Added stress is inevitable in sales and I actually believe that a little stress can even productive.
Whether they admit it or not, most people in this industry are affected in some way by the stress of this career. While I feel strongly that the excitement and benefits of this business are worth more, you still must be able to handle the stress that comes with a sales career in I.T.
There are a few things that I have found to consistently manage stress when things get crazy (too many opportunities to manage, quarter end pressure, new product launches, excessive travel commitments). They are simple, reasonable and effective.
1. Drink more water. Cold water is better. Your brain functions better when your blood is more hyposmolaric (the word used to describe increased viscosity in your blood, from higher water intakes). Stress increases cortisol levels in the blood, which the renal system has to deal with. Increasing water intake can help minimize the negative effects of this hormone. You will go to the bathroom more frequently, but the stress reducing effects are well worth the visits.
2. Get more sleep. Sleep is critical to managing stress. I actually plan for it near the end of a quarter when I know that my efforts and activities are increasingly critical. Sleep also helps manage cortisol levels. Chronic stress can lower productivity and mental acuity, both of which can be minimized with more sleep.
3. Meditate. Ok...I'm not talking about loin cloths and medieval chants here. Rather, I'm suggesting you try this. See if you can find a quiet place to sit still with your eyes closed for at least 60 seconds. Don't move. Don't do anything. Don't open your eyes. Sit perfectly still. Just focus on your breathing. Think about the air going in an out of your lungs through your nostrils. It is amazing to me how many people CAN'T do this! If that's you, chances are there is way too much "white noise" in your mind which is dramatically affecting your ability to sell. People say to me "...but Brooks, I'm too busy to even take a minute out to do something like this!" My response is always the same, "That's exactly when you MUST do this." Get rid of the clutter in your mind that stress creates and do this daily.
These three practices I feel reduce my stress levels by 50% or more on any given day. More importantly, they make me feel more in control and focussed.
How To Manage Sales
Sales leads are the life-blood of any sales based business. Getting more of them is one of the primary concerns of almost every business out there, and most sales and marketing professional are looking for the best ways to do it. What you do with them once you have them can often be more important than actually getting them. How can you get more Sales leads? How do you identify the valuable ones? How do you make the most of them once you have them? All of these are vital issues in business. So how can you address them?
The Hunt for Sales Leads
Bringing in Sales Leads for your company can be a daunting task. You can bring in Sales Leads through reactive means such as web advertising, search engines, phone directory ads, or direct mailings. You can bring in Sales Leads through proactive means such as cold calling, requesting referrals, tradeshows, and seminars. Just as with any activity in your business keep in mind the Return on Investment (ROI). Will the cost of that Sales Lead development activity be made up by the business it brings in?
For reactive activities such as maintaining a website it is typically a resounding yes. But this is not true of all reactive strategies. Advertising in periodicals can sometimes be quite costly, while the number of leads obtained may be low. It often comes down to the quality and timing of the advertisement.
Proactive strategies, such as cold calling, typically have a higher ROI. However, cold calling can be a problematic means for developing Sales Leads as most salespeople don't like to make the calls and this can lead to wasted time and poor quality. With activities such as Tradeshows you may get a high number of Sales Leads, but the quality may again be low. The key to keeping a high ROI is to qualify your leads well.
Valuable Sales Leads
The key to making the most of your Sales Leads is to identify those that are the best candidates for making a sale. Sounds easy, but often isn't. You need to develop a good process for Sales Leads Qualification, or simply?Qualifying. How do you go about creating a Qualification process? Got back to the End! No, not the Beginning, the End. Go back to the deals that represent your most successful sales and analyze them. What were the common traits that all those Prospects had? Did they come from a certain industry? Where they looking for certain benefits? Did they all have similar problems? Find the common ground and from that base build a series of Qualifying Questions to identify the Sales Leads that will have the best chance of closing.
Sales Leads that make the Most
So you've brought in the Sales Leads, you've qualified those that are worth pursuing, now you need to manage them. Software for managing Sales Leads can help you track your leads, maintain good follow-up with prospects, and if utilized well can help you shorten your Sales Cycle. Sales Force Automation software is designed to do exactly that. It helps you organize and manage your contacts and accounts, track and report on sales, and provides history and communication capabilities.
These programs let you enter information on your Sales Leads right from the start, so you can track all information from the first contact through to the close. As with any tool, to get the benefits it has to be used. Look for a program that is easy to use and provides the features you need.
Both Brooks Van Norman & Jose Vanegas are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Brooks Van Norman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Sales and Negotiation and Stress Management. A sales career in technology requires an inquisitive nature, a desire to succeed and a smart plan. You can start right from where you are today with the plan and the information I have outlined in my book New Economy Selling.. Brooks Van Norman's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.
Jose Vanegas has sinced written about articles on various topics from Management, Management Software Solutions and Management. Many of today's most successful large and small businesses have chosen Avidian's as their sales management and contact management software.. Jose Vanegas's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
