Are you a new sales professional or thinking about becoming one? If so, I would suggest that you learn the correct way from the start.
New Sales Professionals: It’s About Learning
It’s all in your head, your attitude so open your mind, believe that anything is possible, learn, put in the time, make your mistakes, get help, have fun and never give up. “The World Is Yours”.
Just remember, if someone else has found success in sales, so can you!
Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. in her book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”, talks about a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
In short, she states that people with a fixed mindset have the belief that they are born with their talents, abilities, and intelligence. Thus removing their desire for developing more.
With a growth mindset, people believe that they can develop their abilities at the time and with hard work. Furthermore, they love to learn and have the inspiration to succeed.
Prepare for Success
When first starting a career in sales, there are some situations that may detour you. Knowing what they are will mentally prepare you for success.
1.The Roller Coaster Effect – especially for 100% commission salespeople. In other words, having the mental stamina to survive over a time period of having without sales until you have a steady flow.
Example: You make a sale, and you’re really motivated. Maybe another sale, then you go through a period of no sales. Then you make another deal. It’s up and down like a roller coaster.
By having grit, determination and consistency you will eventually overcome this period and find success. I couldn’t tell you how many time I wanted to quit, but I kept going and you can too.
2.How to handle rejection in sales is very important or you won’t last too long. Are you determined and motivated to brush of rejection and keep going? Or, how can you learn to deal with this?
Thoughtful Questions to Consider
New people who decide to get into sales have so much to learn and I’d like to start by posing the following questions for thought:
Why did you decide to become a salesperson?
What do you have to offer that will make you good at selling?
How do you know that a career in sales right for you?
What motivates you?
Are you a great listener?
How do you know that you are learning the right way?
What does a high performer have over a low performer?
What can you do to overcome the ups and downs that new agents face? Do you know what they are?
What are your values and how do they relate to your success?
How do you feel about calling on strangers?
What are your expectations?
How do you view salespeople?
How do you handle rejection?
What is your mindset about your potential clients, how do you view them?
Myth
1. All great salespeople are born that way.
Really, I wasn’t born a salesperson. I was shy as a kid and to note that everything about selling I learned and you can too.
2. Only good talkers and extroverts make great salespeople.
I heard years ago that some of the best salespeople are introverts. It makes sense if you think about it because they listen to what others say. And listening is one of the prime skills required in selling. How else, are you going to find out the “needs” of your prospects and how you can help them? I’ve seen big talkers, talk themselves out of the sale.
3. Good salespeople are aggressive
News to me! My cousin who has never seen me sell came with one day. After I wrote the deal, he said that I was the complete opposite of what he thought I would be like selling.
His vision of me was that of a pushy, vociferous and aggressive salesperson.
Meanwhile, I was calm, listened, asked questions and assisted my client by helping them get what they wanted.
If you are aggressive or pushing, learn to control yourself or you will have no clients.
4. Sales professionals will say anything to get the deal, that’s are they care about getting – the deal and the money!
First of all, it’s not about selling people, it’s about helping them get what they need. It about honesty and integrity.
It’s about asking questions and finding out how you can help your client. Any money a salesperson makes is only a bi-product of doing the right thing by helping your client.
At the end of the day, it’s all about ‘mindset’, ‘skills’ and having a ‘system’. All of which is learnable