5 Thoughts All Salespeople Need to Forget
Sales is a mind game just as much as it’s a numbers game. Only those who are able to get past their own doubts can become great at sales, no matter how much natural talent they start out with. Our thoughts shape who we are, and more importantly, what we do. And there are some thoughts all salespeople need to forget.
These limiting thoughts, or limiting beliefs are toxic to a salesperson’s success. If you want to be the best at what you do, get an edge with an AI-powered sales automation CRM like Spiro to help you make more money in sales, and get these five limiting thoughts out of your mind forever:
1. I’m the only one struggling
When you’re in the middle of a stressful sales cycle, it might feel like you’re the only one that’s going through it. But you’re definitely not. Salespeople make up approximately 12.3% of all jobs in the United States. There are literally millions of other salespeople going through the struggle, so remember that when you start getting down on yourself and feeling alone.
2. I don’t have the personality of a salesperson
This is one of the biggest misconceptions out there, that you need a certain type of personality to work in sales. Quite the contrary, it’s not the blustery, talkative extrovert who is the most successful salesperson, it’s the one who is methodical and knows how to listen to customers and tailor a solution for them. A “sales personality” is a complete myth, perpetuated by stereotypes. As long as you are somewhat likeable, you can be a salesperson. Salespeople need to forget the idea that there is one type of salesperson.
3. My company’s prices are too high
If you can’t get rid of this frequently false belief, you need to switch companies immediately, because you can’t sell your product. Of course, there are situations where your product may be overpriced AND not providing enough value, but those companies won’t stay in business long. The key isn’t price, it’s finding the right customer, and showing them all of the amazing things the product can do for them. Forget the price for a minute, and think of what you can offer the customer that someone else can’t.
4. There’s no way to get an edge on the competition
If you think you can’t find a way to do something different than your competitors, whether it’s a different way of sourcing customers, or pitching your product a certain way, or simply outsmarting the sales reps you’re competing against, then you’re not thinking hard enough. It’s 2016 and there are a million ways to win out there, whether it’s using technology like Spiro to let you focus on selling instead of logging data, or running your own ads to drive leads, or circumventing gatekeepers through any of the networking sites out there, if you’re not looking for an edge, you’re costing yourself money.
5. Sales isn’t a prestigious career
This limiting belief is a tough one to get around, because being a salesperson will probably never be seen by society the same way that, say, being a doctor will be. But if you think sales can’t give you a life full of fulfillment, then you’re confirming to yourself that it won’t. The vast majority of people don’t like their jobs, but sales gives you back what you’re willing to put in, something you can’t get in almost any other profession. Thousands of salespeople go on to become entrepreneurs, executives, and CEO’s because sales plays such a vital role in every organization. Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks started off selling copy machines, and Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban, Robert Herjavec, and Lori Greiner all were salespeople before they became Sharks. If you want prestige as a salesperson, it’s up to you to make it happen!
