Written by: Edmund Ellison, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
A few years back, I was sitting in a sales, train the trainer session.
Our instructor had many years of experience and was talking about how important mindset was in driving results. This all made sense to me as I reflected on the importance of a strong mindset to implement strategies.
It reminded me of ‘The Tale Of Two Shoe Salesmen’ where one salesman seen an opportunity that the other didn’t.
Frequently, I find that my clients have searched for several strategies, yet something still feels missing. They are clever, pro-active people who want to figure it out for themselves, and they do everything you’d expect a diligent person to do. They sign up for masterclasses, they watch webinars, participate in Facebook challenges, YouTube, and Google solutions.
Yet things are not clicking into place for them. And they wonder why.
Mindset or a set mind?
Why is this not working for me because it’s not down to effort or implementing test and measure? They feel that something is holding them back. It feels like it’s always been there, a resistance that they can’t seem to breakthrough.
One of the salesmen couldn’t see the opportunity. I would say that it’s very possible rather than it being a skill or will issue, that he just couldn’t see the opportunity because he wasn’t looking for it.
Sometimes our mindsets have a filter on. Most people only see what they want to see and what aligns with their worldview.
So, if we secretly doubt that we’re good enough or fear success, even failure, our minds have a strange way of protecting us. We end up self-sabotaging and doing the exact opposite of what we intended.
And so, thinking back to that training I did a few years back when the word mindset was used, it feels like déjà vu again. I see it so often now across the internet and on sales training webinars.
Time for an upgrade?
We’re told we need to upgrade our mindset yet how can PowerPoint slides, training or coaching sessions succeed here? I acknowledge how important they are and accept that they do get results, however, I wonder, are they enough?
If what’s driving our mindset and our behaviour is rooted in our subconscious (having been imprinted there because of a past event or trauma that caused us to feel fear), then are we not trying to push through a resistance that doesn’t want to go and is likely to return? Where is that covered in the training or coaching to set us up for success?
I’ve seen a lot of clients who’ve come into business development or new business owners terrified to pick up the phone for outbound dialing or afraid to present in person or virtually.
They struggle to show up and close. It’s not because they don’t know their stuff or have the knowledge to succeed. They have the script or plan, know the techniques, and on paper they’re ready.
Has it fixed the issue? No. Yet they are told to level up their mindset and get on with it. The anxiety, fear, and self-doubt haven’t gone away though. Is there a chance they’ll quit because of that? Possibly, if they have spent a long time normalizing this feeling and creating habits around it.
How do we fix what we can’t see?
And therein lies a great paradigm with mindset. Everyone talks about it, yet how many really understand that change comes from within?
To get lasting change, you need to be prepared to do inner work, to change your thoughts, your habits, and beliefs.
Are you ready?
I help clients to understand at a subconscious level what has been holding them back and reframe it, so they can increase confidence and enhance emotional resilience. I hold them accountable to their goals and empower them to use the mindset shifts, so results show up in weeks rather than months.
If you’d like to develop a winning sales mindset, here are 5 things you can do:
Be you - Recognise that you are only human. You have strengths and limitations. Be comfortable with who you are and stop trying to be someone you’re not. Take the time to work on your limitations and create a plan of action that involves feedback, practice, and reflection.
Be proud - Wear failure like a badge and acknowledge what you’ve learned. You’ve earned that experience to make you even better at what you do.
Be bold – that worry you feel inside about taking a risk is trying to keep you in a safe place. You won’t know what you haven’t tried. So, ask yourself, what have I to lose here if I do this? Then reflect on what have I to lose if I don’t do this?
Be ready – staying current with your market, product, and client relationships will empower you to feel confident.
Be mindful - take time to focus on self-care, wellbeing, and your mindset. Investing in you is one of the most important things you can spend your time on yet it’s the last priority on most peoples’ minds until it’s too late.
If you’re wondering whether your mindset needs work, chances are you already know the answer. If in doubt, visit the link for my website. Take my free mindset self-assessment and complete the action plan.
Edmund Ellison, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Edmund is the Founder and Chief Impact Officer of Impactful Today. He has 15 years of experience in global learning, performance, talent, and people development.
He is an award-winning high-performance mindset coach and executive contributor for Brainz Magazine.
Impactful Today's mission is to empower coaches, business owners and salespeople with training & coaching on confidence, resilience, and EQ to transform their mindset and sales performance.
