Perseverance
and Yourself
“The wind-footed
steed is broken down in his speed, whilst the camel-driver jobs
on with his beast to the end of his journey.”
- Sa’Di, Gulistan (1258)
Perseverance
does not apply only to individual
clients but the function of being in sales. Being a successful
salesperson does not happen overnight and sales do not just
fall into people’s laps. They take effort and perseverance – something
that many find difficult to maintain during tough quarters or slow
economic times.
Some examples of perseverance…
·
It
took Walt Disney sixteen years to convince the author of Mary Poppins
to turn her book into a motion picture.
·
Automotive
pioneer Henry Ford declared
bankruptcy twice in his first few years in the business.
·
When
Bill
Gates first announced Windows in 1983, it was met with widespread
criticism and was predicted to fail.
Think about
those examples of perseverance
and what became of three great men who battled against obstacles
to reach success. One man became synonymous with family entertainment
and animation and turned a popular book into a classic movie. Another
built his reputation
on what became one of the most successful and affordable cars for
the working man, the Model T. The third built the strongest software
company in history and is one of the richest men in the world, estimated
(in May of 2004) to be worth approximately thirty billion dollars.
That’s enough to buy 192 Boeing 747s.
So, as we think about
the obstacles and roadblocks we all face in sales and
in our personal lives, it is important to do two things:
1.
Keep fighting – Have you heard about Winston Churchill’s
commencement speech to a
graduating class of Harvard? Churchill strolled confidently
to the podium, assessed his audience and briefly and succinctly
stated, “Never, ever, ever, ever give up.” He then turned around
and sat back down. Failure to persevere
in sales is deadly. Sales can be a tough business for those who
aren’t willing to keep plugging away. Slow months come and go. You
may struggle one month and smash your quota the next. Only by continuing
to fight will you succeed in what you do.
2.
Keep learning – If you keep doing the same old thing
over and over again, even in the face of failure or just average
results, then you won’t ever reach
your goals. It doesn’t matter if you’re a superstar
salesman who regularly attends sales “club” trips or if you
are struggling to make your numbers, it is imperative you keep learning.
Learn about new sales
techniques, your clients, your products – whatever can provide
you an added edge in a difficult field. By continuing to expand
your knowledge base,
you increase your chances of success.
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