REVEALED! Why Most Young Sales People Don't Reach their Goals for Sales!

If you are a young professional entering the world of sales, you will most likely have goals for sales targets you want to reach. You will probably go into this new role with a lot of enthusiasm after watching movies of sales people having all the flashy cars etc… But then something happens. You realize that sales just aren't like the movies. The honey moon period ends very quickly and 2-3 months down the line, you want to quit.

So why does this happen? Why don’t young people hit their sales targets before they think about quitting? Why does the industry have a 90% drop out rate? It’s because of all the sales myths you've ever heard. They damage the careers of young sales people even before they begin and it means that they fail to reach their potential!

Why do I say all of this? Well, let’s just say I have seen it all in sales and I have experienced every emotion you will ever experience in the role. I started off with the best of intentions but I lost my drive within the first 2-3 months of my first sales job. Why? Because I couldn't handle the pressure (which I was actually putting on myself) and expectation that I put upon my own shoulders. I almost quit until I discovered the real reason most young sales people fail.

Have you ever heard that old saying in sales – He is so good at sales; he could probably sell ice to an Eskimo? To me, this is the biggest myth in sales and it damages young people’s sales careers. They are objected to this far too often. I was once told that I was “too nice” for sales because people always revert back to this myth and think that you have to be sneaky and cunning to be a sales professional! That is why honest and humble young sales professionals think they have to become sneaky. Nothing could be further from the truth and it’s not natural go in this direction.

Here are 3 reasons why the myth of “He could probably sell ice to an Eskimo” is damaging to your sales career:

1)Loss of Credibility:
An Eskimo is surrounded by Ice. If you try and sell him more ice and actually succeed with this, he will eventually work out what you have done and you will lose all credibility. Same way if you hide information from your customers, they will work out what you have done and you will not be trusted again

2)Loss of a Potential Long Term Relationship:
Once the Eskimo figures out what happens, they will never want to do business with you again. That’s the opportunity cost of being sneaky and cunning with your customers. Sure you might get away with it once or twice but it will come back to haunt you, that’s a guarantee!

3)Increased Stress Levels:
That’s right. Think about for a minute. If you know you are being sneaky and cunning then subconsciously you will also know that your clients will anticipate this. Every phone call you make will lead you to become a nervous wreck. If you are trying to change your personality from humble to sneaky and this isn't your natural personality, it will cripple your confidence.

I hope that these reasons help you avoid becoming the “stereotypical” sales person. All the great business gurus tell you to become a “problem solver”. Focus on your client’s world and become a “professional problem solver”.
The more people you help, the more you will become successful.

This is the mindset that you can aspire to. The sale is just a result of helping someone else solve their problems. That’s how simple it really is – focus on the problem at hand. Will you make this your goal in your sales career this week/ Let me know below…