(By Loyd Ford) Motivation is a big factor in sales, and it should be simple. But is it? If you’re in sales and honest with yourself, you know that self-excuses are everywhere. All sellers have rationalizations that follow them around like a bad cold if they allow it.
This isn’t a good time to approach XYZ client.
They won’t want to buy this.
This costs too much.
The fact is that sales is challenging because it involves so much psychology: Yours, your potential clients, and your existing clients.
What can you control? Only your effort, your consistency, and your motivation.
We all know that consistency and effort revolve heavily around discipline. The disciplined are often the winners.
What about motivation?
First, recognize that your brain plays tricks on you.
It’s not fair. Life isn’t what you see. It’s a psychological construct of how you view the world and events. This is why some people are considered positive and some are considered negative.
To create motivation, focus on what you can control. Work to control your attitude toward the things that happen to you. It all begins with replacing a few words and shuffling things around.
Instead of saying “Why did this happen to me?” learn to say, “This is happening for me” and look at your sales job as a journey you are on. A moving journey is not rejection because it isn’t over. It’s a process.
While the standard advice about creating motivation includes:
- Set small goals to build momentum
- Track your progress
- Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones
- Embrace positive peer pressure
- Practice gratitude (including for yourself)
Hear me. Do all of those things. They are good solid fundamentals that can help you literally grow motivation.
But let’s add others:
- Learn to control your self-talk about accomplishment, rejection, impairments, and success
- Keep a daily journal on your selling efforts so you can reflect, see any demotivating trends, and stop them in their tracks
- Create activity boosters throughout your selling day that involve positive direct prospect contact
I’m a huge believer in that last one. Create activity boosters throughout your selling day. Creating ways to generate positive leads and placing yourself in regular positive situations where you can solve problems for advertisers that can become your clients and existing clients that are available for you to grow deeper relationships.
Doing that creates momentum and motivation together.
Finally, there are two things I recommend every seller think about doing.
- Look for a model. Anyone who knows me may be familiar with something I say all the time. “If you can see it, you can do it.” Or “If you can see it, you can sell it.” Try to select a model (seller) who is “above your pay grade” so you can see a working model of someone who is selling at a level or two above you and learn from their activity and attitudes. If you can, get to know them. Don’t be afraid to ask them for help.
- Get a mentor or a full “board of advisers” to help you stay positive, focused, and effective in your sales role. Mentors can help guide you and help you create momentum (especially in your psychology).
The truth is that you have to commit to creating momentum. It doesn’t consistently just occur. Don’t take things personally. There’s no return on investment in that. It’s just a waste of your time. And make this your mantra to grow your momentum regularly: Keep going.
Loyd Ford is president and chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC). They help local radio with ratings and revenue. Reach him anytime at 864.448.4169 or [email protected]. Read Loyd’s Radio Ink archives here.
