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Inspiration

Don't be a sleepyhead

veryone experiences an occasional sleepless Balance and clarity
night or a stretch of restless sleep during a dif-
ficult period. If insomnia becomes a recurring Lack of sleep also amplifies anxiety, stress and disordered
E issue, however, the impacts can cause serious thinking, which are anathema to a successful sales career.
harm personally and professionally. For merchant level In "Why sales reps talk too much" SellingPower's Gerhard
salespeople (MLSs) the downside can be huge. Gschwandtner stated that anxious people "use an ava-
lanche of words to avoid dealing with potential conflict
This is because MLSs depend on qualities that become (such as a prospect saying no). Instead of balancing talk-
dampened by lack of sleep. For example, enthusiasm, op- ing with listening, they believe that their wall of words
timism, receptiveness, concentration and productivity, not will protect them from what they imagine as a threat.
to mention overall health. They often refuse to give up control of the conversation,
adding a trail of words that echo the ones they’ve already
Enthusiasm and productivity expressed."

"Enthusiasm sells—get enough sleep and look on the bright Stress can have the same effect as anxiety, causing people
side of life," wrote Cathrine Davis in "8 habits of highly ef- to ramble in conversations due lack of concentration. "Our
fective salespeople," posted on SuperOffice.com. If a sales brain responds to mental fatigue by producing more words
rep doesn't demonstrate enthusiasm when discussing how and less meaning," Gschwandtner wrote. "The cure: Get
their products and services fit a customer's needs, it’s "un- enough sleep, eat healthful foods, and exercise regularly."
likely the customer will be persuaded to invest, no matter
how well the solution matched his requirements," Davis The bottom line
wrote, adding that researchers have found what we all
know intuitively: "If you are tired, you are more likely to Lack of clarity caused by exhaustion, anxiety and stress
be grumpy and see problems rather than opportunities." inhibits a salesperson's ability to get to the heart of an issue
and identify a prospect's true pain points. This negatively
Sleep is essential to mental well-being. "It affects the func- impacts a hopeful salesperson's ability to close deals.
tioning of the brain, such as performance, cognition, pro-
ductivity and concentration," stated John Miller in an Aug. So, take steps to improve the quality of your sleep; don't
6, 2021, Newswire Club post. "Studies have shown that if be among those who tout their ability to get by on a few
you have not slept well the night before, your concentra- hours' sleep each night. The former will allow the problem
tion decreases, and it also takes a toll on your overall pro- to worsen over time; the latter is unsustainable.
ductivity throughout the day.
Guides on how to get a better night's sleep are widely
Miller also pointed out that sleep makes you feel rested available. Read several and create your own plan. And if
and more efficient. "Hence, you make fewer mistakes improved habits don't help, seek professional help. Your
and get more productive when you sleep well," he wrote. career depends on it.
"Good sleep is also linked with maximizing problem-solv-
ing skills and enhancing memory."

Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
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