My dad is one of the most impatient people I know. He thinks nothing of cutting to the front of the line and finding some compelling reason why that's okay. It was so humiliating growing up and watching him barge his way to the front of the line and scream out our names and motion for us to join him. "Never Wait" is a value I grew up with. "If you wait too long, nothing will happen" was another.
This holds true in sales - in my training I emphasize that value. Never let a deal stand still, never take your eyes off the ball. The alpha-personality traits associated with the Top Performer are drive and immediacy - and that's code for NEVER WAIT.
As I wrote recently, avoiding immediacy and confrontation can be a big weakness in inside sales - like the stereotypical Millennial rep who avoids the phone in favor of the more removed communication of social media. For top salespeople, the drive to make things happen NOW is critical.
On the other hand . . .
What about PATIENCE? Sales managers rarely, if ever, suggest being more patient with a deal. And yet the ability to accept and persevere when things aren't happening now is critical - that that's all about being patient. Best of all, it creates an opportunity for things to happen organically.
Here are 3 reasons to become more patient in your sales routine:
- When it comes to prospecting in inside sales, the work can be a grind. You need the patience to endure while getting hung up on, failing to connect, hitting the wrong contacts, and struggling to break through. All in all, only 1 out of every 58 answered calls will lead to a qualified appointment or referral, a rate that's been falling since 2011. That doesn't mean outbound prospecting is "dead," but it does mean that it takes a lot of patience along with research and social selling work before the call.
- Patience also plays a part after the multiple attempts process. A famous study revealed that 80% of non-routine sales happen only after five touches, but only 8% of salespeople continue to pursue a prospect after the fourth touch. That means a huge part of what separates the top sellers in your department is the patience to keep working on a resistant prospect. Just be sure that you're not sticking around for too long with the wrong people: the NoPo problem is alive and well in inside sales. Be sure you're being smartly patient, instead of stubbornly sticking with whoever you get a hold of.
- Patience with your career and your job is another area to consider as many new hires look to advance within 100 days of their employment. Studies have found that Feeling Grateful Triggers Financial Patience and Greater Earnings Down the Line. The Harvard Kennedy School revealed a strong link between feelings of gratitude and acts of patience, with grateful feelings leading people to choose long-term rewards over short-term ones. Read about more positive effects of gratitude here on Huffington Post.
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