When Michael called me from my website last week, he asked me if I could help him think through something that’s been bothering him more and more over the past few years.

    Here’s what he told me: “Ari, I’m having a problem. I’m just not enjoying selling anymore. I’ve been trained to look forward to that mental ‘high’ that comes with making a sale, but by the time I get through the ‘cat-and-mouse’ game of the sales process, and all the trials and tribulations that come with it, by the time the sale actually happens, it feels like a non-event.

    “It’s almost as if I’ve spent so much personal energy chasing the sale that by the time I actually get it, I have this feeling of letdown. So I start wondering whether it’s really worth the tension and stress of having to jump through hoops just to make the sale happen.”

    Michael is by no means the first person to bring up this issue with me.

    In fact, quite a few people have told me that their feelings of sales letdown are making them question their own selling abilities and whether they have “what it takes.”

    You see, if you look under the surface, what Michael’s really saying is, “I’m beginning to feel that it’s my fault. That I’m the one who’s failing. I’m supposed to jump with joy when a sale comes through, but instead I feel like I had to give up a big part of me just to make it happen.”

    The Real Cause of “Sales Letdown”

    Those negative feelings are caused by the long-term impact of the traditional selling “sales gurus” who teach that selling is all about making the sale, and that if you can just push through all the resistance and rejection, there’s a slice of heaven waiting for you at the end of the sales “rainbow.”

    The problem is, teaching that way of thinking is really damaging for people who sell.

    They take in that message, and when it doesn’t happen for them, they think it’s their fault.

    So it’s actually the painful process of traditional selling that kills the “sales high” for people like Michael who try so hard to implement it.

    That’s the real problem.

    The true “sales high” isn’t found in making the sale. It’s found in the ease and pleasure of connecting with a stranger, of having them trust you, of you solving their problem, and of their deciding to choose your solution.

    And that, I hope, should be a relief to anybody who’s been feeling the same way Michael does.

    I’ll say it one more time.

   Focusing on making the sale steals your sales energy because you feel you have to accept rejection.

   And that’s what makes you feel as if you’re failing.

    (I bet you haven’t heard that explanation at any sales seminars you may have attended.)

    How the Mindset Eliminates Sales “Letdown”

    If you already have the Unlock The Game Mastery Program materials and understand the Mindset, you know that letting go of the goal of making the sale makes rejection impossible.

    If you don’t have the Mastery Program materials, this idea may feel foreign to you, especially if you’ve been trained in traditional selling.

    The Mindset eliminates “sales letdown” because it’s all about staying focused on learning your prospect’s truth. This means listening to what they’re telling you and really hearing it.

    There’s a certain sense of ease and confidence when you’re willing to accept the truth about whether you and your prospect are truly a fit or not.

    And when you’re open to hearing a truth-based “no” from a prospect and walking away whole, with no feelings of rejection or self-doubts about “What did I do wrong to lose this sale?”-- you realize the real power of the Mindset.

    Here are some of the differences between focusing on making the sale versus focusing on learning the truth:

    Maybe you’re thinking, “Yeah, that all sounds great Ari, but I’ve got to make some sales to make a living.” 

    It’s usually people who haven't experienced the Mastery Program who have that concern, because they can’t imagine how they can be more successful with less effort. 

    So maybe you’d like to look at this article, which explains how Unlock The Game can boost your sales results: http://www.UnlockTheGame.com/Numbers-Game-Shift. 

    You’ll see that when you can have relaxed, comfortable conversations with prospects, as if you’re having a chat with a friend or acquaintance, you’ll feel quite different when a sale results.

    When you haven’t burned yourself out, you feel a huge sense of accomplishment when sales do happen...which they will.

    When you make sales based on integrity and by helping prospects solve their problems, “sales letdown” just isn’t possible.

    You’ll feel better at the end of each day, and you’ll look forward to the next day’s calls.

    You’ll enjoy the process more, and when you make the sale, you’ll feel satisfied, energized, and proud to have helped your prospect.

    What’s more, you’ll also be making progress toward meeting your financial goals.

    Tips for Building Mindset Habits

    Michael and I talked about several ways he could use the Mastery Program CDs and e-books to learn the Mindset and eliminate “sales letdown.” Maybe you'll find some of these ideas useful as well...

    -- Before making a call, take a few moments to sit quietly. Tell yourself: “My only goal is to create a conversation that will build trust so I can learn my prospect's truth. Until I know that, I won't know whether I can help them or not.”

    -- Develop a good problem statement or opening statement that describes the core problem or issue you know your product or service solves. This allows the conversation to open naturally and comfortably.

    -- If your mind starts jumping to “I’ve got to make this sale” while you’re on a call, try closing your eyes. This will make it easier for you to focus on listening to and hearing your prospect. This is especially helpful early on in calls, when you’re learning about your prospect’s problems or issue, because you probably don't need to start taking notes until later.

    -- If you feel there’s a potential fit between your prospect’s problem and your solution, avoid launching into a pitch. Instead, ask, "Would it make sense for us to continue our conversation to see to what extent I can possibly help you?”

    -- After you make a call, take a minute or two to “debrief” yourself. Can you recall any moments when you sensed in your gut that you had created sales pressure or started pushing? Did you sense at any time that your prospect was pulling back and starting to defend themselves by trying to end the call? If so, think about how you can stay more focused on the conversation in the next calls you make.

    It’s ironic, but letting go of trying to make the sale actually makes the sale more possible.

    To your success,  

   

    P.S. Got a "sales letdown" story? Please share it with me here.

Is Selling Painful For You?  It's not your fault -- and there is a better way  Is this how selling is starting to feel like for you? Old "tried and true" cold calling and sales techniques that were once successful have completely lost their effectiveness over the years. That's why I developed a new sales mindset and cold calling approach that will quickly and automatically put you ahead of the game and instantly in a league above your competition. OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 1  - "Cold calling is a numbers game."  But, sales is only a numbers game when all you know is traditional selling. Yes, you can call people over and over, chase them until they listen to you so that you just go away. However there is a better - easier method of building trust and getting your product or service message across - all on one call. Simply by changing your sales approach you'll make FEWER CALLS and MORE SALES. OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 2 - "Use a sales script to cold call." People can tell when you're reading from a script, even if you think you're pretty good at it and getting away with it. There's nothing personal about it and people can pick that up. Being artificial just puts you into the typical "Salesperson" category. If you can learn to get your message across in a different way, you'll eliminate the negative triggers that can lose your sale within seconds. OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 3 - "Focus on closing the sale." Are you "going in for the kill" with your closing sale technique? - If you are, you could end up killing your deal instead. Old sales techniques do nothing more than pressure the client or prospect, and as a result they naturally want to retreat away from that pressure - and that pressure is you. By learning to avoid the "push and pull" dynamic between you and your prospect, you'll be able to move the sales process forward to get the result you want. Welcome to Unlock The Game™  Unlock The Game is a radically honest sales and cold calling approach based on integrity and common sense. It challenges traditional sales thinking and helps you achieve better sales results. It's the missing link -- a new mindset and language that converts selling into a natural conversation between you and your prospect. It offers you a new way of thinking about selling, from cold calling -- the most dreaded selling experience of all -- to the end of the sales process. You don't have to abandon the selling skills you already know -- Unlock The Game gives you a new approach and new tools to help you let go of old behaviors that bring you negative results. It's incredibly effective. Best of all, it's easy to learn.   "Unlock The Game is a breakthrough that takes the rejection out of cold calling"   "In a new age of frustrating and difficult selling challenges, more specifically the fear of cold calling, and starting new conversations without feeling rejected, Unlock The Game gives us all the answers to a natural way of engaging new prospects over the phone. Keep up the good work Ari!" Brian Tracy is a leading authority on personal and business success. As Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, he is the best-selling author of 17 books and over 300 audio and video learning programs.        Brian Tracy  Want to learn more? Get FREE Access to The Teleseminar That Put the Old 'Sales Gurus'  Back Into Sales Pre-School!      Learn how to:   Make less cold calls - and get better results   Rip up your sales script and easily get your message across    Change from the "Dreaded Salesperson" to a trusted advisor in a matter of minutes    Get rid of your "Fear of Phone" once and for all    Stop chasing prospects and gain the respect you deserve  Take The Free Test Drive:  Enter your First Name, Primary Email, Phone Number and Your Selling Challenge below to get the first of your 10 free Unlock The Game cold calling audio mini-lessons:     First Name Last Name Primary E-mail Phone Number Your Selling Challenge:   SECURE AND CONFIDENTIAL         (Your email address will be 100% protected and will never, ever be shared.) To your success,    Email to a Friend   Print this Page

"When you ask the people you reach for help, it's not a sales "technique." It's the literal truth, because you have no idea whether you'll be able to help them or not. "