In my last blog post, I wrote about the specific sales skills that work in any economy: prospecting, strategic selling, and negotiation. Hone them if you want to slump-proof your sales!
But the reality is, all the skills in the world simply won’t work until you’ve honed one, in particular—aka your “selling superpower.”
It’s MINDSET.
A huge percentage of your sales success (and the success of your team members) comes down to mindset, or mental attitude.
The good news is that mindset is like a muscle: with the right exercise and training, you can strengthen it, and see the rewards!
Mindset comprises several key components:
- A desire for success, better known as drive or grit. It sounds obvious, I know, but only those salespeople with an ongoing desire for continued success will achieve it. Those who are comfortable with the status quo simply won’t persevere, especially through tougher economic times.
Tip: Think about the reasons you want to be successful. Whether it’s to pay off debt, take your family on vacation, or become financially self-reliant, a strong connection to your “why” can help you stay motivated.
- A commitment to do whatever it takes. A changing economy often requires different approaches, as I explained in my last email. Those salespeople who are willing to go outside their comfort zones and do it all—cold calling, in-person meetings, presentations, whatever—are going to sell more than those who aren’t.
Tip: Be open to learning new things and pivoting when required, always keeping your “why” in mind.
- Personal responsibility. Those who examine their own role in every situation and take responsibility for how they may be able to contribute to a better outcome the next time are far more likely to be successful in sales. There is almost always room for improvement. Eliminate blame and excuses, and look for what you can do better, and you’ll see your profits increase.
Tip: When something doesn’t go your way (or even when it goes), do a debrief (with yourself or someone you trust) to examine how you could improve the process from your end.
- Positivity and resilience. Those who can see opportunity in an ever-changing economy, and who view a challenge with optimism, will inevitably take their sales to new heights much more quickly than a pessimist.
Tip: For every “challenge” you consider, think about a potential path to overcoming it.
- Confidence. The need to earn every client’s approval can zap a salesperson’s success. Confidence will carry you through those tough conversations to the sale.
Tip: Practice, practice, practice! The best way to overcome something you’re uncomfortable with is to force yourself to do it. These things get easier with time.
- Belief—in oneself, the product, and the process. Self-limiting beliefs (“I can’t do this,” “This process will never work,” “Why would someone buy from me?”) can come up and sabotage success in any profession.
Tip: Although self-limiting beliefs can be sneaky, you can identify them (this is the first step to overcoming them). Pay attention to the stories in your mind when it comes to sales, and notice which ones you tell yourself when things feel tough. Remind yourself that these limiting beliefs are typically not true and find evidence to the contrary.
- Emotional intelligence. Salespeople who can keep their cool and stick to the sales process, no matter how the conversation is going, are more likely to get to “yes.”
Tip: Come to each sales conversation with your best skills honed; work the process without being attached to the outcome.
- Comfort around money. This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many salespeople are uncomfortable discussing money, finances, and budgets with prospects. Feeling awkward around these topics can cause salespeople to skip important parts of the process, such as qualifying the buyer effectively.
Tip: Practice having money-related conversations with someone you know well, and role play, so you become more at ease and natural.
- Develop empathy for all types of buyers. In many cases, salespeople are more empathetic to buyers whose buying processes resemble their own (impulse buying, anyone?). For example, if you like to take time to consider a purchase, you may miss out on closing a sale because you believe a prospect likes time, too.
Tip: Do your best not to base your selling process on your own buying process.
As I mentioned, the good news about mindset is that a person can continually improve it. A good sales assessment will help determine a salesperson’s strengths and weaknesses (for example, someone may be lacking knowledge, or they may lack implementation—which is a mindset issue).
Coaching your salespeople—and especially your manager, through these issues can lead to vast improvements in profits, and isn’t that what everybody wants?
