When are times tough? When the general economy is slower, countries experiencing negative growth every quarter, consumers are holding back their spending, organizations are more prudent in their spending, and they negotiate harder.
The battle of tough times is fought in two areas: first, the battlefield, and second, the mind. And we know all wars are first won in the mind no matter how tough the battlefield can be. Most businesses and salespeople have wage wars against themselves – some have won, some squared, most have lost.
A Sales Ninja lives by the “Ten Codes”. The first code is Courage. And courage requires fear, obstacle, and adversity. We embrace challenges and problems. We do not run away from it. We know tough times don’t last, only tough people do. Sales Ninjas are not affected by circumstances. They move and adapt to it.
Courage also requires no bitching, whining, complaints, or excuses. Those are cowardice behaviors. Sales Ninjas are courageous. They accept tough missions like a warrior. It has been proven that during tough times salespeople reduce their sales activities instead of increasing them. That is because they are getting more ‘Nos’ in tough times and they can’t handle it and move into hiding away, being inaction.
In his psychology book, learned optimism, Dr. Martin Seligman put a bunch of dogs into a maze, the dogs’ objectives is to get out of the maze by luring them with food. But the dogs didn’t know this, the walls of the maze are electric fences and whenever the dog touches it, they get electrocuted. After several times banging onto the fences and getting shocked, eventually, the dogs, stop trying. They sit there, do nothing and wait and wait and wait. Because of the pain, they have to go through the maze, ie being electrocuted, they rather choose inaction.
Realistically, most salespeople who are strong during good times transform into cowards because they get massive ‘shocks’ by their prospects and they stop trying. Be courageous and face the rejections, the attacks, the pressure, the intimidation, the brush offs or any other obstacles or adversities. Live the first Code of the Sales Ninja – Courage.
Once you’ve won the war in your mind, now it’s time to win the war on the battlefield. (continues next time…)
Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster
// Selling Your Way Out Of Tough, Uncertain, Recession, Or Downturn Times
// By Hanzo Ng, Sales Ninja Grandmaster
Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their salespeople into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation, and leadership training, visit our website.
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