Sales and the Mind
I am in the process of writing a book about selling using hypnosis and NLP as tools to connect to others and sell more effectively. However, this article is not about how to sell, this article is about the sales person. Everyone has heard the saying “he could sell ice to an Eskimo”. That is because an excellent sales person will have the attitude and mindset that is positive and determined. A truly inspired sales person will literally be able to sell anything to almost anyone.
I see many who sell in my practice. They are usually high energy interesting people. They can also tend to be more emotional, nervous, anxious and fearful. Unfortunately those emotions can be the downfall of many in sales. The average sales person is completely controlled by their sales performance instead of their sales being in their control. What I mean by this is that their mood, attitude and behavior directly correlate to how much they are selling.
If they are having a great week they are energized. Their attitude is positive. They are organized and getting things done. If on the other hand they are having a bad week, their mood is very negative. They tend to get angry and frustrated. Their energy is low.
This behavior is an example of negative emotional behavior. When a person is in control of their emotions, they can be resilient through the natural ebb and flow that takes place in any sales/business cycle. Too much focus on the result often times initiates this problem. We all want results. That is why back in the early 80’s when I started my “headhunting” business in a room in my house I went to a hypnotherapist instead of a talk therapist. Hypnotherapy is results oriented. However, when we focus too much on the result instead of on the process, often we get hung up on the “no’s” before we have a chance to get to the “yes’s”.
When I work with those in sales we start with changing their attitude and by doing so the behavior changes. To have the ability to see past the no to the next call. To develop unstoppable self confidence. To not let that little negative voice takeaway any possibility of turning the day around. To be able to take action without over thinking.
Some ways to help yourself are:
- Take responsibility for where you are in life. Blaming others will never make you rich.
- Remember the things that you have achieved. Everyone has something they have accomplished.
- Stand tall. Your physiology will affect your psychology and the way you stand, facial expression and yes, even the way you breathe will have an impact on mood and energy.
- Get away from the computer and phone. Take a walk outside and get energized.
- Use a positive word or phrase to get going. I love “onward and upward”.
- Get enough quality sleep-this will have a major impact on your mood.
Use these tools and see what happens. When you start to notice that you feel better and your sales are improving, don’t stop! Keep doing what works and it will continue to improve your mental game of selling.
