--- title: If You Want Faster Results Find a Model | The Sales Blog description: Selling is very much like swimming. You can’t learn to swim by reading a book about swimming, and you can’t learn to sell by reading a book about sales (although reading books after you spend some time in the deep end will help you tremendously). When it comes to producing results, there is no substitute […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2013-02-15-at-8_41_33-PM.png --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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You can’t learn to swim by reading a book about swimming, and you can’t learn to sell by reading a book about sales (although reading books after you spend some time in the deep end will help you tremendously). When it comes to producing results, there is no substitute for experience. But you don’t have to rely on your [experience](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/but-what-i-really-want-to-know-is-are-you-experienced) alone. You can learn to produce results faster my modeling people who have already had some of the experiences you haven’t. You can model people who are already producing the results you want. There are three things you to modeling: their beliefs, their behaviors, and their language. #### Modeling Beliefs Once someone learns how to succeed at a high level in any endeavor, they adopt a certain set of [beliefs](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/but-you-are-infected) that enable that success. Early in my career, I had a sales manager ride along on my sales calls. He was horrified by my long, coma-inducing recitation of our entire proposal. He insisted I ride along with him. I believed our proposal was necessary to winning business. He believed it was completely unnecessary. After I watched him close deal after deal without making a long, detailed pitch, he convinced me to change my belief. A change in [belief](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-natural-consequences-of-beliefs-and-actions) always precedes a change in behavior. #### Modeling Behaviors People who succeed in any endeavor take a certain set of actions that produce the results that make them successful. We’ll go back to visit the sales manager I modeled. When I was young, I thought selling meant talking. The sales manager that I modeled thought selling was [listening](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/4-ways-to-improve-your-communication-skills-for-sales). He spent more time listening than talking. He won deals with fewer words than I believed possible. And he listened in a way that proved that he cared about the client. I’ve never been as quiet as the sales manager I modeled. But I did learn to become every bit as good at listening. It’s one the many behaviors I’ve learned by modeling someone that was already succeeding in an area that I wanted to improve. #### Modeling Language Modeling beliefs and behaviors will work to help you succeed faster in any human endeavor. But [language](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/increased-confidence-through-planned-dialogues) is particularly important for salespeople. Here is one more from the sales manager I modeled. My sales manager produced great sales results by asking great [questions](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-power-question-that-doubles-your-understanding). He was older than I was, and he had much more experience. He had an arsenal of powerful questions that helped our prospective clients think through their business challenges. I didn’t have enough experience to ask these questions. I didn’t have the language either. But by listening and paying attention, I started to capture his language—and some of his business acumen—and I weaved them into my sales interactions. Modeling powerful language can help you produce the same outcome as the successful salesperson you are modeling. If you want to (or need to) produce better results faster, find a model. Model what they believe, the actions they take based on those beliefs, and they language they use with themselves and with others. #### Questions Who have you modeled in the past? Who could you model now that is already producing the results that you want? If you have a model in mind, what do they believe that you don’t yet believe? How are their actions different then yours? What language do they use to communicate with themselves and others?   ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [Sales Training](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales-training) [2013](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2013) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on February 15, 2013 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. [![DOWNLOAD EBOOK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/c9f553be-fbba-4813-9199-95c1603472e7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/c9f553be-fbba-4813-9199-95c1603472e7) ## Are You Ready To Solve Your Sales Challenges? ![Anthony-Solve-Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Anthony-Solve-Sales.png?width=290&height=221&name=Anthony-Solve-Sales.png) Hi, I’m Anthony. I help sales teams make the changes needed to create more opportunities & crush their sales targets. What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2024-09-05T11:19:41 AM", "datePublished" : "2013-02-15 20:55:27", "description" : "Selling is very much like swimming. You can’t learn to swim by reading a book about swimming, and you can’t learn to sell by reading a book about sales (although reading books after you spend some time in the deep end will help you tremendously). 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