Let’s be honest, sales is exhausting. Saying the same thing over and over again can not only feel monotonous, but also demotivating. Worse is the inevitable disappointment and frustration that follows when your best efforts produce little to no results.
By the time those bad days pass by (as they always do), you’re already burned out. At this point, you start questioning your ability to do the job, your willingness to go on and even your decision to pursue this career.
But it’s not all doom and gloom – you also have good days when it seems as though you’ve cast a spell on leads and they respond positively to your proposal.
In this post, we’ve rounded up some practical advice and tips that will help you get through the tough times.
1 – Figure Out Why You’re Exhausted
It really is important to evaluate your situation from time to time. Ask yourself: Why am I exhausted? Why am I tired? Discovering the answer to this is the first step in solving the problem. Maybe you’re even too tired to figure out why you are tired.
Well, here are a list of reasons why you may be exhausted:
Your Workload Is Overwhelming
Yes, you might be doing too much, much more than your body can take. Even remote work won’t spare you from the workload (you might even find yourself working harder as a result). It’s important to recognize your capacity and try not to take on more than you can really handle.
Yes, there’s room to stretch yourself and strive for greater achievements, but going beyond your limits will only lead to burnout and reduced productivity.
Examine your workload, is it within your capacity?
Your Mind Is Overtaken By All That You Need To Accomplish
Sometimes your own mind can be the enemy.
The mind is great at creating a catalog of tasks and while this is good, it can work against you. Your to-do list can turn into a song on repeat and keep echoing the consequences of failure. After a while you’re bogged down just by the thought of the enormity of it all.
Teach your mind to release information to you in doses. Take on tasks one at a time – move on from one target to the other. Being stressed will not produce the desired results, so you might as well take charge. Manage your time effectively, prioritize your work schedule, avoid distractions (off and online) and collaborate with others.
Your Leads Are Not Responsive
I hear you say, “But what do I do when my leads are just not responsive?” And I say to you, “Perhaps you should evaluate your communication tactics.”
Here’s what you need to assess:
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- Are you using the right communication tools?
- Do your leads understand your pitch?
- Do they know why they should choose your product?
- Does your marketing approach include a call-to-action?
- Is your call-to-action specific and urgent? Get 25% off when you book is different from Get 25% off today when you book at our downtown office.
- Are you pitching to the right audience? Perhaps you’re pitching to Gen Z when you should be reaching out to Generation Alpha.
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You’ve Outgrown The Job Or Role
Some people don’t do well with monotonous work. They want something new, something fresh, a new challenge. And when they don’t get it, boredom with the present task becomes a burden that leaves them dispirited and exhausted. Maybe you’re one of them and you would know that if you’re reading this and nodding along.
Think about it – does your present role or job excite you?
Consider diversifying into a different sales role or working with different types of leads. Speak with a mentor about your concerns and desires. Let them give you tips on changing direction, write you a recommendation or better still, connect you to an existing opportunity.
You Don’t Have The Knowledge You Require
The problem can be knowledge gap. Lack of knowledge or experience with critical sales strategies, tactics and industry regulations can leave you trying everything and still coming up short.
Do you have the necessary technical and soft skills or experience for your role? Can you identify the skills you need to be more productive and successful?
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- Do you know how to hold attention during a sales pitch?
- Do you know and understand convincing copywriting?
- Do you know the latest sales techniques?
- Do you really know how to lead a sales team efficiently?
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Take advantage of free and affordable sales online courses on Coursera and Udemy. You may also choose to enroll in credible business schools for diplomas and degree courses. There is much to gain from developing yourself – besides the fact that you gain new insight, you also have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and influencers. This alone can open you up to more challenging and rewarding opportunities.
Your Working Environment Is Not Conducive
Let’s face it, some places are just too toxic for anyone to thrive no matter how hard you try. Insensitive bosses, hypertension-inducing targets, backstabbing colleagues, discriminatory policies, inaccessible buildings, poor working conditions, and poor pay, are all strong hindrances to productivity.
Sometimes the only way out is just that – out. Maybe it’s time to start looking out for better spaces and conditions. You don’t have to remain under the pressure of a poor working environment. Have an exit strategy: identify the spaces you want to be in, improve your qualifications, reach out to your network and let them know you’re looking out, brush up your CV and apply.
2 – Talk To A Therapist Or Mentor
Don’t be afraid or too proud to seek professional help for your mental health. Sometimes you alone can’t unpack the clutter in your mind, no matter how hard you try, and you don’t always know how to help yourself.
A therapist can help you to narrow down what is wrong and how best to tackle it. Let somebody else ask you questions, let them shine a light on your fears, let them help you to confront it. Perhaps you have recently experienced emotional and physical trauma, and your mind needs to heal for you to take on new conquests.
What is your greatest fear on the job? Have you considered the possibility that your sense of inadequacy is only a figment of your imagination, and that the exhaustion you feel is merely a product of the fear of failure? Can your mind embrace the fact that you’re qualified for the job and that your imposter syndrome should go out like the trash? Talking to a professional can help you to gain new perspective on yourself.
Make it a habit to speak to colleagues from time to time. Swap experiences and find out what works for them. Don’t do sales in isolation, even if you’re an introvert. You don’t have to be chatty or friends with everyone, find two to three colleagues who you can call if you ever need backup. Sales thrives on networking, let it work for you.
3 – Take A Break And Get Some Rest
Sleep. Take a nap. Go on leave. Lay down on your couch. Relax. Exhaustion easily creeps in when the body is overworked. Sleep deprivation leads to weakened focus, mistakes, irritability and fatigue.
Screenshot from EachNight.com
Unfortunately, you are not a machine and your body has limits. As long as you depend on your body to carry out activities, you’ll need to give fulfill some basic requirements like good food and adequate rest.
Plan Scheduled Breaks
It doesn’t matter that you are working remotely. Exercise, stretch your muscles, take a walk, listen to inspiring music, read motivational quotes, go out dancing, FaceTime with family and friends – in short, do whatever works for you.
Here’s what happens when you take some time off to relax:
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- Your mind and body are revitalized.
- Ideas flow freely because you’re less tense – you can easily recognize patterns and trends.
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4 – Think Of Innovative Ways To Generate Leads
Communication is everything in sales and professionals must find intriguing ways to reach their target audience. The questions you must focus on include:
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- Where are my leads?
- How do they prefer to communicate?
- What is their language?
- What things interest them?
- What do they want?
- How can I show them that I know what they want?
- Is my offer attractive enough?
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The key to effective communication is first understanding your leads. For this, sales analytical tools are crucial since they help you understand lead behavior. The bottom line is that leads want value for their money so you have to think how your product measures up to their expectations.
Do you think your strategies are effective enough (bearing all the questions above in mind)? How do you know that your strategies are innovative enough?
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- Have a colleague, sales consultant or mentor evaluate your tactics.
- Conduct a survey.
- Measure your results against your KPIs.
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5 – Take Disappointments In Stride!
Failure and disappointments occur, they are a part of life! Don’t cling too tightly to the idea of perfection as the pressure can become too great. So a lead backed out at the last minute or unexpected things (like a pandemic) happened – the idea is not to beat yourself up over it.
Not everything is your fault. Sometimes even your best is not enough and you don’t have control over all the elements. Perhaps you were not ready for that deal and getting it would have drowned you. Remember to take note of the lessons you learn along the way and get yourself back in the game as soon as possible.
