How many salespeople in your office say, “I can’t get in touch with her… she’s probably on vacation.” Or
“I’ll wait a few days & call him… it’s Friday & he’s probably not in.” Or one of my favorites, “It’s July… the auto industry is shut down this whole month.
You know you’ve heard these B.S. excuses. But (be honest) have you ever been guilty of saying or thinking any of these things? Starting now that all changes. Don’t fall into the trap that many salespeople (& all hockey players) fall into – taking the summer off.
We have an interesting career as salespeople. Most people would never do it. Here’s why: Think about it for a second. Our job is to call &/or meet with people… who don’t want to call or meet with us… to talk about something they don’t want to buy! That is the craziest thing I have ever heard. But it’s true. We do it all day long & wake up again tomorrow to do it again. Crazy, eh?
It’s called prospecting. It’s not fun. It’s not sexy. It’s not glorious. It’s not supposed to be. But you still have to do it. I’ll bet you the most successful salespeople in your office get it. They have action. They have opportunities. It’s because they put themselves out there & get in the game. They buy into a pretty harsh reality: “I am in the prospecting business & the minute I stop doing it is the minute I go out of business!” These people may not even be the most “technically” capable salespeople. They may not do the “best presentations”. Doesn’t matter. They have action because they are in the game.
Successful salespeople that “show up” have overcome that fear of rejection that most salespeople haven’t. The don’t let it get to them. Yes, they have big egos, they want to win, and they love the feeling of hearing the word YES. The difference is they know those things don’t happen all the time. They don’t take it personally when a gatekeeper hangs up on them or doesn’t put them through. They don’t feel crushed when a prospect doesn’t return a call. They don’t push for a meeting with everyone they speak to (that’s too much pressure). They know these are just occupational hazards. It’s part of the game.
It’s part of the game all year long. Unless you are in a seasonal business you have to have the discipline to stay in that game – every single day. It’s not easy. People in other departments of your company think its easy (let ‘em). You know the real deal & deep down you know what you need to do. So why aren’t you doing it?
Want a few reasons to stick to it & keep plugging away all year?
- Prospects & customers are working (& they will see you)
- Your business does not shut down during the summer months
- Your competition is probably buying into their own B.S. & taking the summer off
- It’s your job
