5 Steps to Mental Preparation
I talk a lot about being physically fit to sell. My philosophy is:
when you’re in better physical health, you look better,
you feel better and you’re more confident
Equally if not more important is mental preparation for sales success.
In coach and training individuals and sales organizations, my The Sales Assassin uses a five-step process to establish Mental Preparation.
The Sales Assassin’s 5 Steps to Mental Preparation
1. Mind Conditioning
Your mind will strengthen and become more resilient when you condition your body through a regular routine of exercise. The more consistent,
dedicated and engaging your physical routine the more your mind is also readied and prepared for the stress that you may endure on the job. Mental preparedness is also setting rules and standards for yourself:
- What are the work habits and rituals that get your mind into an aggressive flow each day?
- What are your eating habits that get you into a flow and energize you throughout the day?
- What are your exercise habits each day?
- What are your sleep and relaxation habits each day?
Each of these elements has a direct relation to your mental conditioning
2. Attitudinal Conditioning
Have you ever been told by someone that “Your attitude sucks?” Your daily attitude is part of your mental conditioning and therefore it too must be prepared. The University of Notre Dame football program is well known for its slogan “Play Like A Champion Today.” This means play with the attitude of championship. This translates that as a SAM you have to “Sell Like A Champion,” be a winner, talk like a winner and walk like a winner. Folks, it’s in our attitude, it’s in the swagger of our walk and the way we talk.
A winner’s attitude of success is the result of being able to see things positively and being able to withstand a difficult scenario. A SAM has to be like a football team. No coach will ever allow his team on the field without insuring that they truly believe that they can and will win the game. Playing well or performing well does not happen by chance. You have to want it and you have to feel it.
3. Visual Conditioning
They see themselves as winners. Remember as a kid seeing yourself hitting the game winning homerun? There is no athlete that does not go through the mental process of visualizing being the star of the game. We all have those moments when we see ourselves at the ultimate moment of success. Mental conditioning is the ability to allow your mind to visualize what success looks like and feels like. You must visualize yourself engaged in the selling process through each step of the way to your desired level of success. You have to be able to see the success and see how you will deal with the turbulent times that will slam you in the worst of storms. You must visualize yourself succeeding, overcoming the bad, and taking advantage of the good. When I see these moments in my mind, they are more than a dream, they are real. I can feel success and I want to duplicate that feeling as often as possible.
4. Education, Homework, Repetition
Mental Preparation requires educating yourself to knowledge, ideas and possibilities. It takes researching not only your product or service area but also continuous education on how to think and behave. Continuous education demands repetition, and repetition conditions our brains to constantly engage and be prepared
5. Conditioning Through Mental Trust
In any sales environment, you are going to realize two irrefutable facts:
- Selling is not easy.
- You are tougher than you think.
In general, people are tougher than they think and we have an uncanny ability to be resilient and the ability to adapt when mentally prepared.
Your mind, body and spirit must be synchronized if you want to make all of the changes necessary for success. That means accepting that mental, physical and emotional development is key to your business and sales success. They’re all interrelated. You can’t have one without the other. You cannot be successful in sales if you don’t have a positive mental, physical and emotional identity. Okay, so some of us have bigger egos than others. But having a good sense of your identity and having a good opinion of yourself is essential to being a success in anything you do!
this article first appeared on LinkedIn
about Anthony Caliendo:
I’m an entrepreneur and sales professional with over 20 years of successful sales and sales management experience. My expertise in sales, marketing and business development spans from small business to international companies.
I’m the best-selling author of The Sales Assassin: Master Your Black Belt in Sales, winner of the 2015 USA Book News business book award for entrepreneurs and small business.
I provide personal sales coaching; and consult, speak and train about growing and motivating your sales team to businesses, corporations and conferences across the nation, as well as a guest contributor and sales expert for TV and radio, and professional organizations.