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Survival tools for competing with yourself
In Sales, Life and all Careers of Importance

I wanted to take a moment and thank those of you that took the time to tell me how much you enjoyed my last Business Nuggets™ column published entitled "Competing with yourself, lessons learned in sales world apply to life, as well." The emails and telephone calls meant a lot. A couple of you even called me the, Nugget Lady. Thank you I sincerely appreciate the feedback!

My next column will highlight the various skills I used to reach my running goal of finishing the 13.1-mile race in Hyannis, February 24, 2002. The intention is to give you some ideas on how you can begin to make the necessary changes in order to become a Master Sales Performer™ (MSP).

Stand tall and be proud of what you do. Many salespeople aren't performing at their optimum because they have sold themselves on the various stereotypes of salespeople, dishonest, cheating, no integrity. Even though they don't practice this way, they're convinced that this is how others see them, including customers and prospects. They have a negative feeling about selling, because of the stereotype that follows all salespeople. Their not proud of what they do, they don't even want to share what they do with others. Telling someone, "I'm a salesperson, just isn't common". Having poor esteem because you're a salesperson will affect your sales performance. You do have a choice, in fact three of them. First, you can stay in the situation you're in, do nothing and change nothing. As Ray Pelletier says, "No Change, No Change". Second, DECIDE today, right now to make some changes. First and foremost, as long as you stay in a sales career whether you're a Sales Rep or Sales Director, be proud, stand tall. Sales is nothing less than informing your customer of everything they need to know to better themselves and their business. You solve problems. Maxwell Maltz, M.D., says, "Sales professionals are the driving force of the American economy. Nothing happens until somebody sells something". Third, you can quit. Just walkout, give up, don't try, go find another job. However, if you choose to quit, before you give 100%, before you do everything you possibly can to improve your performance, to exceed all sales expectations for yourself and your customers, you will not grow. Remember, success is measured by the steps you take to get to your goal, not the outcome of the goal itself. It's your choice.

Invest in yourself. How can you expect to master your job if you don't take the time to learn how to improve? Also known as winging it. Ok, some of you might be saying, "Hey I was just thrown into this job, I had no training! No one has even taken the time to show me how to do my job better." First, it still boggles my mind that even in the year 2002, many business leaders don't take the time to invest in the people they hire. Which basically means from a business standpoint the ROI (return on investment) will no doubt continue to bleed profusely. However, having said that, that's no excuse for you to not take the bull by the horns and get the training you need. If you've decided to continue being a sales rep or sales manager, then get the training you need. Perfect your skill. Education is never a waste of money or time. It's knowledge you can take anywhere, to any position or company. The more confident you can feel about yourself each day, the better you'll feel when you go home to your family. You'll sleep better, smile more and therefore exceed all your sales goals. We've all heard the expression… "everything starts at the top". Well, you're the top. It's all up to you. Each day starts with you. It's your responsibility to take your sales career into your own hands. No excuses. Do it now.

Risk Taking, stepping out of your comfort zone. This doesn't mean you have to run a half marathon, compete in triathlon, jump out of a plane, ride your bicycle 87-miles in one day or be a contestant on Fear Factor. Risk taking is different for everyone. For some it could be going back to school as an adult or just going back to school, going after your life long desire of becoming a police officer, public speaking, starting a business, agreeing to sell a new product or service, looking for a new job, going to interviews, joining the health spa, taking a test or climbing Mount Everest. Risk taking is very personal and different for all of us, but a necessary strategy for life long learning. One way to begin would be to make a "wish list" of all the things you'd like to do. This can include improvements with your job or personal life. Tackle one at a time, a step at a time. Perhaps you've been selling your services over the telephone and now it's time for you to go out and sell in person, face to face. This can be frightening, but you can do it, a step at a time. Be open to learning along the way. Risk taking is essential for building a strong self-image, which builds your self-confidence and then just watch yourself and your sales grow.

"Failure can only be accomplished by those who don't take risks. For they have truly stopped growing." Chris Mullins

Mullins Media Group™, LLC provides Management Consulting, Training and Performance Tele-Coaching for Executives, Entrepreneurs and Salespeople. E-mail: chris@mullinsmediagroup.com for a free email subscription to, "Chris Mullins' Nuggets". http://www.MullinsMediaGroup.com

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