Don't Be a Quitter

I'm going to make a bold statement that you will probably disagree with.

You quit too early.

I don't mean the time you punch out or stop calling customers and prospects or head home. I'm talking about how much time and effort you invest when incorporating a new sales strategy into your routine. You see, most people fail to spend enough time to incorporate a new concept into their sales routine and often give up before that concept has been fully integrated into their approach. They give up because they don't get the results they thought they would or as quickly as they want.

Allow me to share a personal example.

Last December I decided to learn how to play the guitar so I ventured into a local music store and rented an electric guitar and an amplifier. I also bought a self-study program that included a DVD. I returned home eagerly anticipating that I'd be playing a riff from one of my favourite rock tunes in couple of months. Was I surprised (and disappointed)!

Four months later I had made some progress but could only play a few bars without making a mistake. I had only learned to play three strings and several notes even after hours of practise. Unfortunately, I didn't take into consideration that I had NEVER taken a music lesson or learned how to read sheet music. I reluctantly returned the equipment fully believing that I was too old to learn how to play the guitar.

Then, a few weeks later I read a blog post by David Brock who talked about his struggle trying to learn some form of martial arts. He pointed out that he was still struggling to master some basic moves even after six months of lessons.

A few days later I spoke with a colleague who reminded me that it usually takes up to 10,000 hours of practice to completely master a particular skill. It doesn't matter what that skill is. It can include learning how to write, more effectively, delivering a powerful speech, or becoming competent in a particular sport.

Afterwards, I felt like a idiot because I realized that I had quit too early. I had not given myself permission to be a beginner or allowed enough time to learn the complexities of reading music AND playing a musical instrument. I realized that I had returned the guitar to the strore too early.

This lesson is extremely relevant to sales.

Learning a new sales concept takes time. It probably won't take you 10,000 hours to but understanding a new sales concept is completely different than mastering it and most people don't give themselves ample time to become accustomed to integrating that strategies into their daily sales routine.

People in my sales training workshops often say that they did not get the desired result after trying to implement a specific concept. In most cases, they made one or two attempts then gave up. But, like any other new skill, it is essential to give yourself enough time to become comfortable integrating that concept into your routine.

The only way to become proficient is to practise, practise, practise. Too many people forget that progress is slow; much slower than we desire. We have become accustomed to living in a quick fix society that offers easy solutions and fast answers. But personal development doesn't happen that quickly.

Let me put this into perspective and share one last example.

A good friend of mine bought a Porsche a few years ago and took advanced driving lessons shortly after taking possession. He was surprised how challenging it was to learn how to handle fast curves and hard braking even though he was already a very competent drive and after an intense weekend of driving he only started to grasp the basics. He has since returned to the driving school and improved his skills.

Here's the lesson.

Allow yourself time to become comfortable applying a new sales concept before you quit. Invest the appropriate amount of time to practise that concept. Give yourself permission to be a beginner. Yes, you will make mistakes. You will feel uncomfortable at first. And, you will fail several times before you master that concept. But, it you stick with it you will eventually get better. You WILL master that skill.

Don't be a quitter!

About this Author

Get your FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to Kelley's free newsletter, "59 Seconds to Sales Success" at http://www.Fearless-Selling.ca. Kelley Robertson conducts sales training programs and speaks on sales at conferences and meetings. Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca.

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