Looking back on his or her sales career, any veteran sales rep would describe those early days as being full of frustration. They didn’t know who to call on. They had no idea what to say in order to get appointments. They were clueless as to how to go about it. Something had to change and it did, so they found success.
We all go through dry spells when the phone doesn't ring, no one is placing any repeat orders, and self-doubt sets in. It’s a frustrating time and it generates one of two reactions:
- A reason to complain, or
- A signal to change something.
Usually, that something is a lack of motivation. Once that changes, action follows and the resulting sales activity soon ends the drought.
Frustration is caused by turmoil and is commonly seen as a negative emotion, but there is an upside. See frustration as a dead-end and you are missing out on an opportunity. See it as a call to action and you are receiving its benefit.
True story: A print sales rep in Canada spends 18 months trying to get business from a large franchise group. Time and time again he suffers through the, "Your price is too high" syndrome that is a likely result of bidding on job after job.
Frustrating!
The typical reaction would be to give up and move on but this rep decides otherwise. He sees this emotion as a call to action and learns a new approach for gaining access to this company. Instead of, "Do you have anything I can quote on?" he does some homework on the organization and comes up with a way to help them solve a problem.
Armed with this new approach, he gains access to power, sells his idea, and earns an order without any mention of price. A big order. A REALLY big order. Beauty, eh?
The amazing Kelly Mallozzi is fond of saying, "If you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you are getting." If the outcome of your sales actions is profitable orders sold to loyal customers, by all means, keep doing what you’re doing. If, however, you’re feeling like you are in Sales Groundhog Day, what can you change?
The upside of frustration is that it can result in a different result, but you need to change something on the other end, beginning with your perception of frustration. It's a gift. It's a call to action. It's a challenge.
How will you react?
Bill Farquharson is a Vice President at Epicomm (formerly NAPL). His training programs can drive the sales of print reps and selling owners. Check out his Sales Resources page and contact him at 781-934-7036 or bfarquharson@epicomm.org
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- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.