Reaping What You Sow

H ave you ever heard selling compared to farming? Both involve long hours and seasonal fluctuations. Both are directly affected by market climate and conditions. But, by far, the biggest similarity is that both farmers and salespeople reap what they sow. For an abundant harvest, you must sow many seeds. In other words ? prospect.

It's a word that strikes fear in many ISO hearts. Fear of rejection is powerful, but overcoming that fear promises productivity of great proportions. All that is needed is an attitude adjustment. Prospecting is the key to making money.

Prospecting is imperative to increasing sales. Why? Because prospecting helps you identify potential customers. Does this merchant need service? Does this prospect have the authority to make the decision for service? Can this prospect sign not just the contract but the check as well?

Prospecting is to be welcomed, not feared. It will allow you to control your financial destiny. Consider the fact that the size of your residuals is directly related to the number of prospecting calls you place.

Since prospecting is a goal, treat it as such. Praise yourself for setting up that appointment or completing that initial call. You've achieved a goal, and the elation from that achievement translates to excitement and enthusiasm, not just for you but for your prospect as well.

On the flip side, there will be disappointments while prospecting, but they don't have to mean discouragement. Sales is a process, not an event. By making sure that process ends only when you've converted that prospecting into a paying client is the difference between being a good salesperson and a great one. Don't Take It Personally The childhood nursery rhyme - "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" - holds value in today's tough sales arena. Who doesn't know that sellers need a thick skin to make it in sales? For those professionals not born to sell, maintaining a tough exterior is not always easy.

We all want people to like us. We all want people to want to do business with us. We all want people to approve of us. If a sensitive salesperson can't find a thick-skinned suit to wear, does that mean they won't be successful? No! They just haven't been shopping in the right place.

When a prospect rejects your proposal, it is a reaction to your product or service, not to you personally. An indifferent attitude doesn't mean you're boring. It just means the prospect doesn't find your services appealing. You represent your product. You are not the product.

The rejection is aimed at the service. Remember, the services you offer may not be for everyone. It's no reflection on you individually. Offer your thanks and move to the next prospect. Don't dwell on rejection. Set your sights on the next "acception."

If a merchant appears disinterested, it may just be the presentation and not the person who's presenting it. You're very interesting. Why not make your presentations just as exciting? Refining your presentation and selling skills is the solution. You, personally, are not the problem.

Don't ever let rejection be the schoolyard bully that keeps you from making calls or going back out on the field for the next pitch. The best way to deal with rejection is facing it head on and remembering that it's not personal.