How to turn those ‘Excuses’ into Sales Success

What excuses are you making?

Excuses can be very easy to find when it comes to explaining away disappointing sales performance – and especially when we allow ourselves to go and search for them. In 30 years in selling I’ve heard them all. 

“The economy is against us”
“The competition is much cheaper” 
“Our stuff just doesn’t appeal to old/young people, or men/women, or rich/poor people”
“Their budgets are frozen for three months”
“He’s leaving, I’ll have to wait for the new person to settle in”
“The leads we are being given are rubbish” 
“Nothing but timewasters today”

And so on.

The problem is.
If you focus on searching for reasons and excuses for under-par results, sure enough you’ll end up with a world class list of reasons why you don’t have to reach your sales targets!

You’re in what I call ‘The Valley of Reasons and Excuses’.
Being in ‘The Valley’ is when you’re letting things happen to you and then using these circumstances as an excuse for a lack of action and lack of results. You’re being affected by stuff, letting it influence your thinking and stifling any actions you could take.

Take 100% responsibility for your sales results
Let’s be clear here – you are not responsible for the recession. You are not responsible for your customers being made redundant, or for their spending budgets being frozen. You are not in charge of every challenge that gets thrown at you as you set about trying to reach your sales targets.
But.you ARE ALWAYS responsible for how you respond! This is Sales psychology 101!

We can all find an excuse to shift the blame and place it on something or someone else when it comes to sales – but finding that reason doesn’t bring you any closer to your sales target. In fact it hinders you.

SO STOP LISTENING TO YOUR EXCUSES
Before you start believing them! Instead, just keep asking yourself one magical question.

“OK, so if all that is true.what action can I take to get me closer to where I want to be?”
Everyone goes into The Valley at some stage, but the most successful people get out of The Valley the quickest and restore ‘normal service’.
Instead of languishing in The Valley, take control of your thinking – and your actions. Instead of thinking about reasons for a lack of performance, think about what options you have. It is this subtle change in thinking that can change your whole outlook – and results.
When you feel yourself going into The Valley – all you need to do is ask yourself that one question. I repeat it here

“OK, so if all that is true.what action can I take to get me closer to where I want to be?”

And repeat that question to yourself every time you spot yourself entering The Valley of Reasons and Excuses. Instead of scouring for excuses, your brain will search for solutions.

Take back the responsibility for your sales results.
It’s all about the psychology of selling

Until next time.
Leigh

results@sales-consultancy.com
020 7903 5426
www.sales-consultancy.com
For previous ‘Tricks of the Trade’ go here