Recently, I worked with a very capable salesperson who had a great sales plan and great leads; yet, she failed miserably in at hitting her number. She knew what to do and when to do it; she just could not bring herself to actually do it. To make matters worse, her boss provided zero support other than a constant threat of termination if she didn’t make her number.
How do I Overcome my Lack of Confidence When Prospecting:
It’s sad to say, but this situation is a major issue and one of the biggest reasons why there’s such a high turnover in sales.
Sales is merely a mind game. How you feel and the state of your mind drives what you do and your results. Also, sales is a team sport; it’s not a solo activity. You might think you can fly solo, but it’s far more difficult than it looks for one reason: your mind loves to play games. The games your mind plays are there to bring down your self-esteem and convince you why something can’t be done. As soon as this happens, your confidence factor goes to zero. When this is your mental state, regardless of your selling skills, you will never be effective. Why? Because customers know when you’re going through the motions. If you want proof, just listen to the next telemarketer that calls you. They have the script and a process, but zero belief in what they doing; it shows in their lack of confidence.
Your customers will not have confidence in you until you first have confidence in yourself. This is where the team sport of selling comes into play. The sales manager must play a key role in this area by displaying confidence in their salespeople. Each member of the sales team owes it to every other person to have confidence in them. Having confidence in one another is contagious; it has a way of lifting up everyone. It’s amazing how confidence can change your conversation with a customer.
Give me a person with great selling skills and I’ll say, “fine.” Give me a person with confidence and I’ll say, “let’s go make it happen!” Watch the video to see the 5 things you can do to increase your level of confidence.
If you’re ready to take your confidence AND selling skills to the next level, check out my coaching program here!
Copyright 2019, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Result
