Sales success is something every sales person is striving for. But in an environment where the resistance to buy is higher, decisions take longer, and the competition is fierce, the goal of achieving sales success can be elusive - which can lead even the most level-headed sales person to reach for ideas, tactics and techniques that will not serve them.

There is a tremendous amount of sales training material available. If you are the type of person who believes in continuous learning and are always looking for ways to improve your skills or gain an edge, you've probably already purchased many of these books, tapes, DVDs and other programs. Have you ever purchased a sales program that sounded great when you bought it but once you received it you discovered you are not able to implement the ideas and tactics it recommended?

Before you spend another penny on a sales training program (whether it's your money or your company's money), make sure it is based on these four principles that will provide an infallible road to your professional development and sales success.

Know your strengths. If you're serious about improving as a sales professional, it pays to have a detailed understanding of your strengths and the skills you've developed. Many sales training programs take a "one-size-fits-all" approach. What would happen to your results if the program you used was designed to help you build on your strengths (rather than just assume everyone is starting at the same place)?

Understand your weaknesses. Half of being smart is knowing what you're dumb at. What weaknesses are holding you back? More importantly, do you have any hidden weaknesses that can neutralize your strengths? Do these weaknesses get in the way when you try new sales moves or tactics? What would happen to your results if you could have a sales training program tailored to help you address your specific weaknesses?

Blended learning delivers better results. Getting new information into your brain multiple ways will help you increase results. Repetition is critical to learning and it is even more powerful when you receive the same information in a visual setting, reinforced with audio, and then reinforced again with live learning. What would happen to your results if you had access to a training program designed to deliver information in a blended learning environment?

Ownership. Nobody else is responsible for the results you produce. It's up to you and only you. The decisions you make today will have a profound impact on the results you produce tomorrow. Are you doing everything you can to improve your skills and upgrade your sales knowledge? Do you want to improve your results and are you willing to do whatever it takes to get better? What would happen to your sales results if you really took ownership of your destiny and made the commitment to build on your strengths and address your weaknesses once and for all?

Now that you know these four bedrock principles, take ownership of them and apply them when you make the decision to be committed to sales success.