A Sales Person’s Attitude Determines Success

The Business Performance Group has trained and coached thousands of professional people in the art and science of selling. Some of the people have shown an incredibly high aptitude for sales and yet, these gifted people prior to our program have been less than successful. Others however, with seemingly few innate selling skills have been able to achieve high levels of success. What is the reason for this paradox? It is very simple. A person's attitude about selling, not his aptitude, determines his sales success or failure.

Psychologists tell us that our minds are like land on a farm. The land gives the farmer a choice. Since the land does not care what the farmer plants, he can sow any kind of seeds he desires. The farmer makes the decision. Once the seeds are planted and watered, they will grow. Seeds of success or seeds of failure are available for planting. You can plant seeds of success in your field and harvest prosperity, happiness and high self-esteem, or seeds of failure and harvest disillusionment, unhappiness and discontent. What you plant in your mind it totally up to you.

William James, the Father of American Psychology, wrote in 1895, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his circumstance in life by altering his attitude of mind."

George Bernard Shaw said, "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are those people who look for the circumstances they want and if they can't find them, they make them."

Your success or failure as a sales person is not a matter of luck, circumstance or breaks. It is not who you are or any of the other myths by which people tend to excuse themselves. Successful sales people have developed an attitude of optimism, positive thought patterns and a vision of themselves succeeding which pulls them toward their dreams and goals.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated, "A man is what he thinks about all day long." Emerson understood an important principle of success and personal achievement. If you believe that you are successful, productive and happy, there is a good chance you will become a successful, productive and happy person. Unfortunately, the reverse is equally true. As Dr. Dennis Waitley suggests in his book, 10 Seeds of Greatness: "...if your self image can't possibly see you doing something or achieving something, you literally cannot do it! It is not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you are not!"

The law of prosperity and success to which Dr. Waitley refers says: if you think in positive terms you will achieve positive results. Negative beliefs, on the other hand, produce negative results. Your attitudes can positively or negatively influence your ability to perform. Referring to one’s ability to alter their attitude, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale has said: "This is one of the greatest laws in the universe. Fervently do I wish I had discovered it as a very young man. It dawned on me much later in life and I found it one of the greatest, if not my greatest discovery outside of my relationship to God."

In reading Viktor E. Frankl’s book, Man’s Search For Meaning, I was impressed by his insight into attitude, which was obviously influenced from his captivity in the German death camps of World War II. Of this experience he wrote the following relating to attitude: “We who lived in the concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: The last of his freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”

Every salesperson that has ever experienced any degree of success was driven to that success through his attitude. Here are some of my favorite quotes relating to attitude. If you need an attitude adjustment to allow you to reach the level of success you are seeking, these quotes might influence you to alter your attitudes.

“Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.”
–Norman Vincent Peale

“If you really want to do something, you'll find a way; if you don't, you'll find an excuse.”
–Unknown

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.”
–William James

“Success is not in never falling, but in rising every time you fall.”
–Paul Dunn

“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”
–William Arthur Ward

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”
–Scott Hamilton

“Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.”
–Henry Ford

“The remarkable thing we have is a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.”
–Charles Swindoll

Successful Salespeople Know What It Takes And Then They Do It

Someone made the comment to me a while ago, “What the world needs is a little less knowing and a whole lot more doing.” I don’t believe a person can every gain too much learning, but I do believe that everyone can and should do more than they are doing. This is particularly true with sales people. Simply knowing something is not enough. It is not what you know that makes a difference in your sales career; it is what you do with that knowledge really that matters!

When my children were little, I was always telling them what to do and they would respond, “OK daddy”. That is what parents are supposed to do, isn’t it? When they were older I still told them what to do as part of the parenting process and they would respond, “I know daddy!” When they became teenagers I continued the parenting process by painstakingly reminding them what to do and they would respond, “I know, I know, now leave me alone.” My response was, “I know that you know, I’ve been teaching you for years. I want you to do what you know.”

I am in the business of teaching and training salespeople; with the expectation that they will take action with those principles and skills they have learned. However, even adults don’t always do what they know is right. They often do what they like to do and what is convenient. I remember on of my children telling me that they did all the things they had been taught, provided they were things they wanted to do. Seek first to learn and then go forth and do those things you have learned. To do otherwise is a foolish waste of time. One of my favorite quotes regarding success talks about the principle of doing.

“The successful person makes a habit of doing those things that the unsuccessful person is not willing to do.” – Albert Gray

One of the three saboteurs of sales success is complacency. When sales people begin to experience success they become complacent, believing they have reached their ultimate level of success. They forget the pattern of behavior that allowed them to taste success and return to their previous poor habits, forgetting the new skills they have applied. Guard against complacency and the false sense of “having arrived.” Continually apply those skills that have allowed you to taste success and look for daily opportunities for improvement. Set goals to keep you focused on reaching higher levels of performance and success.

I’m reminded of a story I heard years ago recounting this very principle of complacency, which unfortunately is practice by many salespeople, and discipline, the habit of applying the principles and skills you have been taught, which is practiced by only a few sales people. Enjoy the story and seek to find application and improvement in your sales activities.

THE SALESMAN

And in those days. behold there came through the gates of the city a salesman from afar off, and it came to pass as the day went by he sold plenty.

And in that city were they that were the order takers and they that spent their days in adding to the alibi sheets. Mightily were they astonished. They said one to the other, " how doth he getteth away with it?" And it came to pass that many were gathered in the back office and a soothsayer came among them. And he was one wise guy. And they spoke and questioned him saying, " How is it that this stranger accomplisheth the impossible?"

Whereupon the soothsayer made answer: "He of whom you speak is one hustler. He ariseth very early in the morning and goeth forth full of pep. He complaineth not, neither doth de know despair. He is arrayed in the purple and fine linen, while ye go forth with pants unpressed.

"While ye gather here and say one to the other, 'Verily this is a terrible day to work'. he is already abroad. And when the eleventh hour cometh, he needeth no ablibis. He knoweth his line and they that would stave him off, they give him orders. Men say unto him 'nay' when he cometh in, yet when he goeth forth he hath their names on the line that is dotted.

"He taketh with him the two angels 'inspiration' and 'perspiration' and worketh to beat hell. Verily I say unto you, go and do likewise."
​​​​​​– Author Unknown

Body Language, The Language of Sales

Body language is comprised of the actions, movements and gestures people make as part of the communication process. Communication is made up of two parts, the words you speak and hear, and the body movements and gestures you make and other people see. I heard this statement many years ago; “Your actions speak so loudly in my mind that I can’t hear what you say!” Total communication includes both the vocal and physical gestures of the communicator. If we only hear what the other person speaks, we may be missing out on what he truly said. If I could choose only one medium of communication, I would choose body language, for it does not lie.

The physical actions of body language are referred to as gestures. Understanding physical gestures for most people is similar to learning a second language. Gestures can have different meanings depending on how they are used, just as words in a language can have different meanings, depending on how they are used. The interpretation of gestures must be done in the context of clusters, several congruent gestures in harmony with each other. The understanding of gestures is very difficult when the various elements are separate from their context. However, when gestures are fitted together into their composite positions, a complete picture is revealed. Each gesture is like a word in a language. In order to be understood, one must structure his words into units or sentences that express complete thoughts. Gestures must be interpreted in terms of sentences or clusters of congruent body movements or actions.

By mentally matching congruent gestures that form clusters you can identify the attitudes expressed and understand the meaning. You must look for similar attitudinal gestures that not only endorse one another, but also serve to make a cluster. As an example, a congruent set of gestures for a salesperson who is very anxious and enthusiastic about his product might: be sitting on the edge of his chair, feet apart, possibly on his or her toes in a sprinter’s position, hands on the table, body leaning forward. Facial congruency might amplify the posture: eyes alert, a slight smile, and probably no furrow on the brow.

Understanding congruency of gestures serves as a monitoring device for discovering a person’s attitude and then giving his actions meaning. A particular gesture can have many meanings, and you must look for congruency to understand what the actions of the body really mean. Covering one’s mouth while speaking could have many meanings: lying, unsure of self, doubting, distortion, bad breath. Arms folded high on the chest might mean: adamant, stubborn, not going to listen, or just a relaxed and comfortable position. To truly understand the language of body movements you must watch for congruency combined with gesture clusters and then seek to understand and interpret them.

Here are seven profitable body language ideas for the professional sales person:

1 Walk slowly, deliberately, and tall upon entering the room.
2. When greeting a prospect, give (and, hopefully, receive) a friendly "eyebrow flash": that brief, slight raising of the brows calls attention to the face, encourages eye contact, and (when accompanied by a natural smile) sends the strong positive signal that the prospect has gotten off to a good start.
3. Use mirroring techniques. In other words, make an effort to subtly reproduce the positive signals your interviewer sends. For example, the prospect leans forward to make a point; a few moments later, you lean forward slightly in order to hear better. Another example might be, the prospect leans back and laughs; you "laugh beneath" the prospect’s laughter, taking care not to overwhelm your prospect by using an inappropriate volume level.
4. Maintain a naturally alert head position; keep your head up and your eyes front at all times.
5. Remember to avert your gaze from time to time to avoid the impression that you are staring; when you do so, look confidently and calmly to the right or left; never look down.
6. Pace your movements, do not hurry.
7. Consciously relax with every breath.

Successful Sales People Visualize the End Result

Several years ago my older brother asked me if I would help him build a deck on the rear of his home. I knew when he asked, that the intent was for me to build the deck for him. In turn, I approached my younger brother who was an excellent builder and asked him if he would help me with the deck. Because of my busy schedule, I asked him if he would put together a design, order the materials and then we would work together to build the deck. The night before we were to start construction, I gently quizzed my younger brother to see if he was prepared for the task ahead, and if he felt we could complete the job that Saturday. Without hesitation he responded that he had built the deck a thousand times in his mind and that he had clearly seen and dealt with every aspect of the deck’s construction. The next day we started the construction of the deck and it was as if we had truly built it a thousand times as each phase and step of the process went perfectly. For me, this experience clearly demonstrated the power of visualization. What we see in our minds we can achieve. The unknown, the obstacles, the challenges have all been seen and resolved before we begin the actual physical process.

The other evening I watched a documentary on Steven Spielberg, arguably one of the greatest motion picture directors of our time. I found the documentary to be most fascinating, particularly as he, time after time, described how he would visualize a particular scene, filming sequence, or even the movie in total, hundreds of times before he actually proceeded. If he has had any success in the film industry, he attributes a good portion of it to his ability to see his work in his mind’s eye before it goes to the storyboard, the set, or film. He mentioned in the interview that many of his movies have turned out far better than he thought, even though he new from the beginning, as a result of visually rehearsing in his mind, what the final result would be.

Nothing in sales is more important than having a positive mental attitude. This positive attitude is achieved when we believe in our ability to succeed. Sales people need to be able to visualize their success as a means of overcoming the obvious discouragement found in the world of sales. Nearly a century ago, John D. Rockefeller, the founder of the world’s largest oil empire of the 19th century was pondering different strategies to grow his vast empire. He hired a young man, put him in a very comfortable office, and then instructed him to visualize ways to grow the wealth of the company. Rockefeller encouraged him to lean back in his chair, with his feet on his desk and dream and craft plans of ways to make money. Several months later, Rockefeller stopped at his new employees office only to find that he wasn’t there. After inquiring to his whereabouts, he confronted his visionary who was implementing one of his moneymaking plans. Rockefeller chastised him for spending valuable time to physically work on the project, and reminded him that his value as an employee was to visualize, not to actualize. Rockefeller had other employees who could bring the visions and dreams to reality, but he was needed to create the vision.

When I was in elementary school, I was fortunate to have a wonderful librarian. Several times a week we would have library time to explore the world through books. I was fond of inventors, statesmen and explorers. I remember reading the biography of Thomas Alva Edison. I almost felt I could relate to him during his brief tenure in the classroom. His mind would wander far from the lessons of the teacher. He was reprimanded many times for his lack of attention, and his parents were told that he lacked the intelligence to succeed academically. I often wondered what he must have been daydreaming. Was it the electric light bulb, the phonograph, the electronic voice recorder, the motion picture camera, talking motion pictures, the alkaline storage battery, or one of his other one thousand and ninety-three patents. Thank heavens for the visualization of Thomas Edison. What he clearly saw in his mind, he would later bring to mankind. Robert Schwartz described Edison well when he said, “the entrepreneur is essentially a visualizer and an actualizer. He can visualize something, and when he visualizes it he sees exactly how to make it happen.”

I’ve worked with sales people for more that thirty-three years. Some have been excellent, most have been average, and a few just didn’t get it. The excellent ones, however, had a vision of what they could truly achieve. They had a dream. Cherie Carter-Scott said, “Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible.” Recently, one of the sales people I train caught the vision of what was humanly possible. While enjoying his relative success on an incentive vacation that he had earned for setting a sales record, he pondered why he was satisfied with his past success. He wondered what more he could do, and visualized himself selling twice that of his recent record setting annual volume. He returned from his vacation with a clear vision of what he was capable of doing. With the vision in his mind, and having mentally performed the activity necessary for reaching his new goal, he went to work. In the first six months of the year, his sales exceeded that of the prior twelve months. It wasn’t until he visualized this new level of sales success that he was able to achieve it. In his research on peak performers, Charles Garfield said, “I've discovered that numerous peak performers use the skill of mental rehearsal or visualization. They mentally run through important events before they happen.”

If we are to truly rise from mediocrity to greatness, we must have a dream, a vision of what can be. We must create a plan, a virtual road map of that dream, and then be disciplined enough to put the plan into action. Never lose sight of the vision. From time to time we all need to lean back in our chair, put our feet on the desk and visualize and dream of the great things we can accomplish in our lives.