One thing that successful (sales) people have in common, is their ability to translate rejection and failure into learning and achievement.
Sales people appreciate rejection is part of the sales job. When they lose a deal, they review what went wrong, press their re-set button and move to the next prospective sales opportunity. They are resilient and have the skills, knowledge and attitude needed to stay in the game no matter the odds or the number of times they fail.
So what is this sales resilience and, more importantly, how do we develop it ?
I believe sales resilience is defined in terms of skills, knowledge and attitude:
Sales Resilience Skills
Sales skills develop sales resilience. Communications skills such as producing effective emails, asking the right questions and presenting products in a compelling manner, help to build robust selling systems that quickly home in on good prospects. Prospects that are not in the market to buy are identified too and put in the back of the queue. A good sales process is a framework of repeatable steps that identify, develop and win sales opportunities. Learn how to use this framework and your sales resilience will improve. Trust the journey you are on. The sales process is well rehearsed by many before us.
Sales Resilience Knowledge
Understanding why sales resilience is important and how it forms part of the sales role, helps to build resilience. When I started in sales, I took any rejection personally. I thought prospects were saying no to me as a person. It was not until I learned they were saying no to a voice on the telephone or a product they did not believe in, my sales resilience went up. So expect obstacles to occur and don’t take it personally. Learn about objection handling techniques and why prospects resist change. Understand the buying process as well as the selling process. Knowledge increases confidence and confidence builds sales resilience.
Sales Resilience Attitude
Our attitude towards obstacles and rejection is instrumental in building sales resilience. Our view of the world shapes our behaviours. The glass is half full or half empty. It is our choice to decide what it is.
A positive attitude means optimism, hope and belief that if things do not work, success lies around the corner. From personal experience I can report that activity = results. When there are few prospects in the sales pipeline, it needs to be filled. I believe this, therefore I will pick up the phone and start dialling despite the rejection that is going to follow.
Here are 8 tips to change your attitude and embrace challenge:
- Develop your attitude by mixing with positive people. Their attitude will fuel yours. I would avoid the negative people at all cost. They are likely to pull your down in their world of destructive sales thoughts.
- Earlier I mentioned we should trust the journey we are on. Every obstacle, every call not answered, every presentation and every lost deal, are part of that journey. Embrace them and decide to view these as learning opportunities.
- Visualise your end results before your start. Image how it will feel when you bring in that big deal the company needs.
- Remind yourself how far you have come and what you are good at.
- Invest in your personal development and read books, attend seminars or webcasts about Positive Mental Attitude (PMA). Other have gone before you and you are not alone.
- See any setback as a real life example to reflect and learn.
- Take personal ownership and accountability when things do not work out. Don‘t blame others for your current lack of success.
- Strap yourself in and go for it!
Sales resilience is something all successful people have in common. The good news is that when broken down in skills, knowledge and attitude, sales resilience can be improved so you become unstoppable in sales.
If your sales team needs to build its sales resilience, feel free to get in touch.
When (today) will you start?
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