Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time speaking at sales conferences and retreats.  Sales pros…they are my ‘people’.  Typically motivated go getters with strong people skills and a propensity to live in the gray area of crazy.  Gotta love ‘em!

“Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing I can do- because then they will act.” ~Jack Welch

One thing I’ve noticed is how very much confidence plays into sales.  Confidence….not arrogance.  There is a strong relationship between authentic confidence and a person’s ability to successfully navigate the world of sales.

Times when confidence can hinder the sales process or infect the inner sales critic:

Lack of confidence in or knowledge of your product or service
When you are turned down and you don’t know why
When a peer tells you how tough the market is
When you are seeking approval from a boss…and it never comes
When you prepare for a meeting and the body language of the others in the room screams apathy
When you are moving forward then out of nowhere you sabotage your own success (typically an underlying fear that attacks confidence levels)

I could go on.  The number of ways the world can put a chink in the armor of sales confidence is high.  But what the best, most successful, and happiest sales people in the world recognize is this:

YOU OWN YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL.

No matter what goes on around you it’s what goes on within you that determines how you feel and how you act.

It’s imperative that you take responsibility for your mindset.

Seek out the positive-what’s going right
Do the research on the product, the market, the client, the industry…whatever you need to do
Be able to step back and view the world from different perspectives
Keep a gratitude/success journal. End your day by remembering your why and how you contribute to the bigger picture

Know that you are aren’t alone. Your ability to use these strategies will inspire those around you to do so as well.  We are all connected.  The simple act of picking up your head, smiling because you can, and moving forward will, by definition, alter your state.  If in doubt, reach out.  [email protected]  I look forward to hearing from you!