Unlearn for Your Sales Success

Did you start the New Year with a list of resolutions? Your personal promises may lead to changes in your life to support even greater success in 2016. I though have learned the hard way that many resolutions, goals and changes for success need “pre-work” before they can gain traction in your life.

I came upon this idea of “Unlearn” while thinking about the famous advertising campaign by 7 UP to label themselves the “Uncola.” You will get a chance to see an advert from this imaginative campaign at the end of this blog.

Sources: Print Magazine & Tumblr

Sometimes resolutions and changes in life require us to “Unlearn” before we can begin to live out our new goals. Take the goal “I want to lose 10 kg” as an example. We may have to unlearn some habits and rituals, and remove certain triggers from our daily lives to make this happen. In my case, it may require me to unlearn stuffing myself with carbohydrates and Lucky Charms cereal. It may require me to unlearn grocery shopping on an empty stomach, or unlearn  watching that late cable program, going to bed too late and not getting up to exercise. When I unlearn these habits, I can then begin to do the positive actions that lead to weight loss – healthy controlled eating, exercising and healthy shopping.

Unlearning habits that hinder success may need you to identify “triggers” that set off an unhealthy habit. A “trigger” is something that sets off a memory tape and takes you down the path of an unproductive habit. Triggers are very personal, and different things trigger different people. Stress can be a trigger, so can certain situations or people.

So how does this apply to your sales efforts to be more successful in 2016?

Identify the goals or resolutions you have made for 2016 that support your better sales performance this year. Then step back and identify the behaviors, attitudes or habits you need to “Unlearn”, before you can achieve these positive goals. When you have identified these blocking behaviors or attitudes, identify what or who the triggers are that may set off unhealthy habits.

Try this on one goal for 2016 that will help you with better sales by doing the following:

1. Identify triggers that set you off dragging you away from positive sales activities. Be aware of these triggers and the environments that set them off. The key is to be aware, and then avoid responding to triggers in a way that is unproductive. This may mean avoiding certain situations;
2. Make a real effort to list out and replace bad or unproductive habits by unlearning them. This usually means replacing them with new pathways of doing things;
3. Write out the new pathways in a step-by-step fashion that help you unlearn poor habits, and lead you to new behaviors of success;
4. Practice these new behaviors and link them to your goals for 2016;
5. Do not beat yourself up if you make a slip. Forgive yourself, fail forward and get back on track to achieve your goals;
6. Reward yourself in healthy ways when you consistently unlearn, jettison the bad behavior for the good path to success; and
7. Check how you are doing with your goals or resolutions on a quarterly basis. Give a simple “Yes” or “No” on how you did.

Sales people naturally want to achieve their new sales goals and targets for 2016. Listed below are some areas I have found salespeople must unlearn before they can move to constructive actions that lead to sales success. Take a look and decide which ones you may have to “Unlearn.”

1. Unlearn Procrastination. What unproductive habits do you start with in the morning or after lunch that cause sales activity inertia rather than strong daily sales activity momentum? Get rid of those triggers and habits that draw you away from productive sales activity;
2. Unlearn Fear of Prospecting. Fear of rejection is a common fear. Remember that you are a business person who is commissioned to solve customer problems. Remember that customers are also paid to meet sales people. Unlearn that negative self defeating fear and replace it with an evangelistic fervor for your product solution;
3. Unlearn Making Promises You Can’t Keep. Many salespeople, in an effort to please the customer (trigger), make commitments they can’t meet. One example is to promise a proposal in two days time when in reality you are booked solid for the next 5 days. Unlearn pleasing, and move to making promises that you deliver on and in the process your image as a trusted business person;
4. Unlearn Poor Listening. Would you keep going to a doctor who doesn’t listen to your health problems? Why should a client buy from a consultant that doesn’t listen well? Stop thinking about what to say while the customer is talking, and start listening (REALLY listening). Successful salespeople listen 70% of the time and talk 30%;
5. Unlearn Selling. Too many of us salespeople are too focused on selling our solution, which can be seen as pushy. Focus on a collaborative business discussion that helps to solve the client’s problems and supports their success. Learn to help your customers make informed mutually beneficial buying decisions;
6. Unlearn Closed Questions. Most cultures of the world seem to emphasize the use of closed questions. Maybe we all think they are more efficient, or help us get what we want. Many times we are barking up the wrong tree. Learn how to employ more open questions with your selected closed questions. Have a colleague chart your questions in your next sales call;
7. Unlearn Competitveness. Salespeople are told to be super competitive. Competitive attitudes can destroy relationships and lead to selfishness. Nike has a value called “Co-opetition” which signals, healthy competition with cooperation leads to more success for all. Learn to collaborate, cooperate and celebrate with your other sales team members;
8. Unlearn ‘I Did it My Way.’ Unlearn being the super ego achiever who believes all his/her success is only because of his/her individual effort, superior intelligence, and great looks. Great sales people never achieve super success alone. Remember to credit and recognize those support team members who helped. Hillary and Tenzing didn’t make to the top of Everest by themselves; and
9. Unlearn Pride. Sales people usually have strong egos. This is good as it helps us overcome rejection and obstacles to achieve our visions of success. Egos can breed pride. Check your pride level by asking your boss, spouse and close friends about two aspects of your character: your humility and your teachability.

Go back over your goal sheet for the year. What do you have to Unlearn to get you on the path of meeting your vision to even be more successful in 2016?

What about the Uncola video I promised you? Here it is below, off from YouTube. Have a good laugh and have a great 2016.

[su_youtube url="https://youtu.be/AXmc7DG4uu8"]