Up Your Sales Game

Guest Contributor: David Colomb
David's Posts - David's Blog

I was out cold calling last month, and as part of the Michael Jackson tributes they played "The Man in the Mirror", and it made me think about Michael as a sales coach. If you want to change the world look at yourself and make a change.

The environment that we work in has a huge impact on our confidence and enthusiasm, unless you're a sphinx the negatives that you hear all day have to start to affect your ability to be a positive force. But, the downside of that is that as you become more negative you are reflected by your clients and you have all talked yourself in to not buying. That certainly isn't what any salesman wants to see happen. It's time to look inside, and see how you can change your world.

When you get up in the morning, review your short term goals, and as you're in the shower, plan how you're going to use the day to advance those goals. Pat yourself on the back for the things that you've done in the last few days that have advanced your goals. Keep doing the things that work and that make you successful, figure out how to change the behaviors that have held you back.

You're out of the shower and ready to get dressed, are you well groomed, and pleasant to look at? Let's face it, even though it's not fair, we all make our decisions based on our first impressions. It is said that you have 30 seconds to engage a conversation. If you don't look the part, and fit in with your client's world, they are put off, and instead of giving you a chance, they're looking for how to be rid of you. I've seen it at sales conferences where the pros look at those who come in dressed out of character, or with facial hair, or tinted hair, or whatever, and they laugh behind that person's back. Leave your individuality for the weekend and vacations.

We all watch the news and the talk shows during breakfast and on the drive to work, but don't let these discussions cause you to be negative for the day, if need be, it may be time to dump the talk shows and tune in some music. I've given up talk radio during the day in my travels; it's all so negative and argumentative. Jimmy Buffet is more positive than Sean Hannity any day.

When you get to work and face the emails and discussions that begin every day, rather than seeing them as problems, you need to get over the guilt and or frustration, what happened has happened, look for the opportunity to improve the situation, Pointing fingers, and assigning blame is counterproductive.

I certainly know that making the changes that I suggest is tough, but when we all decided to get in to sales; we realized we were in for the challenge of a lifetime. We also realize that sales are largely a mental game on both sides of the ball, you either sell the client on your program, or they sell you on why they shouldn't buy your program. It's time to up your game and become the winner you deserve to be.