Fully Committed To The Sales Process: Reckless vs. Resolute
At what age did you receive your driver's license?
Growing up in Boise, ID, I received my daytime driver's license at the age of fourteen. Once I turned sixteen, I was legally allowed to drive at night. It was an exciting time, as I felt free for the first time in my life.
At the age of fifteen, my legally blind grandfather asked me to take him on a road trip to Portland, OR to pick up tools for his tool store. It was a five-hour drive each way, and my grandfather wanted me to drive his large van so there'd be plenty of room to bring back tools. It was terrifying to be such an inexperienced driver of such a large vehicle.
As we made our way into what was a much bigger city than I was accustomed to driving in, I found myself constantly applying the brake as we rounded corners and entered and exited the curvy freeway on and off-ramps. The empty van would slide around when the brake was applied.
After multiple times of feeling reckless and out of control, my grandfather explained that my reaction to applying the brake was the cause of the sliding around. He encouraged me instead to apply slight pressure to the gas when I found myself in this situation. As a result, the tires would grip the road, and it was a much smoother ride.
This lesson has stuck with me, and over the years I've found many ways of applying it outside of just driving. When I start to feel nervous and a little reckless in any given situation, instead of backing off, I lean into the experience, I push myself a little harder, and I force myself to keep moving. Essentially, I add a little bit of gas.
It's this experience of knowing once I'm fully committed to whatever's going on, I'll have more control over the situation.
This same example of applying just a little bit of “gas” and committing to the process is what will get you more of what you want in life. Most people once they start to feel a little unsteady back off and apply the brake, and that's when things start to slip away from them.
Your Savvy Sales Tip this week: stay fully committed…Commit fully to the sales process even when it scares you. That means asking clients for the sale.
Friday night as I was driving home from a corporate training gig, one of my VIP clients called to share about a meeting she'd had that day with a prospective client. She reported, she'd used the language we crafted during her VIP day and the response from the client. As she walked me through the meeting, she commented on how she felt like she was pushing a little. And, what was surprising to her was the positive response from the client. She said she's never had a meeting like this before.
She was so proud of herself for the progress she's made in a short time. Frankly, I could not have been more proud myself. Here was a woman that has struggled with the sales aspect of her business for years, not knowing what to say or what to do and lacking confidence in her abilities to close deals. Her progress is a result of being willing to apply a little bit of gas whereas before she might have wanted to step on the brake.
The whole idea of being a little unsure of yourself and doing it anyway is powerful. You reinforce for yourself how you can be trusted to handle unexacting things that come your way.
So, give it a try and let me know how it goes.
Wishing you a successful week.
Agree? Disagree? Have additional comments or thoughts on this article? Please share.
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