Shoulda’, Coulda’, Woulda’: The Zero Tolerance Mindset of Professional Salespeople

"What the hell was that?" You leave a call having tried a SAYA Sale. It doesn't work the way it was supposed to.

1. What actually happened and why? 
2. I wish I woulda’...!
3. Now that it’s over, what could I do? 

Send me a selling situation you’ve encountered that didn’t go the way you expected. I’ll attempt an autopsy what could help you and others to avoid those pitfalls. 📧 [email protected]

 James had little to no sales DNA. When he came to me after his 2-year struggle, he was still looking for a silver bullet. He sold for a very supportive company: good compensation, training, top of the industry products and services and personal knowledge of the “subject matter” from years as a devotee of the industry. (He sold computer hardware to medium to large companies and was an expert in that world.)

My personal credo is to be kind, not nice. I’m not nasty; at a point I believe enough is enough. The tool I used is the following set of beliefs and conditions. I asked James if he could make each of these statements and provide me evidence or examples that would support his responses.

I own and control my attitude!

Pros know who they are and show up as that person always. They don’t allow circumstances to change their performance.

I have developed and honed my systems and use them until they don’t work!

These men and women see selling as job #1, learn and practice those skills till they become natural and effective.

I know the limits of my own commitment and am accountable! I will be ALL IN and expect the same of others!

"Until one is committed, there is a hesitance, the chance to draw back, and always ineffectiveness. The moment one definitely commits oneself, a whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way."
                - Johan Wolfgang von Goethe

I have become self-aware!

The first thing that struck me about these men and women was the degree to which they understood themselves. They know their values and goals and are comfortable with the choices they have made in life. They admitted some regrets and mistakes, but they have made peace with the past and are eager, confident and optimistic about the future.

I have specific goals: personal and professional, short term and long term!

They are realistic, measurable and written! The advice we have all heard about writing down your goals really works!   

I am pragmatic and use that pragmatism to attain my goals.

Balanced with their idealism, highly successful people are extremely practical. They are solution-focused, and use technology, information, and skills to reach their most important goals. They are not interested in theories, or in defending past choices or old traditions. They use practical tools to help them reach their goals.

I am personally disciplined and expect that of those around me.

They don’t waste time, and they don’t lie to themselves. They don’t exaggerate or minimize, and they don’t generalize. These people are precise when they speak about their age, relationships, business affairs or dreams. Numbers and dates, dollars and cents are important to them, and they are easy to talk with, and very clear in their communications.

James is no longer selling. He is the manager of a team contracted to support customer service for the same company for whom he attempted to sell! I hear from him now-and-then and can see his smile even in the texts he sends me!

Good enough is not good enough!