Resiliency and Sales Results

What is the reason when the going gets tough,  some sales organizations get tougher while others  turn to excuses and non-productive behavior?   Dr. Paul Stolz, author of the “Adversity Quotient,” is an expert on why some organizations thrive and survive during tough times and others fail.  His research shows that resiliency accounts for success during tough times just as much as intellect and strategy.  Dr. Stolz measures resiliency, the ability to overcome adversity, in four quadrants.  He calls it the CORE formula.  See how your sales organization stacks up in this four part series.   PART ONE:   C = Control.  Is anyone in the sales profession feeling out of control?   How in the world can a salesperson hit their goal when there are forces beyond your reach affecting business?  I.e., Increasing oil prices, out of control spending, the collapse of the housing market and the impact of the internet.  What's a salesperson to do?  Dr. Stolz’s research shows that highly successful people engage in control and focus on what they can do, not what they can’t do. Highly successful salespeople do the same thing.  They know they can control the following:

• Their sales activity plan.  High control sales organizations kick up the sales activity plan knowing that they need more prospects in the pipeline due to longer sales cycles and more competition on the same opportunities.
• Improve sales skills.  Today's educated buyer requires that salepeople are well versed on influence skills, critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence.  Asking open ended questions is no longer a competitive advantage.
• Relationship building with good clients.  In tough economic times, don’t forget who brought you to the party.  Ask not what your clients can do for you.  Ask what you can do for your clients.  
• Explore new niches.  Now may be the time to look at verticals where your core competencies are a match and a value.  The niche you grew your business may not be the direction where future sales will be won. 

Join us next week for PART II on growing resiliency and sales! Good Selling! Colleen Stanley Chief Selling Officer