Breaking Bad Sales Habits

By Brooke Bigley

This book discusses the terror that all salespeople, regardless of degree or experience, have when confronted with a critical decision. People with greater experience find it easier and pass through the emotional stages more quickly than others who are new to it. The difference lies in the amount of practice and careful preparation, as well as t

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brooke Bigley
• Release date: May 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088151938

Book preview

CHAPTER 1 – DEVELOPING THE PERSONALITY OF SALES

To be who we are and to be who we can be is the ultimate goal of life

Stecenson, Robert Louis

It takes an inside job to be a successful salesman. It is up to you to begin that task. When it comes to selling, your traits, not your product expertise and sales abilities, are more significant than the product or service you offer. In reality, your personal attributes account for 80% of the sale's success.

This is clearly illustrated by the fact that even in a down market, there are merchants who accomplish large sales with pricey, competitive items. On the other hand, there are individuals who only manage to make a few sales with unique items in a thriving industry.

SPIRIT OF THE GOLDEN ROUND

Mental stability is comparable to physical bragging in several ways. To maintain a healthy physique, one must eat well and exercise often. A decent mental health routine is required for mental health. Sales grow as well as mental comfort and a pleasant mood.

Top salespeople often have high self-esteem and confidence. Confidence demonstrates maturity in self-love and respect. The higher your self-esteem, the more confident you'll be approaching customers, promoting goods, and closing sales.

You will not sell if you are not assured. You'll find any reason not to speak with the customer, and you'll do whatever to escape rejection or failure.

Remember that if you love yourself, you will love others more. People will trust you and be more willing to purchase if you like them.

Offers from individuals we love are more likely to be accepted than those from persons we don't know well. We want to purchase from folks who really care about us. When you love and care for yourself, you will also love and care for others, increasing your chances of success.

OWN YOUR LIFE

How many people here work for themselves? I ask my own audience – mostly salesmen – on occasion.

Around ten to fifteen percent of the audience members raised their hands. How many individuals are really self-employed? I inquired again.

They gradually comprehended what I was talking about, one by one. Everyone raised their hands at the same moment. They all realize they are their own bosses all of a sudden.

The greatest mistake you've made is presuming you work for someone else rather than for yourself. You've always worked for yourself, from your first job until retirement. You're the CEO of your own company, and you're in charge of supplying the best services to the market at the most competitive costs. You're the only one who works for you. Your goal is to sell as much service as possible throughout your working hours.

Top salespeople accept full responsibility for themselves, what they do, and the consequences of their efforts. They don't like apologies or blaming others, and they certainly don't enjoy criticism or complaints. If anything happens, it's on me, they constantly say.

Do you consider yourself a self-employed individual?

People in the top 3% of all disciplines considered themselves self-employed, according to a research conducted in New York a few years ago. They labor as if it were their own business. THEY are to blame for all of life's difficulties. They take over the company's operations on their own, as if they own 100% of the company's stock.

A Fortune 500 sales manager described how he and his top salesman negotiated the final conditions of a $200 million deal with a key client. During the break, a client approached him and said, Is that guy the boss of your company? He pointed to the salesperson.

The sales manager, who knew his staff well, was taken aback. What makes you believe that? he inquired.

In every meeting with me, he constantly said my business and my personnel, my contract,... every time he addressed the company, the visitor said. He talked as though the corporation belonged to him entirely. Is that correct?"

Yes, in a manner, the sales manager answered with a grin."

YOU ARE IN CHARGE.

You are completely accountable as the director of your own firm. You train, grow, and upgrade your talents on a regular basis. Sales and marketing, manufacturing and quality control, personnel, and performance assessments are all within your authority.

It's astonishing how many individuals perceive themselves to be more passive than active. They passively wait for the firm to address the issue for them, rather than taking responsibility for their life and rectifying what isn't working. Many young individuals refuse to invest in their ability and character development. THEY REFUSE TO READ THE NEWSPAPER, LISTEN TO TV PROGRAMS, OR TAKE CLASSES. THEY WAIT for the corporation to take care of it. The corporation must not only pay them, but also provide them with time to grow their abilities and make more money.

ENJOYED LEARNING

Take advantage of as many training opportunities as feasible. Consider everything you've done in the past as a chance to gain new abilities. If the employer provides training, take advantage of it right away. All of your new talents are an investment in your future.

Today, you have complete control over everything. What you did in the past has resulted in the present. What you did and did not do has resulted in the money that can be produced now. Sometimes the things you don't do have a greater impact on your future than the ones you do.

WINNERS AND FAILERS

The distinction between winners and losers is obvious. All labor outcomes are always the responsibility of the winners. Losers are continually making reasons for their bad performance.

Self-justification is a sickness that plagues the vanquished. The departure of success is caused by this condition. Instead of seeking to improve, people with this disorder find excuses for all of life's obstacles.

The winner is the polar opposite. They are continually looking for answers to difficulties and obstacles they confront on a daily basis. If one method fails, they will attempt another. They are completely oblivious to the potential of failure.

READY TO WORK EXTREMELY HARD

The key difference between successful and ordinary salesmen is that successful individuals put in more effort. According to author Thomas Stanley's study in his book The Millionare Next Door, 85 percent of self-made persons he questioned believe hard work is the key to their success.

I'm not brighter than everyone else, but I'm always ready to work harder than them, successful individuals usually remark.

Ordinary folks desire to work hard and intend to do so. They intend to put in long hours - at some point in the future. They continually whine about how difficult their job is and how difficult they have to work, yet they aren't.

DO NOT WASTE TIME

The typical salesman squanders 50% of their time. These folks, according to studies, arrive at work a bit later, work a little slower, and leave a little early. They spend the majority of their working hours conversing with coworkers, working on personal projects, reading newspapers, sipping coffee, and surfing the Internet.

They come a bit sooner, work a little harder, and stay a little later than the losers. They continue to work after lunch and breaks. They work late at night and early in the morning. They make the most of every opportunity.

PAY IN ADVANCE OF SUCCESS

In a radio interview, Hunt, the owner of more than 200 businesses and once the world's wealthiest man, discussed his secret to success.

I've started and developed hundreds of businesses. With 50 years of expertise, I've identified just two critical success components.

To begin, figure out precisely what you want. The majority of individuals never do. Second, figure out how much you're willing to spend for what you want, then commit to paying that amount.

Top salespeople really want to succeed, and they're ready to pay the price up front in order to do so.

Desire and Ambition

The fundamental components of any great achievement are ambition and drive. To be clear, elite salespeople have higher sales aims and aspirations than the average salesperson.

They have a tremendous drive to achieve and a burning enthusiasm for it. They are unafraid to fail and are constantly eager to achieve.

Ordinary salesmen just consider how to generate enough money to cover their basic expenses. They reasoned that one additional order would be sufficient for an extra month. They don't feel that hard work is necessary for success.

ADDITIONAL EFFORT

A huge insurance business used to have a sales competition every November. Those that boost their average monthly sales by 35 percent will be rewarded with a two-week vacation in the Mediterranean.

The sales force seems to be energized during times of competition. They labor tirelessly all day and night in order to obtain the reward. In the last 30 days, ordinary salesmen who just averaged yearly sales have transformed into sales superstars.

When the corporation re-evaluated the sales of competent personnel in November of one year, they uncovered a harsh reality: the average salesman only sold three contracts per week throughout the year. However, they sold an average of four contracts every week in competition. Those that qualified for the Mediterranean holiday sold one additional contract every week by starting a bit earlier and working a little harder.

Managers demonstrated to their salespeople that by putting in a little additional work throughout the year, they could be among the top winners and earners throughout the year, not just once a year. During their 40-year tenure, this resulted in a huge boost in their earnings.

If a person begins selling at the age of 25 and retires at the age of 65, and if the average salesperson sells four things each month instead of three, they will earn the same amount of money. 10 years of hard labor In other words, they will be paid for 40 years of service in only 30 years, and their income will be paid 10 years early.

IF THERE IS NO AGREEMENT, THERE IS NO HOPE.

People sometimes tell me in my lectures that they are not ambitious. They are entirely content with their current financial situation. They produce enough money to cover their expenses and have no debts. They wanted to know what I could do for them if they didn't have a burning drive to do more than they had previously.

They have no chance, I grudgingly add, unless they have ambition. No one can assist them until they desire to have more and accomplish better than they did today. Some individuals are meant to follow, while others are destined to lead, I informed them. I have to say, you were born to be a follower." Ambition is necessary for tremendous achievement.

BUILDING ENGINEERING AND COMPREHENSION

Top professionals are also compassionate individuals that really care about their customers. Ambition, desire for success, empathy and genuine care for clients' interests is the secret to top sales performance.

Emotional Intelligence is more essential than IQ, according to Daniel Coleman, author of the book Emotional Intelligence. He describes emotional intelligence as the capacity to be attentive to the ideas, emotions, and moods of various individuals. He came to the conclusion that empathy is the most crucial attribute for forming and maintaining positive connections with others.

To understand your consumers, you must empathize with them and put yourself in their shoes. An empathic person is someone who is fearful of others and tries to comprehend their situations and needs by delving deep into their brains and souls. If you can comprehend Joe Jones through Joe Jones' eyes, you can sell Joe Jones what Joe Jones wants to purchase, goes the saying.

FORESIGHT

Empathy necessitates the development of a long-term perspective. The usual salesperson is just concerned with making a quick sale and has little consideration for long-term or future connections. Top salesmen, on the other hand, do the exact opposite. They consider selling to the consumer a second and third time after the first transaction. They even considered continuing to serve the visitor for another 20 years. Today, everything they do in engaging with clients is seen through a bigger lens. As a result, they have a higher level of empathy than the ordinary employee.

Every transaction is seen as a sales opportunity by incompetent staff. Top salespeople don't equate making a sale with building a long-term connection with a client.

IDEAL COMBINATION

Achieving long-term sales success requires striking a balance between ambition and empathy. If a salesman is too ambitious, he will show it by caring less about the consumer. However, if he seems too sympathetic, he will be unable to persuade the buyer