The One Trait of Sales Reps that Increases Sales by 20-40%: Optimism
There are lots of characteristics of great sales people. Strong work ethic, Grit, likeability, and so on. But there is one that research shows REALLY makes a difference.
This research was done by Dr. Martin Seligman, a widely respected and renowned research psychologist, and this particular research is based on 30 years of research and over 1 million participants.
So, what is it? What’s the ONE trait that will make such a difference in quota attainment?
Optimism.
According to his research, optimistic sales reps consistently sell 20-40% more than non-optimists across multiple industries. The other personality traits are also great, but Seligman’s research team found that ability and motivation are not always enough if they aren’t paired with a strong sense of optimism.
A sales rep must know they can succeed. They must have hope.
So this is all great in theory, but how can it help you in a practical way?
If you’re new to sales and looking for a sales job, or even if you’ve been in sales for awhile and are looking for a job, print out this research study. Take it with you to your interview, and when they ask you why they should hire you, hand them this study, make sure to quote the statistic of 20-40%, and assure them that you are extremely optimistic and always have been. Make sure you have a few examples of your optimism ready, in case they ask.
For job seekers, make sure to find a product that truly is a good one. It’s hard to be optimistic about selling stuff if your product isn’t great and you know it. Before you accept a job, do your research. Seek out customers and ask their opinions about the product. Do market research. There are lots of great resources out there to research products.
If you’re a sales manager, make sure you have some kind of personality testing in place, to make sure all new hires are optimistic people. And ask some questions that will confirm the test results.
If you’re already in sales, work on your optimism muscles. Just because you were an optimist as a kid, doesn’t mean you always will be. As life beats you down, you have to make a conscious effort to stay optimistic. And let’s be real. This year has been tough for all of us. Here are some strategies you can use to flex your optimism muscle:
a. Seek to be around people that are optimistic, and try to avoid pessimists. You know who they are. They might funny cynics, but this isn’t the year to hang out with them. This is especially true of your colleagues. You don’t want to have someone chirping in your ear all the time about how bad your products are, how much your managers stink, etc.
b. Seek out a mentor that can keep you on track. Tell them your goal is to stay optimistic and set some kind of measurable career goal, and ask them for help. Make sure they are optimistic themselves.
c. Put together a playlist of songs that will pump you up, especially in between sales calls. Some songs on my Happy Playlist include:
I Get Knocked Down but I Get Up Again by Dirty Land
Stronger by Kelly Clarkson
Best Day of my Life by American Authors
TNT by AC/DC
Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
Be OK by Ingrid Michaelson
Fight Song by Rachel Platten
d. Practice self-talk and visualization. The Mayo Clinic has some great ideas on how to put this into practice.
e. If all else fails, you can get some cognitive therapy. This is, of course, not my area of expertise, so I would seek out a professional, but in my research on this topic, I have found lots of great resources, because optimism truly is a learned skill, and one that we would really be wise to embrace and practice on a daily basis
