Stay Open to Possibilities

"I Never Learned How Not To Do What I Can't Do"

Sales trainer Tibor Shanto heard the above expression on the radio the other day, and was taken with the fantastic outlook it presented. Here are his thoughts on how it applies to you as a sales professional:

"As a sales coach, and in corporate life I can't tell you how many times I have seen good sales people limit their opportunities by taking up the opposite mantra, and strictly focusing on how to succeed at not doing things they currently can't, won't or even consider doing," says Shanto. "Let's be clear - we are talking about perfectly legal things done daily by successful sales professionals every day. As a result they end up making less money than they could, but more importantly end up enjoying their jobs less than those open to possibilities."

"What I have always been curious about is where they learned that they can't do what they don't do, especially having never done those things. I have written before about the "I couldn't do that", but this is different; in that case those people were reluctant to change or take on new things. Here we are talking about people who cannot fathom the possibilities, rather than just reject them due to the effort or change involved.

The freedom of curiosity that come with the attitude of not learning what you don't know is not only liberating, but makes life fun even when faced with challenging and frustrating situations.

As a salesperson, I am challenged everyday, I know how failure and giving up looks and feels like, been there done that, it's OK and repetitive. But the wonder of the unknown, now that's a high, knowing how it ends, but not always knowing what it will take to get there, how deep inside I'll have to reach to get the deal, is exhilarating. What will I have to do to get the next high; the next grade of nastiness is much more rewarding than the outcome, i.e. a deal and the commission. But not giving it a go because one thinks they can't do it is just average - which is not you, right?

Tibor Shanto brings over 20 years of sales experience to Renbor Sales Solutions Inc., from telemarketing to leading a global sales team focused on providing top end solutions. Tibor has helped to improve performance for sales professionals in a wide variety of fields, from financial services to on-line B2B specialists.

Conserve Energy...Stop Complaining!

Mark Hunter has a great post on his blog. I know it's a reminder I should keep in mind!

From Mark's blog:

Regardless of how energetic you are, energy spent on complaining about something or somebody you don't have any control over is always wasted. The greatest assets any salesperson has are their time and intelligence. How you choose to spend the time you have each day is the easiest asset to control. There is a direct relationship between your energy level and the amount of time you have in your day. When we spend it complaining about something, we wind up placing our energy into an activity that has virtually zero return. Our complaining takes away our valuable energy and, as a result, our most prized resource: time.

Over the years, I've found that there is very little room for complaining among top performing salespeople. They would rather spend their energy and time developing customers and closing sales. Next time you're about ready to start complaining about something, take a deep breath, step back and ask yourself if it is really going to be constructive.

Read The Sales Hunter's latest thoughts and comments about consultative selling, sales development, and sales motivation techniques at www.thesaleshunter.com/blog

An Olympic Attitude

We learned a lot during the recent Olympics - about the athletes, the host county, China, and maybe a little too much about how much Michael Phelps eats every day. But mostly we learned lessons of inspiration. Kelley Robertson shares a very important sales lesson learned, not from a winner, but a loser...

"As I watched the Olympics last week, I was appalled by the behavior one athlete portrayed after losing her event," says Robertson. "Her words, tone of voice, and body language were extremely negative and her comments to an interviewer were far less than professional. Her bitterness was profoundly evident and this behavior dispelled any sympathy I had initially felt for her loss."

"I often encounter salespeople who show similar behavior," continues Robertson. "A competitor sneaks in and steals an account. A customer decides to buy an inferior product. Competitors become more predatory in their pricing. A deal falls through after several months of effort and perhaps a great deal of expense. The list could go on."

"Situations like this are a fact of life and business. How you respond makes a difference. If you allow yourself to become bitter, future situations will only compound your resentment and you will gradually find yourself struggling to meet your goals. However, if you evaluate the situation and determine what, if anything, you could have done differently to improve your results, your behavior will be much more positive."

"No one likes to lose a sale, especially a large one," says Robertson. "However, displaying bitterness will negatively affect your future efforts."

As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com

Don't React - Respond!

For the past week sales expert Keith Rosen has been discussing the "Top 10 Most Common Mistakes in Selling" on his blog. Number four on the list is about reacting to your clients rather than responding.

This common mistake pops up when your customer says something like "Your price is too high." At this point, "salespeople often switch into a defensive mode, thinking about a past experience with a similar customer, and react accordingly," says Rosen. "Remember that re-action is any action you have taken before. So, if you are continually reacting from the 'same place' you are going to continue to generate the same result."

"'Your price is too high' is not a question you need to defend," explains Rosen. "Instead of answering it, respond with a question such as, 'Before you ask me why my price is high, why do you feel the other price you got is lower?'"

Switch your thinking from a "react" mindset to a "respond" mindset and you'll see the difference in your relationships with your customers, and your sales.

Keith Rosen, The Executive Sales Coach, is one of the foremost authorities on how to assist people achieve positive, measurable change in their attitude and in their behavior. He is a well known and engaging author, speaker, and coach. Learn more by visiting Keith's website at www.profitbuilders.com.

A New Kind of Resolution

It's almost time for New Year's Resolutions. Besides the usual resolutions of eating better or exercising, how about making a commitment to helping your customers in any way you can?

I came across this tip from sales expert Dave Kahle, and was immediately impressed by the giving attitude (and how it can help you win more sales!) What a way to start the New Year.

"When a customer goes out of business in your territory, get the home addresses, phone numbers and resumes of your contacts," says Kahle. "When you hear of a position opening up somewhere, let them know about it. Try to help them find jobs in your area. Whether or not they find employment because of you, they will recognize that you tried to help. Keep in contact with them. It is possible that they will surface in a position of responsibility for some other company giving you a great opportunity to leverage your relationship into a new account."

Dave Kahle is president of The DaCo Corporation, a sales training and consulting firm. He is also a high-energy, high-content speaker, with a special gift for engaging his audiences and stimulating people to think. Learn more about Dave by visiting his website at www.DaveKahle.com.

Quote of the Week

"Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the sales man - not the attitude of the prospect." - W. Clement Stone

You're tired. You're having a bad day. Or worse, you don't believe you can succeed. Is it any wonder none of your sales calls are going well? Prospects can sense a poor attitude from miles away - and won't be interested in talking with you.

Make a commitment to yourself that you'll convey a positive outlook this week. You'll feel better and notice a difference in your sales.

I find that when I'm tired or cranky (which almost never happens!) taking a moment to think about fun weekend plans, or an upcoming trip, often puts a smile on my face and makes my calls much more positive. What triggers do you use to transform a bleak outlook into a positive attitude? -- Kelly