Utilizing the Small Wins

I really do get it. Sales can be a daunting task. I’ve been there and, depending on which side of the bed I wake up on, I still can be there on any given day. However, I have found a way to push myself to action on most days. I would like to share that with you.

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There are so many variables at play in sales:

• Does my client like me?
• Does my product or service really serve my client’s best interests?
• Is my product or service priced too high?
• Is my product or service priced too low?
• Can my product or service deliver on the promise in my proposal?
• Can I present my product or service in the best light given that my boss is with me for the client meeting?

These are all questions we, as entrepreneurs and sales professionals, face on a daily basis.

Sure, we go into entrepreneurship or sales as a means to create better lives for ourselves. After all, it is one of the most rewarding professions—the potential is truly unlimited.

But how can we fight through the self-doubt that can crop up on any given day? We’re not assembling toasters on an assembly line. Sales is complex, with many variables, which is why it provides unlimited potential.

The complexity of sales and the tendency for us to doubt ourselves has led me to conclude that mind-set is one of the most important aspects of becoming successful at sales. We need to build ourselves up and protect our mind-sets from the onslaught of negative beliefs about ourselves. Negative beliefs can ultimately paralyze us, preventing us from expending the necessary effort to make sales and, therefore, success happen.

This is where celebrating small wins comes into play.

Small wins eventually lead to the larger wins that we desire. We can find small wins on a daily basis, unlike large wins, which generally come along only occasionally. Each day, we can choose to be encouraged by the small wins.

I keep a file folder on my computer and record a small win or two in it at the end of each day. 

Small wins can be as simple as the following:

• Composing an email that leads to a meeting with a prospective client
• A client negotiation in which you played things well and provided a win-win for you and the client
• A presentation you gave, after which you realized that your delivery has improved
• A client agreeing to a small contract in order to gain exposure to your new product or service

On days when I need a bit of a charge to push myself to action, I look at my small-wins folder and read through some of the small things that I have accomplished during the past one, three, or six months. By reminding myself of those small wins, I can see and put together the pieces that ultimately lead to larger wins.

Remembering and celebrating small wins provides the energy to go out and find larger wins.

Do you find yourself missing the small wins along the way? I would love to hear your thoughts below.

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