Here’s a thought experiment.?I want you to think about one thing you’ve been meaning to do that you’ve been avoiding or have been afraid to do.??It could be:?
- Learning a new skill
- Experience a new career, adventure, or venture
- A task that you need to perform
- A goal that you’ve had on your list for awhile
- An Obligation that you need to fulfill
What is it?? Your answer here: ________________________
Lock in your answer before you proceed.
Now, I’ve often said that being successful at selling, or anything for that matter, is about ABC.? No, not Always Be Closing!?But rather, Attitude drives your Behavior which in turn drives Consequence(s).??It begins with attitude; how you see yourself and the challenge in front of you.?Subsequently, how you think determines your willingness to take action or not.
So ask yourself this question, “Why haven’t I done or taken action on the one thing I noted above?”? If you dig deep enough into your motives or lack thereof, you might find that you simply don’t believe you can do it or do it successfully.
When I train people on how to sell who doubt themselves, I rely on 7 levers to move them into action.
- Show them proof:?I highlight people in their situation or with their predisposition towards selling who have been able to change and achieve sales success.?Seeing someone like them do it gives them hope that they too can be like them.
- Show them how: I walk them through the steps of the activity; what to say, what to show, and what to ask.?I simplify the process and demonstrate how easy it is to do.?This gives them the confidence they need to execute on the task at hand.
- Show them the Alternative: I bring to mind what will happen if they don’t take action.?The consequences of inaction and how much they stand to lose.
- Find a Role Model:?Find someone who is doing it the right way and is a high performer.?Similar to proof, this tactic gives them someone to emulate, and follow.?For example, I’m a Zig Ziglar fan and I literally studied how he did what he did.
- Early Wins: Help the person win a deal early by shadowing them during the first few days or weeks.?Winning a deal early creates a sort of mental momentum that propels them to the next event with confidence.?Another way of generating an early win is to ‘lower’ the goal.?For example, instead of having to find 10 new clients in a month, let’s start with 2 and build from there.?Lowering the goal to something the person believes in gives them the confidence that says, “Heck, I can do that!”
- Provide a Mentor:?A role model shows you what’s possible.?A coach tells you what to do.??A mentor is more like a therapist friend who will guide you and keep you mentally in the game.?Unlike a role model or a coach, a mentor will listen and help you clarify your thinking by asking a lot of questions so that you can better understand yourself. And lastly,...
- Bring the Pain:?People will not change their attitude or behavior until the pain of the same is greater than the pain of change.??When I need to motivate an individual, much like highlighting the alternative, I drill down to uncover the real cost of inaction.??In my Reality TV series, Life or Debt
, I learned quickly that pain is a greater motivator than gain.?When working with people who just won’t ‘move’, I stack consequences til the mental pain becomes unimaginable.??For example, let’s say I have a salesperson who isn’t prospecting enough.??My Pain Speech will go something like this, “If you don’t cold call, you’re not going to sell.?No new clients, no revenue, no commission.?The consequence? You’re going to lose your job.?If that happens, you’re currently carrying a debt load of $X and you won’t be able to pay.?If you can’t find a new revenue source or job, how will you be able to pay (fill in the blanks)??On top of that, how will this impact your family?”?And so on.??
In any area of business or life, attitude is the determinant factor of success.?If you believe you can do it, your actions will follow and so will the results.?The opposite holds true.??
We all want to be successful.?We all have our own levels of fear, uncertainty, and doubt (i.e., a FUD factor).?The research is clear; those who change their Attitude will exhibit Behaviors that lead to positive Consequences in their life.??
A > B > C = Attitude drives Behavior drives Consequence.
