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Take out the trash
4/24/2008 4:47:32 PM

Gunther,

Below is an article for you. I hope you enjoy it and can use it.

Cheers!

Kelley

Take Out the Trash

Is your head trash piling up? The term "head trash" came up during a conversation with a colleague and he used the phrase to describe the mental garbage that affects the performance of most sales people. Head trash is a collection of limiting thoughts or ideas that prevent you from taking specific action that will help you generate better results. Here are a few examples of how head trash can affect you.

In a sales training workshop I conducted for a specialty retailer, several people stated that they didn't bother trying to close any business before 11:00 AM because they "knew" that everyone who came into their store before that time was just comparing their price with one of their competitors located close by. A sales person in a manufacturing company told me that her customers would not pay full price for her products because a major competitor sold similar products for less money. As a result, she consistently offered her customers a discount even before they asked. Another sales rep confided that he believed that the lowest possible price was the only thing his customers wanted from him and his company. He had held this belief for so long that nothing could dissuade him from this line of thinking.

Head trash can affect you in different ways. During a morning workout I caught myself thinking that I could not complete a particular exercise and this self- limiting thought prevented me from continuing. Yet, on most other days, I breezed through the workout with much less strain and effort. From a sales perspective, if you believe that a prospect will not be receptive to a new product, idea or solution, your ability to present that idea in a positive manner is greatly reduced. I have seen sales people talk to customers at great length and at the end of their conversation ask, "You don't want to order this do you?" They have convinced themselves even before they ask for the sale that the customer will not be interested.

The cause of head trash varies. Extreme fatigue from lack of sleep or illness is one common cause because your physical well-being contributes to a less- than-optimistic outlook or mindset. Another cause is associating with negative-minded people. I once worked with an individual who always saw the glass as half-empty instead of half-full and after even a brief conversation with him, I always felt drained and pessimistic.

The most common cause of head trash is the experience you have had with a particular task or assignment. For example, you may be required to cold call to generate new leads and prospect. However, if your experience with cold calling has not been positive and you have failed to find qualified leads then picking up the telephone will be a grind and you certainly will not enjoy making the calls. And, when you do eventually pick up the telephone, your tone will not convey the desired message to your prospect.

To achieve the results you deserve and are capable of it is essential that you dump your head trash. While this is easier said than done, applying a few techniques will help.

First, focus on what you CAN do. With a positive outcome. Instead of thinking of the negative aspect of the task, concentrate on the best possible outcome. Let's return to the cold calling example for a moment. If you put yourself into the mindset that making these calls will generate new business, or at the very least, that they will help you connect with new and interesting people, your willingness to invest in this task will dramatically improve.

Next, take action immediately. Most people procrastinate when head trash invades their thinking and this prevents them from moving forward. However, taking one step or small action supersedes the desire to remain complacent. I believe it was Confucius who said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I have learned from experience that making a difficult telephone call eliminates the need to procrastinate and stimulates my desire to take further action throughout the day. And, as I continue to take action, the trash that may have collected in my head is emptied.

It is also important to associate with action-oriented people who support your goals and objectives. I start the week by talking to a good friend of mine every Monday morning. During our conversations we discuss the challenges from the previous week and explore options and ideas. I also belong to a Mastermind group and when we meet each month, we help each other look for new opportunities within our respective businesses. All of these conversations help eliminate my head trash and motivate me to try new approaches and apply different ideas.

Take out your trash and watch the difference in your results.

© 2008 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and profits. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kell ey@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.

Gunther G. - GENGRO Accounting and Business Consulting Services GENerating GROwth for Business and Individuals since 1991
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Phillip Black

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Re: Take out the trash
4/24/2008 8:04:51 PM

Hi Gunther,

I really don't know exactly where to begin.  This is one the more powerful articles that I've read in quite some time and is dead center on target.

The mind is the most powerful of all of God's creations.  You and only you can decide to banish negativity or to welcome it in.  No one else has any control unless you give it to them.  As our old Friend Henry Ford said,

"Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.".

Never, ever allow yourselves to be surrounded by Negative people.  I not only want people around me who think of the glass as half-full, I want to be surrounded by people who are working hard to lease out that remaining space and turn a profit. 

It's interesting that he chose cold calling as an example.  This is the downfall of many an otherwise quality Salesperson.  Whether on the phone, or my favorite, door-to-door, if you stay positive, and focused on your goals, call reluctance will vanish and you'll actually come to enjoy it, because it's the first step to achieving your ultimate goal, the sale.

I started in the Insurance business as a District Agent, otherwise known as a Debit or Home-Service Agent.  The beauty of this was, I earned a Collection Commission for collecting that Weekly or Monthly Premium.  If I was making a collection at Apt. 19-C, you better believe that I would knocking on the door at 19 A, B, D, & E.  You see, they paid that same 6% Collection Commission on each premium, whether I was collecting at 19 A, B, & C, or making a collection two or three streets over.  

You have to get through the NO's to get to the YES's, to get to the Appointment. to get to the Presentation, to get to the Sale, to earn a Commission.  Mathematically, if it takes 20 Doors to get 3 Appointments., to get 1 Sale for a Commission of $300, then each Door on which you knocked paid you $15.  Let's say you're new and a little slow, so it takes you an hour to knock on 4 doors.  Four times $15 equals $60. Will you be willing to knock on doors for $60 per hour?  It always depends on how you look at it.  Whether they say NO or YES, you're still a Winner. 

One final Quote, something a little more Zen...

 “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” -  Buddha

Not only will you find Joy in what you do, it will put a Smile on your face that's Contagious, and your Sales can go nowhere but up.

Thanks Again, my Friend for sharing this wonderful article with us.

Have An Awesome Weekend,

Phil

 

“There may be trouble all around, but I am calling you to a place of peace. Be still and know that I am God. Come to Me, and I will give you wisdom, strength, and grace for everything you face." Psalm 46:10
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Mary Hannan

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Re: Take out the trash
4/24/2008 10:23:49 PM

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Joelees Wholesale

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Re: Take out the trash
4/25/2008 2:26:37 PM

Gunther,

Thank you my friend for the head trash lol (Joking)  have a great weekend my friend Gods speed :-) Lee

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Kathy Hamilton

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Re: Take out the trash
4/25/2008 2:28:24 PM

Great job Gunther,

Great story. Like I always say Garbage in Garbage out.

I live by those words.

Have amazing Weekend.

Kathy Hamilton/simikathy

I walk by faith not by sight Profit Clicking http://www.profitclicking.com/?r=simikathy
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