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In the world of selling, when we get the “person” right, it is much easier to get the “salesperson” right. Realistically, until we get right, our sales world would not be right. The “secret” to getting us right is getting our “attitude” right.

Sales profession is the most demanding as far as the maintenance of the right mental attitude is concerned. A negative or poor attitude can become a major problem. There is no way we can completely build an armored shell to totally protect against feelings of frustrations, disappointment, and fear. We are “emotional” people and “feel” a full range of emotions. Taking control is important because our attitude determines how many calls we make, when we start, how we finish, and the results we obtain each day. We cannot control the circumstances in our life, but there are many things we can do to control out mental attitude as we deal with those circumstances.

Mankind is tri-dimensional: physical, mental and emotional (spiritual). For emotional health, the solution is:

Step 1

Go ahead and blame the people who did whatever they did to us for all of the misery and problems we have suffered in our lifetime.

Step 2

After blaming others for our problems, forgive them for whatever they have done.

Step 3

After blaming others for the past and forgiving them, we must accept responsibility for our future. Until we accept responsibility for our future, we are going to relieve our past and repeat the mistakes. Failure is an event, not a person. We may have failed but we are not a failure.

We also need to find and keep the right mental attitude through specific action steps

Number 1: Accept the fact we can control our attitude.

Number 2: Make the commitment to do whatever is necessary to take control of our attitude.

Number 3: Evaluate each book, television program, movie and video before we actually start reading or viewing it with a question: “Is this going to help me in my personal, family or business life, or is there a better use I could make of this time to advance my personal, family and business life?”

Number 4: Learn one new word each day. Within five years, we will have a COLOSSAL advantage as those words give us a breadth and depth of understanding that will enrich our life in every way.

Number 5: Read something of value to you personally and professionally for at least twenty minutes every day – something that is informative, inspiring and educational.

Number 6: Use the time spend in the automobile to learn something educational, informative and motivational.

Number 7: Choose our associates carefully.

Physical health is important in the sales profession. We must keep ourselves fit and healthy at all times and eliminate the poisons. Psychological and physiological health also helps us in another critical area. When our energy and confidence are high, the natural tendency not to call on people of wealth and prestige will gradually diminish until it disappears altogether. The benefits to getting the person right and then getting the salesperson right are astronomical. Success is not determined by beating the other fellow, real success is measured when we use the ability we have.

People do not buy because of what we tell them or show them. They buy because of what we tell them and show them that they believe. What we know is important, who we know is also important but what we are is most important, especially in the world of selling. The “kind of person you are” is the determining factor in the kind of sales career we will have.

Developing trust is such an integral element in the sales process. Appropriateness is the key and we may never get a second chance to make a first impression. After passing the “inspection”, when we speak to our prospects, we reveal our level of confidence and it is the second factor in gaining trust. The best selling professionals return to basics, the little things make the big difference, our success is dependent on returning to basics and paying attention to the little things.

When we approach a new friend with the name of the person’s old friend who recommended our call, we are developing trust. Many seemingly minor elements can effect your prospect’s feelings of trust towards us. Sensitivity is a key part of the sales process. The secret of the sale is getting the mind of the prospect open.

Whether we are new in selling or old in selling, is that if our product is approximately the same as someone else’s, we – the salesperson – can make the difference. Give the prospects every reason to trust us, namely, by being trustworthy, and they will come up with an excuse to buy from us.

Positive thinking will let us do “anything” and it will let us do everything better than negative thinking will. Positive thinking will let us use the ability we have while negative thinking prevents us from fully using the ability.

Use the ability we possess to apply the principles we have been learning and sales success and professionalism are sure to be ours!!

(Adapted from “The Ultimate Handbook for the Complete Sales Professional – Ziglar on Selling”, Chapter 16 -  Getting the Person Right – Get the Person Right, Then Get the Salesperson Right, by Zig Ziglar)