Selling Success is not only determined by your knowledge of the sales cycle, selling strategies, sales secrets, or even conversational skills. As important as these things are, your personal emotions will often determine your level of attainment and financial success in your selling career and in other areas of your life. Regrettably, many sales training books and courses ignore this area completely.
Work tirelessly to remove negativity from your vocabulary and your reality.
A few years ago, we heard of someone working as a sales manager in one of the highest volume car dealerships in the country, and they helped lead a very interesting culture on the sales floor.
There was an active campaign to eliminate negativity from people’s vocabulary and from the workplace. Although the concept was quite simple in its approach, it was largely effective and changed everything for them.
Many people, by their nature, seem to like to complain and find fault in nearly every situation. Some like to blame others for their failures and shortcomings and still others like to live in the past and spread tales of their bad luck to all who will provide an ear. Salespeople, in general seem particularly good at telling the sad war stories of past problems and missed sales opportunities.
Observing something that isn’t working properly and seeking the appropriate solution is one thing but simply spreading or wallowing in negativity is something else entirely. Since the spreading of negativity breeds more of it, the decision was taken to try to stifle the spread of negativity in this dealership.
It started from within management but soon filtered down so that virtually everyone in the place was participating. When someone was heard to spread something negative or complain to no one in particular, he or she was admonished with the simple comment of “No Negatives.” That was it. No more and no less. It was simply, “No Negatives.”
What this did was to nip negativity in the bud. It didn’t beat on people. It just reminded them that they were spreading negativity. It changed behaviors over time. It didn’t fix everything for everyone but it increased productivity and made for a much nicer working environment for everyone.
Be aware of negativity that is going on around you and gently do your part in reducing it in others and, most importantly, in yourself. Let’s face it, if there is no negativity producing low energy you will have plenty of room for positive, high energy thoughts and the resulting feel good emotions that accompany them. Simply remember “No Negatives,” and see where this takes you in your sales journey.
