I always say that B2B isn’t for the faint of heart.
You might be on top of the world one month, and the next month you’re struggling to stay afloat, questioning your career and life choices. These swings can also happen week to week, and even day to day. I get it.
But the other edge of this double-edge sword is that — unlike any other career on the planet — YOU get to decide if you want to have a $50K year or a $250K year. And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.
Today I’m going to give you some practical tools that you can use if (or when!) you’re experiencing a sales slump. I’m breaking it up into three sections called How to Start, How to Start Again, and How to Not Quit. You’ll see why.
How to START
Motivation is a fickle mistress. One week she’s around, and the next — poof! But sales is all about having the motivation to just get started. You have to start every morning when you clock in. If that seems overwhelming, it’s because your mind is focused on too big a goal. It’s also because you’ve lost sight of where you’re going. If you’re a captain at the “sea of life,” you must have your eyes on a destination… or else. Don’t worry, I’m going to put the map in your hands today.
RELATED: 40 Sales Motivational Quotes to Inspire You
Make One Call
OK – so how do you start? First remember the saying, “The heaviest weight in the gym is the front door.” (It’s a good one, isn’t it?!) Now let’s repurpose this and say “The heaviest weight in sales is the first call.” So your job today is to pick up the phone and dial one person. That’s it. That’s your goal. Just get your foot in the door by calling ONE prospect. After that first call you’ll naturally keep dialing. Trust me.
You see, science has shown that microdosing your goals like this is highly effective. Instead of absolute overwhelm and paralysis by analysis, thinking “How am I ever going to hit my activity quota of 500 calls this week?!” you’ll say out loud to yourself, “I only have to make ONE call today.” And just like that, you trick your brain to jumpstart your motivation and perform sales activities.
Make 500 Calls
And on that note, remember that success in sales is all about what you put into it. Your sales activities — or the input — is where the riches are made. And thankfully YOU control the input. You can decide every single minute to pick up the phone. There just so happens to be about 500 minutes in the 9-5 workday. So at the end of the day you’ll have notched nearly 500 calls! Better yet, get a power-dialer and easily double or triple that number. Now just imagine where 1,000+ calls per day, every day, will get you.
How to Start AGAIN
It’s inevitable, you will have to start again during your day, every day. One bad call, one unexpected email from your manager, one more project added to your plate — these little things can throw you into a tailspin and ruin your day. But they don’t have to. You just need to breathe, recalibrate, and take action in a positive direction.
So let’s say you’re making calls and getting some positive responses. Then one prospect belittles you on the phone. You lose all motivation, completely deflated. To get back on track, use the 3-2-1-Launch trick popularized by Mel Robbins. (Robbins prefers a 5-count, but a 3-count works better for me.) This tactic is pretty self-explanatory, but essentially you give yourself a countdown (audibly) and you take action on “Launch.” So the moment you hear “Launch,” you pick up the phone and dial!
Of course, there are other ways to re-motivate throughout the day, so I suggest you test different strategies and tactics to see what works for you. But the bottom line is that you have to realize motivation is never static, it ebbs and flows even for the highest producers and top performers. Some have just learned how to summon motivation on command. And you must learn this, too.
RELATED: Phone Sales Motivation – 6 Techniques to Fire You Up!
How to NOT Quit
Now for this next strategy, I want you to picture yourself at 3pm on a Wednesday. You’re making calls, you’re booking meetings, and then the thought creeps in: “I could kick back the rest of the day and still hit my numbers.” Or let’s say it’s mid-quarter and you’ve exceeded your numbers, can’t you just take your foot off the gas a little? Or let’s flip the script — maybe you’re having a bad quarter and wanting to quit sales altogether. Can’t you?
No! That’s a disease of the mind. Plain and simple. If you give up here, you risk giving up in other far-more-important situations (be it motherhood, fatherhood, friendship, etc.).
Of course, when calls are going your way, you could probably kick back and just hit your numbers. And yes, you could take your foot off the accelerator and still keep your job. But you must realize this is the mindset of the mediocre. And you want to be GREAT, don’t you? Here’s how to push further when you want to pump the brakes or quit.
Simple Trick, Don’t Quit
I learned this from author Jocko Willink. When he was a Navy Seal, they had this saying: “Simple trick, don’t quit.” That’s really all there is to it. When the thought of quitting comes to mind, just repeat to yourself, “Simple trick, don’t quit.” Because if you simply refuse to quit, guess what, you won’t quit. In a similar vein, you can do as David Goggins does and ask yourself, “Who’s gonna carry the boats?!” These little quips can really light the fire under you to take massive action on your goals.
One last thing I have to mention here. Marathon runners, productivity experts, and many of the top business and life coaches would argue that when you think your proverbial gas tank is running on empty, you probably have 30-40% more fuel left in the tank. (Yes! 30-40%!) So when you’re running low on mental or physical energy — or even motivation — just remember that you have more to give. So dig deep and give it!
RELATED: B2B Sales and the Hunter-Gatherer Mentality
Remember Your “Why”
What is your “Why”? Why do you get up in the morning? What makes you tick? Where are your loyalties? And WHO are you doing this for?
It could be for yourself — to leave a lasting legacy. It could be for your community, to eventually one day give back in a big way. It could be for your spouse — maybe she’s been dying for that Hawaiin vacation. It could be for your kids and wanting to ensure they live in a safe neighborhood and attend the best schools. You have to have a “Why” to keep going day after day.
So define it. Write it down. Print it out. And read it daily. This is your destination, or the land-mass your ship is heading for. I’ve found this to be one of the best motivators in sales, business, and life. Get deeply intimate with your “why” and you’ll never thirst for motivation again.
Final Words
These strategies and tactics aren’t just pie-in-the-sky. They work. And they can make you millions if you apply them daily.
So just remember to start with ONE call, which eventually leads to 500+ calls. Test out the 3-2-1 launch method to jumpstart your motivation during a lull. Try the “Simple trick, don’t quit” hack. Remember that when you feel your tank is empty, you have at least 30-40% more to give. And finally, remember your “why”!
Do these things and you’ll transform your career and life in a matter of months, if not weeks. You’ve got this.
Until next time…
Johnny-Lee Reinoso