Jim Domanski is President of Teleconcepts Consulting, a firm that helps businesses and individuals use the telephone more effectively to generate leads and sell more product. Focusing exclusively on outbound, business to business tele-sales, Jim provides both consulting and training services to clients in the US, Canada and Europe. A dynamic speaker and presenter, he is also the author of three highly successful books on tele-sales skills and strategies. For more information visit his web site at teleconceptsconsulting.com or call 613-591-1998.
Transforming Your Sales Force for the 21st Century The book, written for sales managers and executives in the distribution industry, provides a blue print for executives to transform their sales forces into highly directable, effective, focused performers. more info
Nobody likes to think of themselves as a quitter. The word implies "loser" and no one wants to be categorized as a loser. Yet, statistics show the majority of people tend to give up and quit. This has vast implications for those of us in sales. Sales is a profession where quitting can be easy.
This week's Vitamin takes a closer look at the phenomenon called quitting. It looks at why we quit and what we can do about it. Treat this article introspectively. Look at yourself and see if you have the tendency to give up. If so, resolve to change your behavior and watch what it does to your sales results.
We Fail Because We Quit
I was rifling through some old newsletters by time management guru Harold Taylor. He quotes a startling statistic provided by Lewis R. Timberlake in a 1989 article entitled, "It's Always Too Soon to Quit." Timberlake states:
Only 10% of people actually succeed at what they set out to accomplish
Another 10% accept defeat and try to resolve their feelings of anger and desperation by turning to drugs, alcohol and other obsessions
Finally, 80% of the population simply "endures" their frustration and blame the lack of success on circumstances
Timberlake was not specifically referring to sales but rather to major goals in life. But I suspect there is a strong parallel to the sales world at least when it comes to those who "endure" their frustration and blame their lack of success on circumstances such as poor prospect lists, lousy marketing, poor pricing, inadequate products, a rotten computer system, a lack of training, a bad boss, a compensation program that does not motivate, and the list goes on.
5 Reasons Why We Quit
We quit because it is easy to quit. We simply stop the effort. Quitting is the path of least resistance while perseverance takes hard work, elbow grease, effort.
We quit because it is rewarding. Think about it: when we stop an activity (such as prospecting) that which causes us discomfort or grief stops immediately. We are, in effect, rewarded: no more frustration, no more rejection.
We quit because there are no immediate consequences. Quitting tends to be a personal and silent thing. Usually no one sees or hears us quitting. We don't get an immediate reprimand.
We quit because taking action often means change. Change is uncomfortable. It creates uncertainty. It makes us self conscious. Change means leaving our comfort zone and rather than leave that comfort zone, we quit.
We quit because we don't know how to proceed. Sometimes it is hard to take the next step in a task because we don't know what to do. We feel we have exhausted our options.
How to Combat Quitting - Taking Action
Timberlake states we fail not because of bad breaks and circumstances but because we don't take decisive actions that will do something about the predicament.
This is a powerful statement. We fail because we don't take action. We become victims. We let events and circumstances overwhelm us. We watch and wait for someone else to take control of the situation. When nothing happens, when the situation does not change, we become discouraged. No wonder we quit.
To avoid being a quitter, here are some actions you can take:
Action #1: Avoid Quitters
Quitters have a tendency to hang out together in the office, at coffee, at lunch and after work. Quitters look for others to support and excuse their inactivity. They band together lament their woes, complain, infect others and feed the ever consuming fire of despair and discouragement. It gets easy to toss in the towel when those around you have already surrendered. By the way, who do you spend your time with?
Action #2: Hang Out with Winners
It is easier to hang in there when you are surrounded by those who have a more positive attitude. You will recognize them. For the most part, they are the top performers or the up-and-comers. They tend to look for solutions. They tend to be creative. These people don't quit. Seek them out. Spend your time here.
Action #3: Seek Wise Counsel
I am surprised more reps don't seek outside assistance. You need to actively search for coaches, mentors, experts... anyone who can help. It might be your manager. Go and ask for coaching and advice. Take the initiative. If you are struggling ask for help. Find others in and out of your company that you can lean on for advice, tips, and suggestions. Find experts. Squeeze them for ideas, strategies, tips and tactics. Utilize them. The real point is you don't have to go it alone!
Action #4: Educate Yourself
Be honest here: when was the last time you bought a book on sales or did a little research? When was the last time you invested some of your OWN money on tapes or seminars or newsletters? You have to take responsibility to build and hone your skill set too. Wise counsel is great but don't leave it at that.
Action #5: Learn to Analyze- The MBA Approach
Many MBA schools teach ‘case study analysis.' Case study teaches you to analyze all your options. Here's a neat technique:
Draw a long line on a sheet of white paper. Identify the two extremes of your situation. On the left side of the line jot down the words, "Do Nothing." That's your first extreme. This means you will leave the situation as it is and ‘endure.' At the other end of the line, jot the words, "Quit." This is the other extreme. This means you will give up the fight completely and run away.
Now take a look at your spectrum. In essence, you have bracketed your situation. This gives immediate perspective. It graphically reveals the scope of the situation. Now, weigh the pros and cons of each extreme. For instance, doing nothing usually means nothing will change; not a great option. Quitting is even more drastic; not a great option either.
Look at the line again. Between the two extremes you will see a lot of empty space. This is telling you there are other options available which lie somewhere on the spectrum. Now, THINK! What else can you do? Can you get help somewhere? Maybe your boss can help. Maybe your boss's boss can help. What have others done? Can you put a spin on the situation? Think out of the box. Be zany if you have to. Don't quit, THINK. Push yourself. Go the extra step. Don't crumble.
Summary
Let's be candid: of course there are times when quitting is the best option. Pig headed, obsessive persistence can be destructive. But the real issue here is that quitting is done far too often and far too quickly. You know it and I know it.
The trouble with quitting too fast and too often is that it becomes addictive. It gets to be a habit and that's where the problems occur. Learn NOT quit so soon! Think, explore options, push a little harder and a little longer.
Take action and "never, ever quit."
Good Selling!
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Distribution companies, by their nature, should be sales-oriented companies. But, most distributors don't do sales very well. That's the premise behind this new book.
The book, written for sales managers and executives in the distribution industry, provides a blue print for executives to transform their sales forces into highly directable, effective, focused performers.
The book begins with an analysis of current conditions that pressure the distributor to revise the way he/she thinks about his sales force. Kahle then paints a picture of the distributor sales force of the future. The sales force will be:
more specialized
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His advice begins with "See it as a system," a concept that is based on one of the key principles for the book, "When you change the structure, you change the behavior of the people who work within that structure."
