We’re throwing it back! This week we’re showcasing a guest post from Paul Cummings about the importance of believing in what you do.
As I sat in a room with a group of young and eager sales professionals, I thought back on my own sales career. What key factors led to three decades of sustained growth for our company? Then it hit me like a sledgehammer: we believe in what we do. We believe in our products and our world-class service. We believe in our mission. We believe in each other and our ability help our customers achieve their goals and dreams.
THE KEY TO WINNING IS BELIEF
I asked each person in the room to write down why they believe in their products. I asked them to be specific, to give every reason why that product is the product I should own or use. This was a very compelling moment as many students struggled with the answer.
Many were simply hoping to take advantage of an opportunity. They weren’t there because they believed in a product, but because they wanted to make good money.
You must believe in what you sell if you ever hope to be successful.
The business of sales is challenging enough without trying to convince or persuade someone to buy something you don’t believe in. Believe in your product.
I AM SOMEONE SPECIAL
Belief in yourself and your ability is vital in sales. When you are running short on belief, it’s like trying to make a car run without fuel. No matter how hard you accelerate, the car will not move. Our belief in ourselves is our fuel for future growth and success. We can’t go anywhere with an empty tank.
I asked each student to list all their positive traits. We shared our traits as a group to reinforce this belief. I asked them to tell me why a customer should choose them over a competitor. Is it fair to expect a customer to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself? The answer is no. Believe in yourself.
THE COMPANY IS AMAZING
A true sense of pride in the company you represent every day will shine through to potential clients. Why would you ever represent a company you don’t have faith in? If you don’t believe your company is amazing, potential customers can tell, and will most likely choose to spend their money elsewhere.
I asked each person to write down why they believe in their company. The majority of the students knew very little about company history. It was obvious we needed to slow down and help them build that belief by sharing all the positive things about who they were working for and with every day. This exercise had a profound effect on the group. Believe in your company.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have the belief factors operating in your favor presently? If you don’t, slow down enough to figure out why, and take the necessary steps to stimulate and foster belief. Ask yourself why your belief is lower than it should be. How can you have a stronger sense of belief in your products, yourself, and your company? Simply taking the time to ask and write out the answer makes a tremendous difference.
Your beliefs matter. I believe in you, and I hope you do too!