain.
The Power of OPM & OPT in Sales
The OPM concept relies on leveraging other people’s money, often through loans or investment, to grow one’s own financial position. Imagine buying a $100,000 house with a $10,000 down payment and a $90,000 loan. You rent it out, making a $500 profit each month after mortgage payments. Over the years, you gain an asset worth well over $100,000, and it mostly wasn’t your money that paid for it.
For sales professionals, OPT—Other People’s Time or Talent—can be just as transformative. Imagine you specialize in high-ticket sales and your time is worth $50 an hour. If you can delegate tasks that are worth $20 an hour to a skilled team member, you’ve not only gained $30 an hour but also freed up time to focus on closing deals, strategizing, or leading. OPT, just like OPM, can exponentially scale your productivity and earning potential.
The Leadership Pivot: From Selling to Building a Sales Team
Many sales professionals aim to climb the ladder and become sales leaders or even entrepreneurs. But leadership isn’t just about individual output—it’s about getting results through others. Understanding and implementing the OPT concept becomes crucial here. As a leader, your skill set should transition from being an individual contributor to enabling your team to contribute effectively. The combined force of Other People’s Time and Talent can catapult your department’s or company’s sales figures into the stratosphere.
The Underpinning of All – Other People’s Trust (OPT)
As powerful as OPM and OPT are, they’re just tools, subject to the most fundamental law of sales and business: trust. Let’s redefine OPT as Other People’s Trust, the bedrock of all transactions and relationships. You could be the most skilled salesperson in the world, but if your clients, team, and leadership don’t trust you, the deals won’t close, and the talent won’t follow.
In sales, we often say, “people buy from people they know, like, and trust.” However, if you dig deeper, trust is the most critical factor. It’s the gateway to longevity, customer loyalty, and upselling opportunities. Sales leaders gain buy-in from their team not just through skill and strategy, but also through creating a culture of trust.
Becoming Unstoppable: Trust as a Two-Way Street
If you want to activate the full potential of OPM and OPT in your sales career or as a sales leader, the final piece of the puzzle is to become trustworthy yourself. As you invest in relationships, your reputation as a dependable figure will precede you. This not only opens doors to new opportunities but also brings in customer and employee retention—two critical metrics in sales performance.
Trust is not just about having others place their confidence in you, it’s also about you having confidence in them. Whether it’s trusting your team with significant responsibilities or your clients with your time and resources, this symbiotic relationship is the engine that powers the wealth-building machine.
In conclusion, if you want to change the trajectory of your sales career or take your sales team to new heights, start by focusing on Other People’s Trust. Once you have that, leveraging Other People’s Money and Other People’s Time and Talent becomes not just a strategy, but a sustainable formula for success.