RESILIENCE IN SALES: 4 STEPS TO OVERCOME SETBACKS
The best salespeople have one thing in common – resilience.
Most people assume that the number one thing necessary for a successful sales career is motivation, but motivation is fleeting. Think of it this way, motivation ignites the spark, but resilience keeps the flame burning. If you have long-term drive and stamina (despite setbacks), you’ll be able to achieve at a far more sustainable level where you’re keeping stress low and mental clarity high.
Keep reading for 4 ways to build resilience in sales and overcome setbacks.
CULTIVATE A SUPPORTIVE NETWORK AROUND YOU
Resilience thrives in a supportive environment.
Aside from your colleagues, a strong network can be built through mutual friends and connections in the sales industry. This may sound superficial because a common misconception about sales is that you’re in it alone, but as soon as you take on that mindset you set yourself up for failure.
People who understand the struggle just as much as you can relate to the unique challenges that only really come up in sales. But not just that, you open up the opportunity for hearing and sharing experiences and advice which not only provides valuable insights but also acts as a natural motivator.
The day-to-day stresses that you would usually carry alone can quickly be turned into newfound inspiration after being around like-minded people.
SEEK ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK
Setbacks in sales are inevitable, but their recurrence can often be avoided through:
Better communication
Better time-management
Better research etc.
And whilst it's your responsibility as a salesperson to be self-aware and acknowledge mistakes, the reality is - you're not always going to be able to see where you went wrong. And when you can't see where you went wrong, the same thing keeps happening – leading to a knock-on effect on your confidence and eventually your ability to stay resilient.
However, if you stay open and request actionable feedback, you'll be able to take advice, have someone hold you accountable, and avoid more setbacks in the future. Whether this feedback is from your manager or senior members of your team, you'll be able to learn so much from them as well as be inspired to keep going because sometimes the nature of sales means: nothing was your fault but you just need to keep going.
DEVELOP A GROWTH-MINDSET
Resilience is inherently tied to a positive mindset, particularly a growth mindset. If you’re not positive, you will want to quit sales very quickly, and if you don’t take everything as a learning opportunity, you will assume you’re not progressing.
Resilience isn't a skill you adapt to like negotiation or rapport building, it comes from an intentional effort to keep a strong, positive mindset no matter what. It's a commitment to your professional growth where you're using every scenario, good and bad, to learn something from it.
Pessimism is the prerequisite to failure… think of how much you can withstand with positivity.
TAKE TIME TO REST AND REFLECT
Sales culture is a very ambitious one that is focused on the hustle and never giving up. And despite the negative connotations of hustling, it is necessary – but so is rest.
Resting allows you to mentally and physically charge for better mental clarity, productivity and critical thinking skills. But it doesn’t stop there – resting gives you time to think about how you're doing work-wise.
What can you improve on?
What mistakes have you made?
What can be your focus on the next quarter?
If you don’t stop and ask yourself those sorts of questions, you’ll run into more mistakes. It’s not how hard you work, it’s about how smart you work.
- Written by Arun Sutton
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