As I watched the Olympics this past week, I was appalled by the behaviour one athlete portrayed after losing her event. Her words, tone of voice, and body language were extremely negative and her comments to an interviewer were far less than professional. Her bitterness was profoundly evident and this behaviour dispelled any sympathy I had initially felt for her loss.
I often encounter salespeople who show similar behaviour. A competitor sneaks in and steals an account. A customer decides to buy an inferior product. Competitors become more predatory in their pricing. A deal falls through after several months of effort and perhaps a great deal of expense. The list could go on.
Situations like this are a fact of life and business. How you respond makes a difference. If you allow yourself to become bitter, future situations will only compound your resentment and you will gradually find yourself struggling to meet your goals. However, if you evaluate the situation and determine what, if anything, you could have done differently to improve your results, your behaviour will be much more positive.
No one likes to lose a sale, especially a large one. However, displaying bitterness will negatively affect your future efforts.
Kelley Robertson 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. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or by email.
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