The Sales Burnout Factor
Posted by MyChoices on 01/18/08 in Business
Throughout my career, I have witnessed numerous sales people who reached their end and threw in the towel. To put it simply, they “burned out”. I find the sales burnout factor intriguing and have often wondered why so many sales people burn out and are unable to sustain the level of activity needed to be successful.
When someone decides to enter the profession of selling, there are many aspects of sales that I believe are often overlooked and unexpected. The biggest and most often overlooked aspect of being successful in sales is the mental stamina required to perform on a day-to-day basis.
To be blunt, sales of any type is not easy. You work hard. You get rejected constantly. You have pressure to perform and hit your numbers. You fail. You make mistakes and ruin opportunities. You lose sales you expected to get. You go through highs and you go through lows. All of these factors influence the sales burnout factor and cause people to leave the profession of sales and move into other careers that are less strenuous from a mental stamina standpoint.
During my career in sales, I have observed and documented key traits, characteristics and habits of top performing sales people and those whose tenure in sales exceeds the average of their company. I have compiled a condensed list that highlights several key aspects of sales stamina habits that will help ensure your ability to create mental stamina and benefit from a long-term career in sales.
Anticipate the Expected
There are numerous aspects of sales that will never change such as rejection, the need to prospect and losing sales. Recognize what will happen so when it does you are not surprised. Having unrealistic expectations will cause you to lose confidence when the adversity occurs. Identify each of the known outcomes and think about how you will react when they happen.
Challenge Yourself
You have to enjoy doing the things you don’t like to do. Most people don’t wake up in the morning, jump out of bed and say, “I can’t wait to make cold calls!” Find ways to challenge yourself and hold yourself accountable to the activities that are required to be successful. This will lead to better job performance, job satisfaction and self-confidence.
Find the Work/Life Balance
No matter what you do for work, you have to find time to get away from your job and find ways to focus your mind on other interests. The people who I have seen burn out most often in sales are those who do not stop and smell the roses. Life is too short, so be sure to take time away from your job to spend time doing what you like to do.
Manage Your Day
Don’t let your day manage you. Schedule your day so you are not doing the same activity over and over. If you have time scheduled for prospecting, be sure to add in time later in the day to follow up on proposals or follow up with customers who are further along in the sales process. Always group activities together so you are focused on a consistent message during a block of time.
Learn How to Prioritize
Do you really need to work on that report now? It takes discipline to prioritize and do what is most important a given time. In sales, prospecting, customer service and other sales related activities should always be your top priority. You can always find something else to do aside from selling. Ask yourself if the activity will produce business and prioritize accordingly.
Ask For Help
Sales people who become frustrated should ask for help and feedback from co-workers, managers and mentors. Always remember that there have been many sales people before you and many sales people after you. You can always pick up a new idea or unique way of approaching a situation by speaking with someone else who sells.
Christopher Thompson is the Founder and President of Catch 22 Solutions, a sales performance consulting company and a former Director of Sales at PC Connection, Inc. For more information visit http://www.catch22solutions.com
Tags: burnout, rejection, Sales, salespeople, tough
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