(By Loyd Ford) In today’s radio world, there is a lot of noise and downward pressure, especially in sales. In a world that is already littered with rejection, even more downward pressure brought on by 2+ years of Covid World makes for a messy situation.
However, it is the perfect kind of environment to apply radio’s 21st Century I Cans to the problem. By the way, I don’t mean waiting for someone else to give out awards and encouragement. If you are in sales leadership, I’m speaking directly to you.
Applying A Broader Paint Brush To Sales
We are all familiar with our own internal voice that sometimes just says, “I can’t.” This voice actually gets louder in times of stress, but the real winners in your sales department often have some way to overcome the I Cant’s.
They are your winners.
Alternative Universe To The I Can’t Voice
There is a popular saying that goes, “If you tell yourself you can’t, you probably can’t.” In other words, you are what you say you are. So, why not hear that voice and change the use of the words? Accepting you can’t do something is giving up or giving in. That won’t earn you any awards in sales as you know and it certainly won’t increase your income.
Take “I can’t” when you hear it and change it to “How Can I _______?” This gives your brain a reason to keep thinking up solutions to the problems everyone in sales faces day in and day out and gives you opportunity to overcome the challenges.
Once you prove that you can overcome challenges with creativity, you become unlimited.
Finally, What Can Sales Managers Do?
Perhaps it is time to turn your sales meetings on their head and present monthly I Can Awards. Encourage success. Encourage disconnecting “I can’t” from being accepted by your AEs.
Showcase those moments where AEs overcome, fight back, get creative and smoke the competition.
While all sales managers probably do work hard to eliminate the I can’t mentality, launching your own internal I Can Awards allows you to stand the voice inside everyone’s head on end and gives you a shot to stop “I can’t” when you are not with your sellers.
It’s easier to influence your sellers when they are right in front of you. What happens when they are on their own often makes the difference.
The power of local radio sales is creativity. The more you can inspire your team to be creative, the more they will overcome, engage, go forth and prosper. That’s a future we all want for local radio.
Loyd Ford is president and chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC). Reach Loyd at 864.448.4169 or [email protected].
