Positivity. Optimism. Confidence. They’re the traits that successful sales managers and salespeople seem to have in common. Yet contrary to popular belief, many salespeople are victims of negative self-talk. In fact, according to the National Science Foundation, 80% of the thousands of thoughts the average person has each day are negative. Moreover, the competitive, high-achieving cultures typical of the sales profession can trigger self-deprecating evaluation. At some point in their careers, up to 82% of professionals experience Imposter Syndrome, the persistent belief that someone lacks talent despite evidence of their capabilities.
Not surprisingly, a negative self-perception is devastating for sales professionals who must confidently take risks, pursue high-value opportunities and engage effectively with clients. Eventually, having low self-esteem becomes self-fulfilling – reducing motivation, limiting productivity and achievements, hindering professional growth, and lowering team effectiveness. It’s a significant issue that sales professionals and leaders need to recognize and address. What can they do to overcome negative self-talk? The following guidelines are proven to be effective.
Own Their Mindset
The first – and most important – step is to internalize three incredibly powerful words:
“I am responsible.”
Once sales professionals recognize that they alone are responsible for their attitudes, their performance and, ultimately, their success, it shifts everything.
It’s simple. And it’s logical. Salespeople don’t shift their outcomes without first adjusting their mindset. If someone thinks they’re not capable or they’re average, they will be. By owning a firm belief in themselves as winners, salespeople can initiate real, long-term transformation and overcome negative self-perceptions.
According to Henry Cloud, author of “Boundaries for Leaders,” the difference between average and extraordinary performers lies in two key areas: self-belief and prioritization. The best performers believe in themselves and believe in where they are going…they use positive self-talk, such as “I’m going to be number one.” Secondly, they prioritize their actions to ensure they meet their aspirational goals.
This leads to the next stages in building confidence:
Replace negative self-talk with positive reinforcement.
Salespeople need to become more self-aware, asking themselves, “Where is all this negative talk coming from?” Establishing a habit of journaling, capturing thoughts throughout the day, can help them actively recognize – and adjust – negative thinking. For example:
- Identify what they are saying to themselves upon waking each morning. If the language is negative, acknowledge it and correct it.
- Recognize negative thoughts throughout the day and take a moment to adjust those thoughts to positive outlooks.
- Before a sales call, write their thoughts about themselves. After the call, recognize what they did well and what they were thinking during the meeting.
- At the end of the day, journal what they are grateful for so that they go to sleep with a positive mindset.
We are all products of what we think and say. And yes, positive affirmation works. By recognizing and changing every negative position to positive thinking, salespeople can retrain their brains to believe in themselves and strengthen their confidence in their talents.
Define their North Star – and the path to reaching it.
The majority of salespeople who self-sabotage their efforts tend to often focus on simply executing. They don’t identify their foundational purpose – their “Why.” What are their immediate sales goals and long-term career aspirations? Why are these successes personally important? And what lifestyle goals influence a need to achieve? Is it a faster path to retirement? Providing stability for family and college educations for kids?
Without that vision, it can be difficult to establish clear goals and the path to achieving them. To strengthen their confidence, sales professionals must understand their underlying mission and set those goals down to the minutia. Sales leaders can help their teams by guiding them to internalize why their efforts matter. Have them visualize how they can perform successfully. And define the metrics – what does success look like? This enhances their ability to see and believe in their goals…and themselves.
From there, encourage sales professionals to follow a 12-week year. By breaking down goals into smaller periods of time and identifying short-term milestones, it makes the achievements easier to envision and accomplish. And success breeds success: celebrating small, short-term wins leads to more of the same.
Adopt Winners’ Habits
Pursuing other key attributes of accomplished salespeople will naturally enable success and, in the process, will deliver more positive self-talk:
Improve time management – Never underestimate the importance of using time wisely. Persistent efforts against revenue-generating activities are key. Prioritize such actions as client meetings and prospecting calls by identifying them on the calendar in green – the color of money. Establish a structured process for pursuing prospects. For example, block 8 to 11 a.m. each morning for solid prospecting. Consistency enables confidence by delivering positive long-term results. Make this non-negotiable.
Nurture clients – Successful salespeople take steps to avoid ever losing a client. Own relationships and focus on strengthening them. Touch base regularly, asking for and addressing feedback. Remember, the best salespeople ask great questions and show they care.
Meet every commitment – This is central to the earlier point of nurturing clients. Successful sales professionals build trust by consistently doing what they say they will do at the exact time they promised they would do it. Follow through with every commitment by remaining organized and maintaining a detailed calendar. Relying on a customer relationship management (CRM) system helps manage and analyze customer interactions, making it easier to strengthen relationships and meet deadlines.
Become a lifelong learner – Successful salespeople are deeply committed to learning. They recognize and emulate what the people they admire are doing. They also establish relationships with other high achievers and seek mentors who offer actionable advice. Peer support is also helpful. Team up with other salespeople who are equally eager to excel. Meet regularly to exchange honest critiques and hold one another accountable.
Overcoming the detriments of negative self-talk requires patience and consistency. Accepting personal responsibility for the issue and taking small, regular steps will turn thoughts like, “I’m not capable” to “I’m headed for the top.” And remember, there is no such thing as failure. Mistakes are simply opportunities to gain the wisdom that’s foundational to every successful sales professional.
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