Lesson 4: Establish a growth mindset
To succeed in your sales and customer service, you need to have the right mindset. Mindset is a huge determining factor in whether you will be successful or not.
According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, your beliefs play a pivotal role in what you want and whether you achieve it. In particular, you want to have a mindset that views every challenge as an opportunity to work hard towards a solution and growth.
A growth mindset is hard work, but totally worth it
A growth mindset stems from rewarding the process versus the end result. As you know, building a business is not easy. But, the long process of building a successful business will bring many opportunities for learning and growth. Just like active listening, developing a growth mindset is a soft skill that takes intention and practice. If it doesn’t come naturally to you, keep working on it.
GROWTH MINDSET THINKING
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!” – Henry Ford
“The mind is just like a muscle – the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets and the more it can expand.” – Idowu Koyenikan
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” -Nelson Mandela
Here are some tips to help you get into the right mindset when working in sales. Read each one carefully and decide which you want to apply first.
Start your day off right!
Motivate yourself by reading inspirational quotes, listening to rousing songs or motivational videos, and expressing gratitude. As a business owner, you never know when that next big sell is coming so stay ready!
Aim to be 1% better every day
Sales is a skill set, not a natural talent. Wherever you are today in a sales ability you have room to grow and be better. Focus on being 1% better every day. Continue your learning through books, seminars, observations, and self-evaluations.
Embrace “NO”
You will hear “no” more than you hear “yes” when working in sales. Don’t let it get you down. Instead, let it drive you to pursue the next “yes”!
Fail forward!
When you have a deal that didn’t close or a customer interaction that could have gone better, think about how you can use that to improve future interactions. Regrets lead to shame, guilt, and negative thoughts, but looking at a failure as a learning experience leads to determination, insight, and positivity.
What having a “growth mindset” actually means | Harvard Business Review
Check out this Harvard Business Review article to learn more about what growth mindset means.
Now that we’ve covered key skills and concepts that will help you execute excellent customer service and sales, let’s talk about sales flow in the remaining lessons.