In today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist, our show host Donald Kelly meets with Roger Smith to talk about why you should establish a sales belief system, as well as how to actually establish one. The Importance of a Sales Belief System When Smith first started as a sales rep for his company, whenever he was closing the deal, he would VISIBLY shake. It got to the point where he believed the buyer thought he was having some sort of seizure. He knew that if he wanted to combat this and improve as a seller, he was going to have to work hard. VERY hard. Smith learned early on that, without a belief system, sellers would start running into issues. Specifically, doubt would start to form. As doubt continued to grow in the seller's mind, the likelihood of successfully making the sale would decrease. Without a belief system in place, sellers start to doubt themselves. The Four Foundations of a Belief System Once Smith knew just how CRITICAL a belief system is, he then identified four critical things that make up the belief system. The first aspect of a sales belief system is believing in yourself. Having belief in yourself and your selling prowess creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your actions will NATURALLY gravitate towards successfully making sales. So you, as a seller, need to do things to INCREASE your self-belief. Smith worked tirelessly to master his craft as a seller. This mastery naturally improved his confidence, which then led to him becoming a better seller. Think about your weaknesses as a seller. Address them and work to correct them. This all leads to confidence, translating to you becoming a BETTER seller. Confidence naturally improves when you see results. So make sure you’re seeing results, or working towards them! The second aspect of a sales belief system is believing in your product or service. Just like how having self-confidence is key, having confidence in whatever you’re selling is key. Think about it: If you don’t trust or believe in what you’re selling, then why should your buyer Understanding EVERYTHING about what you’re selling is critical to believe in it. Know the pros AND cons of whatever you’re selling. If you know the pros and cons of your product/service, then you’ll also know just HOW MUCH the pros outweigh the cons. This will, naturally, improve your confidence in what you’re selling. The third aspect of a sales belief system is believing in your leadership. Smith uses the analogy of a car to describe this: Imagine your sales career as a 4-wheeled car. If one of the tires is flat, then the car won’t run optimally. Understanding WHERE your leadership is going and WHY they make certain decisions is key to gaining confidence in them. Think about it: You’re naturally not going to trust something you don’t understand. So understand your leadership! Don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn. With more knowledge, you’ll start getting that NECESSARY confidence. The fourth and final aspect of a sales belief system is believing in your company. You have to understand that every company is serving SOMEONE. If it’s a public company, it’s serving shareholders. If it’s a private company, it’s serving the leadership and employees. Understanding this will help you create that belief. Again, knowledge is power. UNDERSTAND YOUR COMPANY. Ask questions about the company’s decisions. If you don’t agree with a particular choice that’s been made, say something about it or gather information on WHY that decision was made. Keep an open mind, and remember EVERY decision made is to help whoever the company is serving.                 It’s true in life, as well as in sales: Confidence is key. Having confidence in yourself, your product, your leaders, and your company will all create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your mindset and beliefs are what push your actions. So believe! If you want to get in touch with Roger Smith, or learn more about belief systems, you can check out his website at www.rogersmith.me. You can also