The Twin Terrors of Sales

If you've ever been in sales (and, let's face it, one way or another, we're ALL in sales), you've faced a myriad of obstacles. Bad economies, fearful potential clients, impossible quotas...and the seemingly never-ending paperwork from start to finish. But the Twin Terrors of Salespeople - they stop you before you ever begin:

Readiness and Certainty.

Two words, two concepts that seem innocent enough. Yet, over the last 40 years of sales experiences in my life, from selling candy bars door-to-door to newspaper advertising to full-out multi-media campaigns, Readiness and Certainty are both devious and dangerous. They look and feel like allies. In truth, they are the enemy within.

Readiness

It's 8:00 am - time to start selling. But you haven't quite gotten through that first cup of coffee - or can of Diet Coke. Your desk is a mess. You've got a full inbox. You're not sure whether you should make that first call, fill out your credit paperwork for the billing department, or read the company's latest newsletter on how to be a better salesperson. And now you need to another drink (coffee or soda - too early for whisky...hopefully).

You want your state of Readiness to be ideal. Maybe a fresh notepad. A good list of people to call, in order of importance and profitability. But now you need to use the restroom, and get another coffee. And check your texts. And maybe Facebook. And just one game of Candy Crush - one good shot of endorphins when you win, will assure you are READY to sell. You pick up your phone - BLEEP - crud, another email lead from the boss.

Sounds ridiculous, right? Or frustratingly familiar? Face it: You're may never be ready enough to start. And if you don't start, pretty soon you won't have to worry about how ready you are - you'll be out of a job. Accept a certain level of un-readiness. Set a deadline for that first call. Drop everything and start dialing, or writing and sending that outreach email (dialing is better, generally - it's more of a dynamic, physical activity that will lead to more of the same). Then do it again.

Yes, it's hard. Yes, it takes discipline. No, there's not an 'easy button'. You'll never be totally ready. Start, and Sell, Anyway.

Certainty

Certainty is closely related to to Readiness. If not a fraternal twin, at least a close cousin. Fear of rejection is commonly considered to be the biggest enemy of the salesperson - and it creates a feeling of UN-certainty. But certainty is more dangerous, because it's what we WANT, and can never truly have, unless we create it for ourselves by never making the effort. There is certainty in failure. A feeling of control and even success when we choose to fail.

You can never have certainty when another person controls the outcome. By craving certainty in sales, we often create it in the worst of ways.

The best people thrive on uncertainty - the roller coaster of rejection and victory - and accept that the only aspect they can control is the quality of their outreach, presentation, and follow-up. You can't force someone to buy. The only Certainty you can control is the negative outcome. Embrace the suck, as the Marines like to say, and Sell Anyway.

So, Now What?

As I said, we're all in sales, to one degree or another. The consequences of our success and failure might be different. For those of us whose livelihoods depend on solid sales transactions, we have to push past the desires of Readiness and Certainty. Embracing the suck means embracing imperfection and rejection - even celebrating it to create the energy and mindset to move forward.

Your success doesn't live in Readiness and Certainty. It lives in action. If you truly want to live your #WinAnyway Life, you've got to #StartAnyway and #SellAnyway. Now get off LinkedIn and go pick up that phone!

Does your team need strategies and inspiration to live their #WinAnyway Life, both professionally and personally? Let me transfer my experience, energy, and outlook by bringing me in to deliver a tailored #WinAnyway presentation. Contact me at Rich@RichHopkins.com, or right here on LinkedIn.