Is your head trash piling up? The term "head trash" came up during a conversation with a colleague and he used the phrase to describe the mental garbage that affects the performance of most sales people. Head trash is a collection of limiting thoughts or ideas that prevent you from taking specific action that will help you generate better results. Here are a few examples of how head trash can affect you.

In a sales training workshop I conducted for a specialty retailer, several people stated that they didn't bother trying to close any business before 11:00 AM because they "knew" that everyone who came into their store before that time was just comparing their price with one of their competitors located close by. A sales person in a manufacturing company told me that her customers would not pay full price for her products because a major competitor sold similar products for less money. As a result, she consistently offered her customers a discount even before they asked. Another sales rep confided that he believed that the lowest possible price was the only thing his customers wanted from him and his company. He had held this belief for so long that nothing could dissuade him from this line of thinking.

Head trash can affect you in different ways. During a morning workout I caught myself thinking that I could not complete a particular exercise and this self- limiting thought prevented me from continuing. Yet, on most other days, I breezed through the workout with much less strain and effort. From a sales perspective, if you believe that a prospect will not be receptive to a new product, idea or solution, your ability to present that idea in a positive manner is greatly reduced. I have seen sales people talk to customers at great length and at the end of their conversation ask, "You don't want to order this do you?" They have convinced themselves even before they ask for the sale that the customer will not be interested.

The cause of head trash varies. Extreme fatigue from lack of sleep or illness is one common cause because your physical well-being contributes to a less- than-optimistic outlook or mindset. Another cause is associating with negative-minded people. I once worked with an individual who always saw the glass as half-empty instead of half-full and after even a brief conversation with him, I always felt drained and pessimistic.

The most common cause of head trash is the experience you have had with a particular task or assignment. For example, you may be required to cold call to generate new leads and prospect. However, if your experience with cold calling has not been positive and you have failed to find qualified leads then picking up the telephone will be a grind and you certainly will not enjoy making the calls. And, when you do eventually pick up the telephone, your tone will not convey the desired message to your prospect.

To achieve the results you deserve and are capable of it is essential that you dump your head trash. While this is easier said than done, applying a few techniques will help.

First, focus on what you CAN do. With a positive outcome. Instead of thinking of the negative aspect of the task, concentrate on the best possible outcome. Let's return to the cold calling example for a moment. If you put yourself into the mindset that making these calls will generate new business, or at the very least, that they will help you connect with new and interesting people, your willingness to invest in this task will dramatically improve.

Next, take action immediately. Most people procrastinate when head trash invades their thinking and this prevents them from moving forward. However, taking one step or small action supersedes the desire to remain complacent. I believe it was Confucius who said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I have learned from experience that making a difficult telephone call eliminates the need to procrastinate and stimulates my desire to take further action throughout the day. And, as I continue to take action, the trash that may have collected in my head is emptied.

It is also important to associate with action-oriented people who support your goals and objectives. I start the week by talking to a good friend of mine every Monday morning. During our conversations we discuss the challenges from the previous week and explore options and ideas. I also belong to a Mastermind group and when we meet each month, we help each other look for new opportunities within our respective businesses. All of these conversations help eliminate my head trash and motivate me to try new approaches and apply different ideas.

Take out your trash and watch the difference in your results.

© 2008 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

About The Author:
Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and profits. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.

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The pathway to sales success is strewn with lost opportunities, embarrassing moments and downright stupid mistakes. In my opinion, one major difference between top sellers and average ones is their ability to turn these disasters into growth opportunities.

Painful though it might be, top performers revisit their gaffes to figure out how they can avoid similar outcomes in the future. Scarred, but not beaten, they gradually learn what it takes to be successful.

I know. I've been there. Over the years, I've had more than my share of blunders. And just the other day, some of my biggest ones came flooding back to me as I was driving to do a training program for a local printing company.

When I exited the highway onto Como Avenue, I was immediately transported back to my days as a Xerox sales trainee when I covered the 55414 zip code. It's where I learned many invaluable lessons that I still embrace today.

Lesson #1: How to Get Unstuck
After finishing the Xerox training program, I was assigned to follow Jim Farrell for several weeks to learn the ropes. But finally the day came when I was sent out on my own.

At 9 a.m., I pulled up in front of Quality Products to begin my cold calls. But I couldn't get out. I was terrified and tongue-tied, convinced that my sales career was over before it even began. After nearly 30 minutes of being paralyzed in my seat, a song wiggled its way into my mind: "I Have Confidence" from the movie, The Sound of Music.

I started singing to myself, quietly at first, then louder and louder. I was particularly enamored with the refrain, "I have confidence in confidence alone, and as you can see, I have confidence in me."

I really didn't believe the words, but they got me moving off my "stuckness." I pulled out my cold call plan that I'd studiously prepared the night before and reviewed it. I practiced my opening lines again and again. Then I got out of the car and went in. By the end of the day, I'd made over 20 cold calls and uncovered some potential prospects.

Over the years, I've been confronted with many tough situations that I didn't know how to handle because I lacked the requisite knowledge or experience. I've learned that you can't know everything before you start. And I've also learned that "movement" is key to discovering the answers.

Lesson #2: How to Get to Higher Level Decision Makers

One of the prospects I uncovered while cold-calling was Trussbilt, a company directly across Como Avenue from Quality Products. They've been gone for many years, replaced by the printing company where I was doing the training. The deja vu I felt when I walked into their offices was palpable.

Back then, I was working with Tinsey, a very articulate woman who told me she was in charge of the copier decision. Shortly after our first meeting, I read a book that said salespeople should only work with the top dogs - not their underlings.

Since my contact was an administrative assistant, I realized I needed to rectify the situation immediately. I called Mr. Big directly and set up a time to meet. Then I prepared like crazy to ensure I did a great job.

Unfortunately, I never had a chance to capitalize on this opportunity. Tinsey came to the lobby to escort her boss's visitor to his office. When saw me, she demanded to know why I was there.

"I'm here to see Mr. Big," I replied, suddenly not so sure if the tactic I'd taken was appropriate. I was right. She proceeded to yell at me like I've never been yelled at before.

I was appalled. Mortified. And suddenly very light-headed and shaky. I fainted dead away right there in the middle of the lobby.

As you can imagine, I never did business with Tinsey or Trussbilt. But I sure did learn that once you're working with someone it's never appropriate to go around them without their knowledge. They'll get mad. Furious. It's a normal human reaction.

Today, to ensure my ability to work with whomever I want in an account, I always tell prospects, "Usually when I'm working with clients, I need to talk with the VP of Sales, Regional Sales Directors and sometimes even Marketing." Doing it this way prevents the people problems that can derail your sales efforts.

Lesson #3: How to Cut the Crap & Net it Out

The Kaplan Company was just down the street and around the corner from Trussbilt. When I walked in the front door, there were at least 30 desks filled with women who were busy doing order entry and handling customer service issues.

I told the receptionist that I wanted to speak to the person who made copier decisions. After a quick check with the boss, she escorted me past all those working women into his office.

"Sit down," he said gruffly. "You've got 5 minutes. Talk."

"If you're busy, I'll come," I said, trying to be gracious.

"Nope," he stated. " 5 minutes. Tell me why I should buy your product. Your 5 minutes is starting now."

I mumbled. I stumbled. I tried to engage him in conversation. I tried to explain that I needed more time. He wasn't one bit interested. After 5 minutes, he arose and said, "Your time is up. You can leave now."

That ticked me off. I told him he was rude and obnoxious. Then I turned and stormed out of his office past all those women, shouting back at him, "I'll never sell you a Xerox machine. You don't deserve to work with Xerox."

I know it's hard to believe, but I really did lose my cool. And I'm also sure that guy never wanted to work with Xerox again. But he had a point. I couldn't concisely state why he should listen to me.

I wanted to build a relationship and warm up the call. That made me feel better. He was a busy man who chose to use his time judiciously. I didn't respect his needs. After that cold-calling disaster, I learned to net it out. That lesson is even more important today than it was years ago.

The School of Hard Knocks can be brutal. If you're making sales calls, you know how tough it can be. Every time you're knocked down or out, you have to make a choice about how to react. Are you going to get up again? Will you learn from the situation?

The hardest thing in the world is to look at your own complicity in the situation, yet that where the maximum growth is for you and ultimately, the key to your long-term sales success.

About The Author:

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into corporate accounts, shorten sales cycles and win big contracts. She is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events.

For more article like this, visit http://www.SellingtoBigCompanies.com . Get a free Sales Call Planning Guide ($19.95 value) when you sign up for the Selling to Big Companies e-newsletter.

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Most salespeople don't know when to quit. They don't know when to quit talking... when to quit selling... and when to quit trying. They talk too much, sell too long and give up too soon.

What's worse, not only do some salespeople give up too soon, they often don't even get started! In a survey which SalesForce conducted at a major trade show, we found that 85 percent of the companies visited didn't follow up on the lead we left at their booth.

The Rule of 45
These salespeople are obviously not familiar with the Rule of 45 that says 45 percent of all leads turn into a sale for someone. Better that "someone" be you. Unfortunately, a lot of salespeople believe only 10 to 15 percent of their leads result in sales. Why? Because they give up on the opportunity and quit selling too soon.

Buy or Die
Professional salespeople stay with an opportunity until the prospect either "buys or dies." They don't quit too soon.

Here are some interesting statistics compiled by the Sales & Marketing Executives Club of Los Angeles.

Number of calls to close a sale:

• 2% close on the 1st call
• 3% close on the 2nd call
• 4% close on the 3rd call
• 10% close on the 4th call
• 81% close on the 5th call

Notice that only 19 percent of the sales were closed by the fourth call. The majority were closed during the fifth call. Is five the magic number? Not necessarily, but these statistics tell us that the longer we hang in, the better our chances are of closing the sale.

So why don't we hang in longer? Who knows, but the majority of salespeople don't.

Just look at these statistics from the Dartnell Corp.

When salespeople quit:

• 48% quit after the 1st call
• 24% quit after the 2nd call
• 12% quit after the 3rd call
• 6% quit after the 4th call
• 10% quit after the 5th call

See what I mean by quitting too soon -- 81 percent of sales are made after the fourth call, by which time 90 percent of salespeople have quit calling!

Why Do We Quit?
In some cases, it's that four-letter word--FEAR--that holds us back. Fear of rejection. Fear of being too pushy. Fear of making a pest of oneself. Fear of annoying the prospect. You get the idea.

On the other hand, some salespeople quit because they're just plain lazy. But the main reason many salespeople quit working a sales opportunity is because they lack discipline and persistence.

The "P" Word
Persistence is the key. It's the ability to hang in after others would have given up. It means being like a postage stamp and sticking to the job until it's done. This doesn't mean wasting time with a non-opportunity. It means staying with a properly qualified lead until the prospect buys or the opportunity dies. Keep in mind that the older the sales lead, the less competition you'll have because most others will have given up. The odds are in favour of the persistent salesperson.

Being persistent does not mean being a pest, another "P" word. The best way to make sure you're not being a pest is to have a reason for your call or visit, other than just following up on the opportunity. Never sell (or follow up) empty-handed.

Using value-added selling techniques will ensure you get a warm reception from your prospect. So make sure you have something of value to offer your prospect when following up. That "something" might be a relevant article, additional or new product information, a revised quotation, or simply some information that is of interest to your prospect.

Give Them An Out
What if you've persisted, but the prospect still hasn't bought or told you it's a no-go? Many prospects don't like to be bearers of bad news and will avoid telling you that they have no intention of buying. One way of finding out is to simply ask your prospect. If you suspect that your prospect might be inadvertently stringing you along, try the following tactic.

Call your prospect and say something like this, "Steve, I've been following up with you for some time now and I don't want to be a pest. Should I close my file until a later date or would you prefer I continue to monitor the situation with you?" This gives your prospect an out without him feeling he is offending you.

On the other hand, if the opportunity is still alive and you are being considered, the prospect is more likely to tell you to stay in touch. And now you have his permission to continue with your professionally persistent efforts.

Persistence Pays
Selling is difficult. It's easy to give up too soon and many salespeople do. But persistence pays, and it can pay big for those sales professionals who know when to quit but don't quit too soon.

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About Brian Jeffrey
Brian Jeffrey is a sales trainer, sales management consultant, columnist, and author of numerous e-books as well as over 100 articles on sales and sales management. His company, Salesforce Assessments Ltd, helps sales managers avoid costly hiring mistakes by providing specialized sales assessments and other tools to better match the salesperson to the job. For more information visit www.SalesforceAssessments.com.

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