Having the right mindset in sales is crucial, especially if one is looking to stay in that line of work for the long haul. The art of selling is so much more than simply being an extroverted, confident, individual who is great at connecting with people. Everyone has met a nice salesperson at some point in their lives who they knew was genuine, even though they ended the conversation with a no. If there is one thing someone must learn to do in sales, it is the art of rejection. There are instances when someone may not prefer the goods or services of a salesperson simply because they can sense a conflict of interest. But other times, it is simply because they have no need for what is being sold.
In The Sandler Rules, the Core Concept #1 is that one must learn to fail in order to win. Within this concept is the idea of the “Real You” versus the “Role You”. The real you is one who actually is as a person; it is their identity and self-worth, something much more than just their job. The role you is one’s performance within a function and relational context. A good salesperson must understand this difference. The role you will be reject more often than not in sales and you cannot allow the real you to be affected by this. One’s identity should not simply be their performance at work but much more than this.
Grasping the concept of the real you versus the role you will help any salesperson handle rejection better. Obviously, everyone would like to earn success but plenty of failure and rejection may be ahead on this path. One must not let the stream of “no’s” negatively affect their identity if they plan on a lifetime career in sales.
BoweryJE22
This is a really interesting concept. Prior to this class and the book The Sandler Rules, I had not heard of this concept. Perhaps it usually goes unmentioned in the sales world. No body wants to talk about the failed attempts, but rather the successes. This seems to be a vital skill for the salesman, however.
Love this post Brian! I guess “perseverance pays off” is this put in a slightly different form! It’s so easy to get discouraged, and have a loss of drive or passion for anything from rejection. Personally, I love this because, yes while this is huge for a sales role, it’s also a massive life lesson too, and something which can be applied to every aspect of our lives!
I love how you included the core concept of “Real You” vs. “Role You.” It is so important to not get discouraged about rejection. While it may be hard it is true that we need to create this separation. Without it, the “Real You” may have trouble overcoming the previous rejection. Creating a “Role You” makes the overcoming process a lot simpler.