Sales Success: It's All in Your Head

When I was losing weight, I would sometimes convince myself that my plan to lose weight would allow me to have a couple chocolate truffles here and a few doughnuts there. Intellectually, I know that chocolate truffles and doughnuts are not foods that are known for their nutritional value or for their ability to create weight loss. 

Yet, I somehow convinced myself that "just this once" was okay, even if "just this once" happened several times per week, and even if it didn't include truffles or doughnuts but instead included french fries or pork ribs. Although the weight I was carrying was in my body, it was allowed to stay there (and grow) because of what was in my head. 

As it turns out, I wouldn't lose weight in my body until I took responsibility for what was in my head. Crazy thinking leads to crazy behavior.

Selling can be like that, too. 

We know that there is a path to success in sales. We've learned this path either from others in our company (colleagues, mentors) or from our salespeople parents, or from books we've read, educational seminars we've been to, from our sales manager, or from our experience. Yet, our crazy thinking creeps up on us, and we start to believe we can take shortcuts, yet achieve the same level of success.

So we don't upsell, or make the number of calls we're supposed to make. We don't follow the sales script or follow all the steps as defined in our sales manual. We talk about features but leave out the benefits. We convince ourselves our prospects don't want to hear what we have to say, or won't accept the price increase the company has just announced.

So our crazy sales thinking sabotages our real world sales success. We become our own worst enemy instead of being our own best supporter and cheerleader. We move backward instead of forward.

Your head will tell you...

... whether to greet the next prospect in your store or office with sincere gusto or with dreadful monotony.

... whether you'll be able to sell your widgets at $1150 instead of the old price of $1000.

... whether to practice a sales script until you know it or dismiss it as unnecessary or unimportant.

... whether to work until 5:00 on Friday afternoon or sneak out at 2:00 (haven't you already done that the last seven Fridays?)

... whether to put in the little bit of extra effort to do this or that instead of choosing the easy way.

... whether your prospect is a prospect or isn't a prospect (because it doesn't look like they can't afford your product or service, or they don't look like your typical customer.

... whether you learn or get stale, whether you energize yourself or bore yourself, whether you reach for the stars or don't bother reaching at all.

Sales success: It's all in your head. And whatever is in there will determine how successful you become. 

  

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment. Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies that sell to consumers in all B2C sectors to increase sales by leveraging the buying potential of every prospect and shopper.

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Comments

[Credit Cards Canada]

Great post. So many people self-sabotage. As it is with those chocolate truffles "just this once", so it is with spending. "Yay! We put down $50 extra on our credit card balance." ..so we can go out and treat ourselves (often to more than $50 worth of unnecessities.

You hit the nail on the head about control and discipline.

[Scott Sylvan Bell]

In the end it is the ability of the sales people to focus and stay on top of what they need to in order to make more sales instead of short cutting the sales process. There is no quick fix or snake oil for sales people except for the hard work needed.

[Donothan Gamble]

This article definitley captures the importance of success beginning with yourself. I think a lot times people put to much of there fate in someone elses hands

[Lynn Hayes]

I wholeheartedly agree with you when you say that sales success is all in your head. And you're right. Sales people can be their own worst enemies when it comes to their attitude and how they approach the whole notion of selling their products and services. That’s been my exact experience when training insurance producers. Any ideas on how to customize your sales training for producers?

[Skip]

Do you mean producers as in "high producers" versus "non-producers?"

[Lake Placid Real Estate]

This is the great blog, Really i agree with you,We know that there is a path to success in sales. We've learned this path either from others in our company (colleagues, mentors) or from our salespeople parents, or from books we've read, educational seminars we've been to, from our sales manager, or from our experience.
Lake Placid Real Estate

[Finance For The Non Financial Manager]

Thanks for this! This is very encouraging.

[Wesley]

You're absolutely right, it is all in the head. It's a pity that Management keeps trying to get into the sales persons head and mess with it!