We are making great progress on exploring our list of 14 things great salespeople do that average salespeople only think about. Here’s #7:
7. Great salespeople are optimists, not just while on the job, but in everything they do.
They’re the people others gravitate toward in all types of situations, and as a result, they understand the importance of leadership.
Customers have choices. Rarely is there only one salesperson with whom a customer has to contend.
All things being equal, would a customer want to deal with a pessimist or an optimist?
Let’s change it even further. All things not being equal, would a customer rather deal with a pessimist or an optimist? There’s just no doubt that the optimist will always be the person the customer wants to encounter.
Being an optimist is and of itself not going to necessarily result in a huge sales increase, but what it will do is change a person’s outlook. Optimists by nature are ones who are far more adept at finding solutions.They’re far more adept at not letting obstacles stand in their way.
Optimists are not only better in front of customers, they’re also better in planning to meet with customers. For that matter, they’re better in every aspect of selling and business.
Think of a leader you respect. I’m sure the person you thought of is an optimist. Negative people are simply not leaders for any length of time.
Sales is all about leadership. It’s being able to lead the customer and others in your organization. If you’re going to be a great salesperson, then you have to be seen as an optimist.
Even great salespeople encounter rejection far more often then they do success. It doesn’t take a lot of intelligence to know an optimistic person is going to do better, but if that is the case, then why are so many salespeople negative? They get this way because of who they associate with and the information/beliefs they allow their minds to listen to and absorb.
Great salespeople don’t have time for negativity, and this includes not having time for negative people. To them these people only do one thing and that is suck the energy out of a room. The great salesperson knows the value of associating with optimistic people based on the energy and outcomes they create.
Who do you associate with? Who should you be associating with?
Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
