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The Inner Game Of Selling
Mind Tools For Sales Professionals
Bill Cole, MS, MA
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 2005, 2008 All rights reserved.
This article covers only one small part of the mental game.
A complete mental training program includes motivation and
goal-setting, pre-event mental preparation, post-event review
and analysis, mental strengthening, self-regulation training,
breath control training, mental rehearsal, concentration training,
pressure-proofing, communication training, confidence-building,
breaking through mental barriers, slump prevention, mental
toughness training, flow training, relaxation training, psych-out
proofing and media training.
For a comprehensive overview of your mental abilities
you need an assessment instrument that identifies your complete
mental strengths and weaknesses. For a free, easy-to-take
66-item sales skills assessment tool you can score right on
the spot, visit https://www.mentalgamecoach.com/Assessments/SalesSkills.html.
This assessment gives you a quick snapshot of your strengths
and weaknesses in your mental game. You can use this as a
guide in creating your own mental training program, or as
the basis for a program you undertake with Bill Cole, MS,
MA to improve your mental game. This assessment would be an
excellent first step to help you get the big picture about
your mental game of selling.
Bill Cole, MS, MA, a leading authority on peak performance, mental toughness
and coaching, is founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching
Association, https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com.
Bill is also 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 a multiple Hall of Fame honoree, 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.
Article Source: MentalGameCoach.com
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