If you don’t believe you are cut out for sales, there is probably a valid reason for that.
Selling isn’t for everyone. It does take a certain type of personality and perception to succeed in sales. However, many salespeople make the mistake of perceiving a lack of results for not enjoying what they do. It’s not that they don’t enjoy selling, it’s the feelings associated with poor results and subsequent invalidation for efforts that is de-motivating.
I encourage you to ask yourself, if you were succeeding and achieving your goals in the right environment, would you enjoy selling more? If the answer is yes, then clearly it’s not the selling part that’s your problem.
I often challenge people in my sales programs to question if they are working for the right company that aligns with their values, this includes leadership? And are they passionate about what they sell? As both contribute enormously to job satisfaction and motivation.
Selling in most markets it tough sometimes and for others it’s challenging most of the time. You’re not going to be bouncing off the walls every day. And if you have been in the same role long enough, you are bound to battle with boredom from time to time. That is unless you are setting new, exciting and meaningful goals for yourself to achieve on an ongoing basis.
Well before I started running my own companies, a manager would never have to set goals for me. In fact, I remember being told to tone down my ambitions on more than one occasion. I never did though. I’ve always thrived on setting and achieving goals in my role and also attaching them to meaningful goals in my personal life. This keeps me motivated even when my current reality is less than motivating.
I work with hundreds of salespeople every year. The best salespeople are more often than not outcome driven; they love people and are profoundly passionately about what they do.
If you don’t fall into most of these categories, then perhaps you’re right, selling is not for you.
For more Selling Strategies advice, click here.
Trent Leyshan is the founder and CEO of BOOM Sales! a leading sales training and sales development specialist. He is also the creator of The NAKED Salesman, BOOMOLOGY! RetroService, and the Empathy Selling Process.
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