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Guest post by: Leanne Hoagland-Smith Become an Author

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Pick up any newspaper or listen to the mass media, you can feel all of doom and gloom or "Aint' It Awful" as noted by my colleague Doug Brown. This malady is quickly spreading across the local to global business communities like a California wild fire and many sales professionals have been infected.

With the release of U.S. 4th Quarter 2008 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a 3.8 negative growth rate, we read and hear that this is the worse economy in 30 years or the worse economy since the Depression. Yet, is this really true?

A quick trip to the website for the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis shows the annual GDP since 1930 and quarterly growth since 1947. Thirty years ago would be 4th quarter 1978 and that growth rate was +4.0. However, if we jump forward to the 4th Quarter of 1982, the U.S. had a negative growth rate of 4.9 and by the first quarter of 1982 this jumped to a negative 6.4. During 1982, the GDP went up and down like a yo-yo. By the first quarter of 1983, the economy reflected a 5.0 positive growth.

If we travel back to 1930, the GDP was a negative 8.6 (twice the most reported rate). So the statement "This is the worse economy in 30 years or since the Depression" is an outright lie.

Unfortunately, sales people are like most other folks who are conditioned to believe:

• The Worst
• The Mass Media
• Politicians

Far too many sales professionals are huddled together in an almost fetal position sickened by this "Ain't It Awful (AIA) Sales Virus." These folks have stopped making phone calls, scheduling appointments and demonstrating the sales skills and behaviors necessary for business success. Here are three behaviors that may inoculate you against the AIA Virus:

Gaining Knowledge and Applying It: The average self-made millionaire reads one book per month. Just imagine applying one new sales or marketing concept every month to your business. How are you investing your professional development time? If you are reading sales improvement books, attending marketing seminars, then what actions are you taking to improve your sales skills?

Investing Time – The average self made millionaire watches less than 2 hours per day compared to the average American who views television for 6 hours per day. Time is money and how you invest that time will ultimately determine your success.

Controlling Your Thoughts: In "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill he wrote: "IDEAS CAN BE TRANSMUTED INTO CASH THROUGH THE POWER OF DEFINITE PURPOSE, PLUS DEFINITE PLANS." What I suggest to my sales coaching clients is to change your thoughts, improve your results and that behavior is demonstrated by a written goal driven sales action plan.

Take Action Sales Coaching Tip: First, vaccinate yourself against the Ain"t It Awful Virus by purchasing or rereading "Think and Grow Rich." Second, commit to tracking your sales progress and results. Third, remember the words of Henry Ford: "If you think you can or you think you cannot, either way you are right!"

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