Emergency Blog: Read When Terrified

This is not an every day blog. This is an emergency blog. As such, it is not likely to apply to your current situation (and I hope it doesn’t). But it will. So save it, either electronically or print it out and stick it in an envelope marked, "Open When Terrified."

I'm not kidding here.

There are certain times in the sales lifecycle when special instructions must be followed:

• When you are crazy busy;
• When you are in a sales rut, and
• When you are burnt out.

And then there’s the rare occasion when a significant portion of your clients all get together and decide it would be funny to find another vendor and take turns calling you and emailing the bad news.

You cannot be in sales and not have this happen to you. As such, you need a special strategy to endure this confidence-crushing experience.

First, breathe. Understand that this happens every once in a while. Accept it. Scream. Cry to a friend. Call me. Go through denial. Visit the Nile. Then move on...

Second, know that it is finite and the exodus will end. This is important to know as it will keep you sane. Now, you might still be on the way down when this thought crosses your mind but by comprehending that this is a temporary situation, you will be able to control your spiraling emotions and sense of dread (only those who have experienced this can truly understand where the torturous mind takes us).

Third, rebuild. The first step in recovery is to have one good day in a row. To do that, you need to find some prospects to call on, have something valuable to say, and put in a solid day of prospecting. It really is as simple as that. You need a victory and this should do it.

Oh, there is a step that actually comes before this. You need to decide if you want to stay in this industry and in this job. It is completely normal to have these thoughts. But as a client who went through this with me recently noted, this is not the time to jump ship. If you are going to leave, do it when you are on top. The grass is not always greener.

Finally, repeat. String together a series of workdays were you have a sense of job satisfaction that can only come from "successful prospecting." And it is successful not because you got an appointment but simply because you put in the time and have started the rebuilding process.

Everyone gets knocked to the canvas but not everyone gets up again. Take it from someone who endured divorce, depression, and bankruptcy. All within a six-month period. You can do it. You’ve got this. But it won't be easy. In fact, it’s hard.

But, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The Hard is what makes it great."
Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own

Additional free content can be found at sales.epicomm.org. Contact Bill at (781) 934-7036 or bfarquharson@epicomm.org. In addition, if you’d like to talk about your sales challenges, book time on Bill’s calendar here: www.meetme.so/BillFarquharson