You may be struggling thinking, “What on Earth am I doing, I hate this job!”
I know, you fell into sales, and perhaps from there, sales management. I think of what powers me to prevent burnout and I think of these five words. So I want to deconstruct each one as an emotional manual for sellers in this quick post in reverse chronological order. Ruminate on each one, chew the cud.
Curiosity – Curiosity is my North star. How do I stay fired up when I prospect? I read profiles and really try to imagine this person’s challenges, their day-to-day, what’s driving them and what they care about. I’m laser focused on aligning the “why” I perceive in them to my “why.” I listen intently and try to figure out what makes each business model unique and each prospect like a snowflake. I empathize when customers lash out or go negative much like a child that needs my help or a friend who’s struggling with something in spite of themselves.
Obsession – Honestly, it takes obsession to be truly great at something. When you can’t sleep because you are up until 3 a.m. studying sales methodologies, you know that you are obsessed. My better half has to regulate me but I’m still going at 100 kilometers per hour in my mind palace. Are you obsessed about solving your customer’s problems – the ones they don’t even know they have? Are you obsessed about getting that key decision maker live even if they tell you “no.” Do you live for the thrill of finally speaking with them? Do you itch under your skin to get the deal closed?
Fever – Fever pitch, fever dream, I got a fever! And the only prescription.. is more cowbell!
Action – If you’re sitting reactively doing email, if you’re sitting period – you’re failing in sales. Get a standing desk and pound out 50 triples; call me in the morning. Get out of the office, never eat alone. Send out enabling YouTube videos, white papers, blogs and tidbits. Study your prospects and then call them to tell them something that would add value if they were a colleague, neighbor or friend that you actually wanted to help do better financially. Go network at all costs. Those conferences get pricey so make the case to your miserly CFO!
It’s not a cost center: conferences are a profit center. Bank on it! Your net worth is the size of your network. (h/t Rowley)
A good sales job interview question is, “Will you bank-roll me at relevant conferences 100 percent?” If hesitation, don’t work there – that’s an anti-sales culture.
Passion – Prospects smell fear. They also know that you just “fell into selling.” If you are not wildly passionate about your product and service and the company culture you’re a part of, quit now. You will never close and it will be a brutal uphill battle. If you follow the above emotions you may just unlock your passion for the space you’re in, even if it’s not the sexiest of verticals. Fall in love with the value your solution can and does deliver. Work for people with high integrity who share these five values.
Sales is the transference of belief. So you must believe in yourself and your solution to be credible.
May you live in interesting times and never be the same! What fires you up, gets you truly inspired and keeps that fire burning inside? Can you relate to these? How do you get your MOJO back day in day out?
Tony Hughes is a bestselling author, award-winning blogger and the most read LinkedIn author globally on the topic of B2B sales leadership. Tony’s most recent book is “Combo Prospecting.” He can be found at TonyHughes.com.au and RSVPselling.com.
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