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The
Inner Game Of Selling - Mind Tools For Sales Professionals.
How many of your sales are won
or lost starting right in your mind? Are you giving yourself every
opportunity for victory and success by using the full potential
of your mind? This article gives an overview of Timothy Gallwey's
Inner Game method and shows how you can use its tenets to invigorate
your selling game. Build the powers of your mind and you'll be an
inner winner all the time.
599
words.
The Inner Game Of Selling
Mind Tools For Sales Professionals
Bill Cole, MS, MA
Founder and CEO
William B. Cole Consultants
Silicon Valley, California
Professional golfers say the toughest golf course
they will ever play is a tiny little six-inch course. The six inches
between their ears. Their brain. The mind game. Pro golfers know
their inner game makes or breaks them.
How about you? Many sales are won or lost in your mind. Can you
access the almost limitless mental resources you possess? I believe
you CAN be an inner winner--all the time. Let's take a look at how
you can use inner game mind tools to help you sell better, present
better and relate better to your clients.
In 1974 Tim Gallwey wrote the seminal book The Inner Game Of Tennis.
This book was revolutionary at the time, and today is still considered
controversial, yet its teachings have spawned a new learning and
performing perspective and method of instruction in all sports,
and other arenas.
Gallwey said that every game has an inner game and an outer game.
Selling is a game. Salespeople keep score in the outer game by how
much they sell. The inner game is the game that takes place in the
mind of the salesperson.
To win the outer game, you must first win the inner game. Your best
performances originate from inside yourself. Yet salespeople create
mental barriers, or get in their own way, resulting in performance
deficits. In a moment I'll show you ways to overcome these mental
blocks, but let's first take a look at the ten most common negative
habits of mind that plague salespeople.
Ten Ways Salespeople Block Themselves
- Trying too hard.
- Attempting to micro-manage.
- Self-instruction during their performance.
- Negative thoughts.
- Negative mental images.
- Negative beliefs.
- Preconceived beliefs.
- Self-limiting thoughts.
- Lack of self-trust.
- A busy mind.
The Two Major Skills Of The Inner Game Of Selling
Gallwey taught two primary mind tools that would
lead to consistent, high-achieving performances. These are among
the first mental skills I teach a new client who wants to reach
more sales potential.
1. Quieting The Mind--When your mind is calm and quiet, your
focus is in the present. All good performances unfold when your
mind is in the present, not the past (the hiding place of regret
and criticism) or the future (the hiding place of worry and fear).
Top sales performers have methods to keep their mind in the here
and now. Quieting the mind is the starting point.
2. Letting It Happen--Performances that are forced are not
as powerful as ones that are allowed to spontaneously blossom. Letting
it happen means to relax and simply do what you know you can do
while enjoying the process. Attempting to micro-manage and over-control
the situation results in a stilted, stiff, lifeless performance.
What is the trigger for letting it happen? Trust and confidence
in yourself.
Gallwey placed a high value on the notion that if you trust yourself,
you will bring forth your best abilities, even under pressure. When
your mind and body are working together in harmony, a spontaneous
performance is more likely to be ignited.
How Do Sales Performances Happen Naturally?
To let a great selling performance happen, you
need the proper sales skills foundation. If you have not paid your
dues in learning, training, planning and practice, you won't achieve
the proper execution in your performance. Once you have a firm selling
skills foundation in place, the performance magic can happen. Experienced
performers then know how to step aside and allow the performance
to automatically come forth.
Study yourself, build your mind tools, and you'll be an inner winner
all the time.
To learn more about how sales coaching can help you become a better,
more confident sales professional, visit Bill Cole, MS, MA, the
Mental Game Coach™ at www.mentalgamecoach.com/Services/SalesCoaching.html.
Copyright ©
Bill Cole, MS, MA. All rights reserved.
Bill Cole, MS, MA, a leading authority
on peak performance, mental toughness and coaching, is founder and
CEO of William B. Cole Consultants, a consulting firm that helps
organizations and professionals achieve more success in business,
life and sports. He is also the Founder and President of the International
Mental Game Coaching Association (www.mentalgamecoaching.com),
an organization dedicated to advancing the research, development,
professionalism and growth of mental game coaching worldwide. He
is a multiple Hall-Of-Fame honoree as an athlete, coach and school
alumnus, an award-winning scholar-athlete, published book author
and articles author, and has coached at the highest levels of major-league
pro sports, big-time college athletics and corporate America. For
a free, extensive article archive, or for questions and comments
visit him at www.MentalGameCoach.com.
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