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 SAVVY
SELLING - AUGUST
24, 2007
Get
Motivated to Do More with Less
by Michelle Nichols
EXECUTIVE
OVERVIEW:
A Colin Powell speech got our
columnist thinking about force
multipliers. Here are five ways
to get more done with what you
already have
When I heard former Secretary
of State Colin Powell speak
recently, he said, "Perpetual
optimism is a force multiplier."
He explained that in the military,
leaders are always looking for
force multipliers, that is,
ways to get more done with their
current force.
Powell's speech prompted me
to brainstorm some force multipliers
in sales. Here are five. If
you think of others, please
comment below or e-mail me.
1. Optimism:
Powell's idea applies to sales,
too. This is not a big stretch
because most salespeople are,
by nature, optimistic. It's
a necessary trait for surviving
in a career where you often
get told "no" and
you have to smile and keep on
selling.
However, it can be a challenge
to stay perpetually optimistic.
One way to sustain your optimism
is to keep a record of your
selling accomplishments. You
can also add copies of significant
purchase orders, congratulation
letters from your boss, or photos
from celebration parties to
it. Just before you go on a
challenging sales call, review
it to remind yourself that if
you did it before, you can do
it again.
Motivational quotes can also
help you stay optimistic. I
like "Reach for the moon.
Even if you miss, you might
just land on a star" and
"If you think you can,
you can." They can be posted
in your office or car, or you
can audio-record them and play
them in your car between appointments.
2. Preparation: The
old saw holds that most wars
are won on the drawing boards
before the first shot is ever
fired. Likewise, learn all you
can about your customers, their
company, industry, and competitors
before you have your first meeting
so you are fully prepared. Then
stay abreast of any changes
as your selling relationship
spans the coming years.
Setting e-mail updates using
Google Alerts, performing research
on the Internet, and reading
trade magazines are great ways
to stay prepared. The information
you glean can give you ideas
on new offerings to propose
or help you anticipate any changes
that could affect your selling
relationship.
3. Sales education:
Your customers are constantly
learning new ways to negotiate
better with you. As a result,
you need continual sales education
to protect your sales and profit
margins. Every hour you spend
learning the latest in sales
education will pay dividends
when you are sitting on the
hot seat of a sales call.
To stay sharp, check out best
seller lists, go to Amazon and
search for sales books sorted
by best-selling rank, and visit
your local bookstore.
4. Boldness:
Jeffrey
Fox, a Savvy Selling podcast
guest, says that "A shot
on goal is always a good idea."
In this vein, consistently take
action whenever you see a selling
opportunity. This is the military
equivalent of the element of
surprise.
One of my favorite compliments
to receive is, "I can't
believe you had the guts to
do that." To be honest,
sometimes I can't believe I
did either. For example, in
2001, in response to an article
in BusinessWeek magazine, I
wrote a letter to the editor.
When BusinessWeek.com requested
to publish it, I said yes—and
boldly asked if they needed
a sales columnist. Six years
later, the site has published
more than 140 of my Savvy Selling
columns.
To strengthen this force multiplier,
remember that it's more important
to boldly take advantage of
selling opportunities whenever
they present themselves than
worry whether each one works
out perfectly or not. The point
is to practice and hone your
boldness.
5. Competitive drive:
Most salespeople are naturally
competitive. No matter whether
we develop this desire on the
athletic field, in school, or
in business, we are drawn to
competition and we have the
inner drive to win. I still
remember how victorious I felt
long ago when I beat not only
all the girls in my high school
physics class, but all the boys,
too.
A headhunter I once worked
with attributed his success
to telling himself, "I
may not be any smarter than
my competitors, but I will outwork
them, so in the end I will win
more sales." Maybe that
idea will work for you, too.
When I feel sluggish, one of
the ways I get my energy back
is I picture my competitors
working away at a mad pace.
I know that if I don't get back
into action right away, they
will outsell me. The image of
them outperforming me drives
me crazy and I get back to selling
with intensity.
Sometimes salespeople feel
stretched to continually do
more with less. However, developing
your forces of optimism, preparation,
sales education, boldness, and
competitive drive can help you
perform your best and multiply
your sales results. Happy selling!
Michelle Nichols is a
professional sales speaker and
consultant based in Reno, Nevada.
She is also the Savvy
Selling podcast host for
BusinessWeek. She welcomes your
questions and comments. You
can visit her web site at www.savvyselling.com
or contact her at michelle.nichols@savvyselling.com.
Her toll-free number is (877)
352-9684 and direct line is
(775) 303-8201.
Copyright
2007. All rights reserved.
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