5 TIPS TO DEAL WITH STRESS AS A SALESPERSON

Stress is inevitable in every job... but sales can be especially stressful.

But that doesn't mean sales has to be unenjoyable.

Sales can be one of the most rewarding and exciting industries to work in... if you learn to manage your stress.

Keep reading for 5 tips to deal with stress as a salesperson.

DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET

A growth mindset is all about:

• Viewing challenges and setbacks as opportunities

• Knowing that improvement is always possible

• Putting in effort over time to see results

A fixed mindset on the other hand means:

• Challenges and setbacks are a reflection of your character

• If you’re bad at something, you’ll always be bad at something

• No matter how hard you try, you’ll always struggle

Which one do you think deals with stress better?

When it comes to sales, mindset is key. A growth mindset is being okay with the fact that:

• Some months you will underperform

• Cold calls won’t always end in meetings

• Not every client will buy into your pitch

• You’ll make mistakes along the way

Because all of these things add up. You’ll develop your skills, your approach, and your understanding of your product and clients.

This will massively reduce the amount of pressure you put on yourself, thus the amount of stress you face when times get tough.

CELEBRATE THE SMALL WINS

A growth mindset also knows that small wins add up to bigger ones.

A small win could mean:

• You’ve gotten through to a client you’ve been wanting to speak to

• Development in your skills

• You’ve developed your understanding of the sales cycle

• You’ve been doing better with organisation 

Just because you didn’t make a sale, it’s still a win.

Of course, the sale is the biggest win, but all these things are part of the process that won’t just get you to one sale, but multiple, causing you to develop overall as a salesperson.

STAY ORGANISED

Stereotypically, sales environments are all about “go, go, go”, which motivated people to get straight on the phones and get the ball moving. 

But what happens when you blink and realise you’ve missed meetings, lost important emails, or not taken the time to learn about the client ahead of your call?

You feel stressed.

Stress makes you feel behind, and often incapable. So especially as a salesperson, where your performance is based on hitting targets and bringing in new clients – you can’t afford to be behind.

But one thing that won’t help you is to continue working in mess.

Working with cluttered emails, files that haven’t been sorted in months, and blank calendars, will cause you to work twice as hard for half the results.

We get it, when you’re stressed, the last thing you want to be doing is organising – but your productivity will thank you for it.

Remember: work smart, not hard.

EVALUATE YOUR PERFORMANCE

Stressing about your performance won’t put you in a better position, but evaluating it.

Ask yourself these questions to ensure you’re constantly growing:

• What things worked?

• What things didn’t?

• How can I approach work differently?

• Are there any skills I need to develop?

• Are there things I didn’t fully understand?

• How can I ask for support this month?

Like the first point, some months you will underperform. But asking yourself questions about your performance will help you to do things not just differently, but better.

PRIORITISE SELF-CARE

Whether it’s Wolf Of Wall Street or Silicon Valley that motivates you to succeed, remember that workaholism is a main theme.

And the ‘hustle culture’ that glorifies long hours, no sleep, and no breaks is something that stereotypically defines the sales industry.

Sales requires hard work, dedication, and commitment. But it also requires you to take care of yourself.

This includes:

• Taking your lunch break

• Taking your annual leave (and switching off)

• Spending time with loved ones

• Using your evenings to relax, not work

• Eating well

• Staying active

• Going to sleep

Countless studies show the importance of these things to have a healthy and productive approach to work… and to life.

It’s an incredible thing to find a career you love. But taking time to enjoy your personal life is crucial for a sustainable career.

- Written by Tim Macmillan

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If you are looking for more advice or help finding your next job, we can help, please give us a call on: 0117 301 8495 or take a look at our jobs page. Alternatively, if you’re an employer in the South West and South Wales looking to recruit and need someone with real recruiting expertise then we can help – let’s chat.