The Root Cause of Many Lost Sales Opportunities
We were staying at a lovely golf resort in St. George, Utah, but that's not what we were playing. Instead, when checking out the pool area, my husband and I discovered an outdoor ping pong table.
My husband quickly grabbed one paddle; I picked up the other. It's been decades since we last faced off against each other. We were never very good, but we were always competitive.
After a brief warm-up period, I felt the old rivalry re-emerging. My husband had moved too far to the right side of the table. With a nice hit to the left corner, I could score an easy point. Maybe even a bragging point.
Eagerly, I whacked the ball into just the right spot -- or so I thought. Instead, it sailed six feet beyond the table into the underbrush. (Too much adrenaline!)
Moments later, another opportunity presented itself. My husband was playing too close to the table, making it difficult for him to hit a long ball placed directly in front of him.
I swung hard and fast. It hit him in the chest. Another big miss for me.
The Problem
After a few more lost points, the root cause of the problem became glaringly obvious. My eagerness to score big was causing me to make rookie mistakes.
To win, I needed to control my emotions -- which, as you might imagine, is easier said than done.
I have to do that in sales too. Good sales opportunities get my adrenaline flowing. I can see how I can help. I know I can make a difference. I want to pounce on my prospect.
It doesn't work. Instead, it creates serious, sales-ending obstacles.
Prospects don't want to play with you anymore. They think you're only out for yourself. It's probably not true, although I have to admit that early in my career it was.
The Solution
If you really want to win at the game of sales, it's crucial to control your emotions. Sometimes the first step is hardest -- recognizing your own actions are causing the problems.
Then you have to figure out new ways to respond and even learn new skills. It's hard work, but it's worth it.
As for my ping pong game, I realized that mastering the skills I needed to beat my husband would take longer than our weekend getaway. I decided to focus on having fun instead -- and keeping the ball in play.
Jill Konrath is the author of three bestselling sales books: Agile Selling, Selling to Big Companies and SNAP Selling. She's a frequent speaker at sales meetings and conferences. Check out the tons of free sales resources on her website: www.jillkonrath.com/sales-resources.
Fractional VP of Marketing | Co-Founder of The Forge – Helping Ambitious Marketing Leaders Accelerate Their Careers
9 年Great article, thanks Jill! I think there are two perspectives to look at- a tactics approach and a mindset. The old school approach of grunt work and grinding it out is ineffective and often counter productive. In the technology age where the consumers have just as much info as the sellers, a new approach is needed. An approach based on relationships perhaps. Secondly, which is more of what you're talking about, is the mindset. "Working harder vs working smarter." Centering yourself. I know many top performers use meditation to reset and control emotions. Others get away by playing sports. How do you control your emotions? What's your secret?
Pharmacien, Spécialiste du traitement l'acné
9 年It looks like life is always showing you that playing long term is the best choice, taking the first step is essential, and also... having fun in the process is the most rewarding of all but also the hardest thing to do sometimes ;) Thank you for sharing for this personal lesson
Leading Senior Recruiter, Principal Sourcing Specialist, and Team Leader
9 年Great points, but what I want to know is - did you win the game that day? :-)
Always good to remember that we need to align to their timing and process. Many times we try to force them into a very condensed process to expedite the sale when our emotions are high.