5 ways to add positivity to your sales process

November 23, 2016 by Jen Mysliwicz

A sales man sitting at a coffee shop with his cell phone, smiling because he's incorporating more positivity into his work

About the author

Jen Mysliwicz

Strategic account manager

Jen has an extensive background in both the finance and SaaS industries, getting her business degree from Northeastern University in Boston, MA, where she can often be found at either the hippest restaurant or the hottest concert.

I recently shared a link to an article that my sister wrote called “Positivity Is Key.” She hits on a lot of important points in regards to having control over our outlook on life, especially during difficult times. She also points out that your attitude is the key to how you handle situations and the outcome that follows.

I started to think about how I can apply this to my career and it led me to start thinking about how positivity affects the sales process. We have all been there. There is a fine line between having too much positivity and excitement around deals, and not trusting your deals to come in. We have all hit rock bottom when something you forecasted and was “guaranteed” to come in gets delayed or ends up going in a different direction all together. I have compiled a list of 5 things that help me navigate the rollercoaster of a career that we call sales.

Five ways to use positivity in your sales process

1. Attitude

Flip the script. Stop dwelling on thoughts such as “I have no sales,” “nobody is answering the phone,” or “I can’t get past the gatekeeper.” “Everyone else is getting ‘lucky.’” Take control of your situation. If you have made these comments before, you know they are excuses. When thinking positively, you must focus on things such as, “If I make 15 more calls a day, my odds will increase and I will set that meeting.”

2. Flexibility

Keep changing things up. Routine and a cadence are necessary parts of any sales process, but do not be afraid to challenge yourself and take a second look at what you are doing. In sales, we are constantly facing headwinds — what worked last year may not work this year. The economy and our buyers’ needs change; therefore, we need to be flexible and have the intelligence to look at our processes and tweak things when necessary to ensure continued success.

3. Education

Learning is everything. The more you learn, the easier it is to apply that knowledge to your workflows and get excited about your sales process. Knowledge, as well as confidence and positivity, that comes from these newfound lessons is contagious. The more you can inflect that knowledge to your clients and prospects, the more productive your conversations will be and you will be able to move your opportunity through the sales cycle at a faster pace.

4. People

People often say, “You are what you eat.” This applies to with whom you surround yourself. If you are around other negative people, you will tend to apply those thoughts to your everyday life as well. It is easy to commiserate with co-workers because they are often going through the same obstacles and hardships. Venting about these hardships is important; however, you must focus on surrounding yourself with others that are excited about their work and enjoy the sales process. Make sure you have a friend, mentor, or sales leader that you can go to in order to come up with solutions rather than complain about the challenges.

5. Development

In this recent blog post by John Barrows, he talks about how to get one percent better every day. Procrastination is an easy way to avoid the activities you do not want to do, but this only makes the day feel longer and creates unneeded anxiety. Accomplishing tasks makes for a more positive day. Focusing on getting better every day is a better way to make you successful as a salesperson.

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