Many years ago Joanne came into my office and stated she had an issue selling. After a few moments I realized it was not her skills but her confidence. The last weeks of the quarter were unfavorable and rocked her ability to sell anything.
How many sales managers experience this monthly? How many during their career?
Coincidentally there are similar issues with athletes. How many times do you see a home run hitter that struggles to get a walk? A football player that cannot catch a pass or the tennis player that cannot get the ball to the net?
When I was running track back in high school and college there were times when I felt great at practice had prepared all week and then during the event my performance fell into the abyss. Similar happens to selling professionals. And as the recession continues to wear thin on patience and pocket books the economic downturn is diminishing much confidence. So what are sales managers and selling professionals doing?
With 29 years of selling experience I too have succumbed to confidence issues from time to time. I learned long ago that we are not perfect and each day provides a capacity for learning if you allow it. With that in mind when your confidence is low I suggest the following:
1. Without sounding trite there is some ideal to the notion of attraction. Think negative and all around you will be negative but attempt subtle changes to more positive thoughts and you will notice the world change.
2. Think about what you are doing or what has changed around you. When ball players fail to deliver they return to fundamentals. Review your methods to determine if you altered your approaches. Return to those ideals that give you the confidence to succeed.
3. Seek sales coaching and mentoring. Sales managers are busier than ever but using a coach can help you find alternatives.
4. Research and Review. It is found that 92% of selling professionals do not invest in self-mastery. If you want success then you must take command of your profession and invest in yourself.
5. Create activities that make you visible. When you understand that your sales confidence is low that means you have too much time to think about it. Spend less time in the office and more time with clients and with prospective client activities. When sales representatives are busy the confidence builds as you tell your success stories and engage in healthy debate. Get busy being busy.
6. Remove yourself from your comfort zone and develop new relationships with new associates. Sometimes altering networking groups, masterminds and other relationships and gaining a fresh start are just the things that will help confidence.
7. Ignore others that have confidence issues or provide negative feedback. When your confidence is low you need to be involved with others that can lift your spirits and offer alternatives to success. Do not succumb to the laws of negative attraction.
© 2011. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.
What are your best practices for low confidence in these trying and recessionary times? Please offer your comments in the area below.
