Forget attitude—focus on behavior
Forget Attitude…Focus on Behavior
I’ll bet you have heard more than one motivational speaker talk about positive mental attitude and how important it is in the quest for success in sales.
Your Attitude Doesn’t Have to be Sparkly
I am more interested in the daily behavior of salespeople, that is, the daily level of activity accomplished. It is behavior—not attitude—that makes all the difference in performance.
- How many calls did you make to prospects?
- How many follow-up calls did you make to customers?
- How many referrals did you request?
Nobody’s attitude can be 100% every day. There are days when we feel a little “down,” and that’s okay. We control our behavior—our level of activity. We cannot always control our attitude.
Surprise Yourself
If you focus on what you do—not how you feel—you’ll find that at the end of the month, you may have accomplished a lot on the days when you were “up” as well as the days when you were “down.”
Focus on Behavior
Tasks done well will affect your attitude.
I remember one blustery, rainy day when I worked in Chicago. The weather forecast wasn’t going to get much better and the traffic conditions were terrible. I left with plenty of time to get to the first meeting with a new potential customer. Walking through the driving rain from my car to the office I must have looked like a drowned rat.
The prospect had invited several of us competitors to a pre-bid meeting for a new project. By the time I got to the company I was a few minutes late. The receptionist said I was the first to arrive, took my wet coat and hat, and invited me to wait in the conference room. In a few minutes the purchaser arrived and we chatted.
One by one the other invitees called to regret not being able to get to the meeting. As a result, the purchaser and I discussed the project alone, and I got the details for which to prepare a proposal. Then he gave me the budget he had in mind for the project and said since I was committed enough to show up, assuming I could meet the budget, we would get the business.
For a day that started with a poor attitude, doing the necessary behavior resulted in success and a wonderful change in attitude. Don’t be preoccupied with your attitude. Do the necessary behavior.
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Good selling!
Don Crawford
Speaking to Prospects & Customers
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