Pay-off: how to get a grip and remain productive when people frustrate you in sales
Investment: 1.5 minutes
In sales or BD, you’re going to discover a sometimes surprising uglier side to people:
- Some prospects won’t treat you well.
- Some will lie to you and lead you along.
- Some will ignore you and disappear instead of saying ‘no’.
- Some will keep you at arms length, preferring to act transactionally when suits them.
- Some will smile and chat at great length but never make commercial buying decisions.
- Some will take all they can from you for free, and then disappear.
- Some won’t value the idea of spending 20 seconds to keep you in the loop.
- Some will be a tease.
- Some will be rude.
- Some are disorganised.
- All are human.
- All have fears and anxieties.
- And most have never worked in sales.
But, that’s the deal. Expect it. Deal with it.
There’s no point in responding emotionally to any of this. The emotional reaction will slow you down and wear you out.
It’s why we in sales should remember that ‘caveat venditor’ (seller beware) is just as important as ‘caveat emptor’ (buyer beware).
Sales is not for wimps.
How to get a grip and remain strong
If you want to remain strong and productive, you could remind yourself that you have chosen to play this game dealing with people who behave in these ways.
That’s the force against you. Or the ‘resistance’.
You could always quit?
Or, you could shift your focus from whoever’s behaviour is frustrating you, and play the game smarter, increasing your chances of winning?
You could act to get around or through that force that pushes against you or ‘resistance’, by leaning into the right activity.
You could:
- Get a grip.
- Take charge.
- Do the right thing.
- Focus on activity.
- Be good.
- Add value.
- Sell well.
- Qualify fit.
- Build stuff.
- Share stuff.
- Connect stuff.
- Improve stuff.
- Do the work.
- Amplify what works.
If you catch yourself feeling frustrated, lied to, ignored, or beaten down, play the game differently, don’t drain your resources by getting frustrated – move your attention straight back to this list. You’ll find the right people on the other side of this activity.
You have total control over these things. Focus on more activity and less on the other people’s behaviour. That’s the sensible and rewarding path forwards.
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