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by Leigh Ashton
Sales and the “F” Word: Phew! I thoughts things were supposed to get quieter over the summer? Not this summer!
It’s been all go on the training front. Very enjoyable too. It’s my mission to help people and organisations to make more sales and it’s incredibly rewarding to watch people develop their skills and improve their results right before my eyes. It’s clear to me that those who develop their skills and results the most have one thing in common…their ability and willingness to accept feedback – and use it.
The essence of feedback Everything you do creates a result. Some results you love. Some results you don’t. Develop your mindset so you get to treat it all as feedback on how you’re doing and crucial pointers on how to operate in future.
Imagine a world where the only feedback you received was that you are wonderful, brilliant and amazing! Sounds fabulous doesn’t it? But if that’s all you ever heard from people what do you think would happen? You would probably become complacent and at best your results would plateau and at worst you’d decline.
You need feedback You absolutely need feedback on the areas where you’re perhaps not that great (yet!). If nobody tells you… how are you going to improve? There’s a fair chance that on your own you won’t easily identify those areas where you can improve. So be receptive to the help of others.
Many people are only comfortable giving positive feedback. The results being that you only get to hear the good stuff. Yet it’s often the ‘developmental’ feedback that generates greater learning and development. If this developmental type of feedback is ever given, it’s often delivered in a clumsy manner by someone who is very uncomfortable delivering it as attempt to justify a pay freeze despite telling you all year you’ve been doing well! Or it’s delivered at the wrong time i.e. the first time you find out about your weaknesses is during a heated exchange!
Are you getting enough? Congratulations if you already get excellent, constructive feedback to help you grow your success… and yes, do thank the people that have the confidence to tell you.
If you don’t get that kind of feedback… and in a way that makes it palatable for you to absorb – then you need to instigate the feedback you desire to grow your skills and your sales success.
You also need to accept feedback in the spirit of which it’s meant. Getting all defensive and making excuses for why you did what you did won’t get you very far. It will also put people off giving you the feedback you need. Accept it graciously, thank them… then reflect.
You haven’t got to agree By the way, you haven’t necessarily got to agree with them. Remember it’s their feedback based on their map of the world. Consider though that if they have this perspective, others may too.
So when asking for feedback, be very specific with your questions to help the person help you. If you’re not used to getting this kind of feedback and are a little unnerved by the responses you might get… get over it! This is the only way to continual improvement.
Remember…no failures – it’s feedback. You’re on a journey. Ask for it. Welcome it. Act on it.
Until next time..
Leigh PS; Remember to grab your copy of “The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes” The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes identifies those key mistakes that are stopping sales teams, companies and business owners fulfilling their sales potential. The report establishes how to identify these errors, indicates how they can be eliminated – and sets out how to avoid them.
For previous ‘Tricks of the Trade’ go here
About the author
Hi I’m Leigh Ashton of The Sales Consultancy
Whether you’re a small business or a leading brand, an area manager or a Chief Executive, whether you’re new to sales or an experienced sales professional. Even if you’re not in sales at all but want to understand it, you’ve come to the right place.
The World of Sales is changing.
Today’s conventional sales training doesn’t address the psychological barriers that get in their way.
My approach takes your sales team through a process that:
* Helps them identify their psychological barriers and gives them the tools to overcome them * Teaches them how the mind works so they can keep motivated and stay focused * Gives them the ability to identify the psychological patterns of their clients and prospects so they connect with them at a deeper level and close more sales
And at a higher level…
* It creates more success in other areas of their lives so they are happier generally…and happier sales people generate more sales
Wherever you are on your personal sales journey what’s the best course of action for YOU.
– Sales Training – that actually gets results – Leadership and Management – Personal Coaching and Mentoring – Sales Mentoring Programme – NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and how it can help you accelerate your success – Keynote Speaking