Most people know that to have a great structure which can withstand changing weather conditions, the exterior must be made of appropriate materials. In addition, fundamentally, the foundation of the structure must be solid. Without a solid foundation, one cannot build a great structure. As a matter of fact, the higher the structure, the deeper and stronger the foundation must be prior to putting up the structure.
Sadly, in sales, a lot of professionals don’t see it this way. Maybe because sales is not engineering. Maybe because the focus is mostly on the financial rewards of selling. Or maybe because there are too many “experts” out there without the basic understanding of what selling is.
Sales is very personal. As a result, the foundation for sales success is the individual’s MINDSET. Yes, I said it: Mindset. Some may refer to this as optimism, motivation, your “why”, but they miss the point. Mindset, in this context, is deeper than all that. Success or failure happens first in the mind. The internal conversation a sales professional has will influence their behavior and can either support or derail their success.
In discussions about fundamentals of sales, most people mention prospecting, customer focus, activity, systems, goal setting, strategy, knowledge, skills, etc. Yes, those things are important, but going back to the building analogy; they are part of the structure. If the focus is on the structure, not the foundation, it is no wonder more than 52% of salespeople don’t make quota.
One of the reasons 85% of sales trainings fail to deliver a positive ROI is because they are part of the structure but, sadly, are often treated as the foundation of sales. Sales trainings, motivational speeches, Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) and the like don’t deal with the mindset issues that a lot of sales professionals deal with. Said another way, most sales trainings and coaching focus on external factors, failing to recognize that the external factors are a result of the (internal) mindset.
Mindset is not as obvious and easy to recognize as actions, skills and results. Perhaps it is because of this elusive nature that many sales “experts” focus on skills, processes and other aspects (structure) than on the foundation. The truth is this: Sales professionals with the right mindset will be effective with any system or approach they use. Those without the right mindset will struggle with and cavil at any system, tool or methodology presented.
It is crucial to develop the right mindset for sales success first, because without it, you will be building upon a “shaky” foundation and the results will be mediocre at best.
How then do you build a solid foundation for longevous success? It starts with awareness and a reason to change. These two pieces are the starting points of any strategy to build any foundation.
Awareness and knowing, like most engineers do, that to have a great structure you need to have a rock-solid foundation. If you walk past a new construction site and notice the builders spending time and resources on the foundation, it is because they are doing the work necessary to ensure the structure stands the test of time. Knowing this, if you want to have a long-lasting sales career, it behooves you (and only you can own this) to commit to doing the work necessary to ensure your sales career is built on a solid foundation.
Incentive to change: There must be an incentive to change. Without an incentive to change, nothing will stick – coaching will seem like bossing or micro-managing, training will be boring and a waste of time, the systems in place will have loopholes and be inadequate, goals will be unattainable and unrealistic.
How do you build a solid foundation for your sales success?
Engage a Coach: With awareness and commitment determined, you’ll need a partner to help identify blind spots, correct your “swing” and keep you accountable from slipping back to old ways. Recognizing and changing mindset is not easy. It is not impossible though. It takes an experienced coach to distinguish the internal conversations and guide you to changing them to what supports your goal. In professional sports and most vocations that require peak performance, engaging a coach is essential. Sales is no different.
Commit to getting your mind right! Commit to the work you and your coach set out to do regarding working on your mindset. How you think affects your performance, energy and how you view yourself. Any mindset can be changed and subsequently, behaviors and results can be changed too. Your attitude, performance and results can transform if you get your mindset right. However, you need to commit to change for the change to take effect, be lasting and for the results to come.
For lasting success, you must build a solid foundation before putting up the structure, not the other way around! A firm foundation is vital for long-term success and will serve you and your organization through tough times.
Need help setting up a foundation for your/your team’s success? Let’s talk: info@thecommissioninternational.com
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