How to master your mindset and build resilience in sales

A sales career is a challenging occupation to pursue. Yes, it’s very rewarding, but it comes with its fair share of obstacles along the way too. Every time you reach out to a prospective customer, rejection is possible. Those who stick with it and overcome each obstacle see the most success. But, with all the potential rejection, how do they manage this?

Well, it takes a whole lot of resilience. Unfortunately, resilience isn’t something you have naturally, it’s built through experience. Like your physical fitness, your mental fitness should be a priority. And like the muscles in your body, your brain can be trained. With time and practice, this approach can make you a formidable prospect in the sales world. But, what steps can you take to master your mindset and build resilience in sales?

Growth mindset

Having a growth mindset means you seek out challenges to improve your skills. Resilience is achieved through growth. So, many of the following points rely on this mindset.

You can expect to encounter more setbacks in sales than the average job. Every phone call has the potential to result in a setback. There might be a lack of interest in what you have to offer. When this happens you get no closer to your targets. Instead, you are left with the bitter taste of rejection. This might lead you to doubt whether you should carry on picking up the phone.

Well, this is where the growth mindset comes in. It’s up to you what you make of rejection. The setbacks are only stumbling blocks, don’t let them define you. You should work towards seeing setbacks as opportunities to learn. This is challenging at first. But, with enough work, it’s totally possible. You will soon build resilience, improve your ability and see better results. And don’t forget, the better you get in a sales role the greater the rewards. 

Celebrate your success

By nature, a sales role is a fast-paced pursuit. You have to meet individual goals that need to be met every month or quarter. There’s also the organisation's annual goals looming over you. That puts you in a place where you are always pushing towards a goal. You are surrounded by others trying to do the same. So, there’s constant pressure to strive for more. Then, when you complete one set of goals, you are immediately onto the next. While potentially productive, getting stuck in this cycle can lead to burnout. 

Of course, learning from setbacks is important. But, it’s equally as important to celebrate your wins. There are different forms of motivation. Some people are motivated by wanting to better their failures. But, others are motivated by their past success. Either way, it’s important to take a step back and celebrate when you achieve your goals. Whether it's going out with colleagues or enjoying the company incentives. 

Savouring the wins will build resilience. When you are next going through a challenging period you can draw on these experiences. You are aware of the hard work it takes to break through the barrier. This approach can work wonders when you are chasing a challenging goal.  

Sales training 

Learning opportunities pop up all the time. A moment of reflection might help you figure out where you are going wrong. But, it most likely won’t beat structured training sessions. Sales training is a powerful tool. It will improve your selling skills. You will learn different sales techniques and gain a better understanding of consumer habits. 

All this attention to detail will make you more confident. You will become more aware of your strengths. The areas you need further improvement in will also become clearer. This should work in your favour, allowing you to be comfortable embracing rejection. This is how sales training can build resilience and develop your mental fitness.  

Embrace rejection 

Resilience isn’t built if you give up. That’s why you have to keep going. Be confident in your approach. You should believe in your ability to make sales. Otherwise, customers will be doubtful of buying from you. And when you get rejected, embrace it. It happens to everyone, all the time. After all, not everyone you contact is going to be interested in your product. The top salespeople have this understanding. It’s part of the reason why they have gone so far in their careers.  

This is where your growth mindset comes in. Remember, every setback is a new chance to learn. Take time to reflect after each conversation with a prospective customer. Figure out what went well and what didn’t. It’s with this reflection that you will be in a better position to provide value for the next prospect. 

Exercise and practice mindfulness 

Not all growth happens inside the office. Sometimes, what you do outside the office can influence your success as a salesperson. This is especially true for your resilience, which isn’t only reserved for work. In fact, you can build resilience from any activity that challenges you as a person. Exercising is one of the most accessible ways to push yourself. You can then apply this developed resilience to your role as a salesperson. 

Practising activities like meditation can help you to master your mindset. Among other areas, it can help you gain clarity over your progress as a salesperson. Developed mindfulness can also give you a renewed perspective. So, when a call doesn’t go as planned, you are prepared to deal with it. Instead of having a negative response, you should see it as a learning opportunity. 

Expand your knowledge 

Knowledge is often the driving force behind sales. As a salesperson, you need to know the key features of your products and services. You should be able to explain the benefits from the customer’s perspective. Think about the problems it fixes and why it’s unique to others on the market. It will assure customers that you are an expert in your products. This will lead to meaningful connections and productive conversations. 

Without the right knowledge, you will struggle to make any sales. Nobody wants to buy from a salesperson who doesn’t understand what they are selling. But, knowledge doesn’t appear by itself, it has to be earnt. The knowledge is gained by studying product information. Whether through the company website, advertisement or in sales meetings. 

You can also gain knowledge in areas that will help you become a well-rounded person. Attend conferences and then apply your new knowledge to your role as a salesperson. If this interests you then make sure to attend the Healthy Sales Summit. It’s a free online conference, which covers a range of interesting topics. The overriding theme will teach you how to build mental fitness to help you meet your sales goals.  

Download our guide '10 steps to building a successful sales team' to discover how to get the very best out of your sales team.