Mindset of a Salesperson

Friday, January 6 2023

What exactly is mindset? It’s your belief system, the way you look at the world. It influences how you think, feel, and behave. The mindset of a salesperson has great impact on how they behave and ultimately impacts their success.

James Allen, author of As a Man Thinketh, said: “You are made or unmade by yourself.”

I can think of no greater contributor to one’s well-being and success (or lack of it) than your approach to life.

Successful Examples

The world is filled with well-known people who’ve achieved great outcomes. Their mindset must have factored into their success. Consider the following:

Wayne Gretzky: Told he was too short and small to make it in the NHL, yet Gretzky developed into the best hockey player the world has ever known.
Ray Charles: Blind as a young, black boy, he was raised in abject poverty by a single mother who died when he was 14. Ray Charles turned out to be one of the most successful, innovative musical artists of his time
Harland David “Colonel” Saunders: “The Colonel” was a 7th grade drop-out. He started Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) at age 65 and went on to become a billionaire.

Similarly, the mindset of a salesperson can be the difference maker in their personal success.

Examples Closer to Home

Most of us know successful “ordinary” people. Disabled by polio in her youth, my paternal grandmother was a wife, mother, who ran the family farm and operated a thriving bakery though The Great Depression and World War ll.

Go to your next high school reunion, see how your old school buddies have fared in life. You just might be surprised.

So how does mindset fit into sales results?

Two salespeople with similar backgrounds and experience can generate very different results year in, year out. The successful one is thankful and supportive. The rep with poor results blames the economy, poor products or services, terrible boss…

Do you have a fixed mindset or one that focuses on growth? Here’s some examples:

Fixed Growth
My territory is inferior My territory is underdeveloped
I’m not good with that sales approach I can adapt my sales approach
I know what I’m doing, I’ve been selling for years I’m a continuous learner

Can we change our mindset? Yes. It will take time and concerted effort. The fuel behind such change must be a positive approach. It’s simple in concept, but not easy to do. It’s entirely up to you.

If you’d like to learn more about how TAC helps sales professionals, click here.