Taking Care of Yourself

No one likes a selfish person. In sales, if you are perceived as being selfish, it is often a dealbreaker. No customer wants to do business with a selfish salesperson. A salesperson that treats the customer as a means to an end, that is concerned only with how much commission he will be getting from the sale, is not likely to make a very good impression. In sales, "Looking out for number one" takes on a whole new meaning. "Number one" is the customer. Relentless and authentic focus on and concern for the client you are helping is how you become successful in sales. It's not about you; it's about them.

That being said, I want to stress the importance of making sure you are well-equipped to serve your customer. Focusing on someone else begins with focusing on yourself. Before you take care of others, you have to take care of yourself. A sick doctor can do her patients no good. In the same way, salespeople need to make sure they are healthy--physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially--before they can properly address the concerns of their clients. Here are the dimensions in which a salesperson must be well-prepared herself before she can do any good for her customers.

1. Physical. Good old-fashioned diet and exercise. If your body can't take it, you can't take it. Fitness should be a top priority for the salesperson. However, many salespeople let it slide because it can be time-consuming and there doesn't seem to be a direct correlation to working out and becoming better in sales. Exercise can prevent illness and keep you from getting tired or stressed. When your body is healthy, you'll have the energy necessary to work long hours and the stamina necessary to engage in tense conversations without losing your cool. Getting all the sales training in the world without making sure your body is in good shape is putting the cart before the horse. You are nothing without your body.


2. Intellectual. Are you constantly learning? Do you spend your downtime watching dramas on TV or reading material that will improve your understanding? There is a daunting amount of material available for sales, marketing, self-improvement, and business available in the form of books, magazines, blogs, podcasts, audiobooks, ebooks, etc. There is more content more easily accessible than ever before. Are you taking advantage of it? The more you learn, the more business acumen you will have to help your clients solve their problems. Chances are, another salesperson has been in your situation before. Why not learn from them? Read a book a month. Listen to a weekly podcast. Browse through blogposts everyday. Keep your mind sharp. It will make all the difference.


3. Emotional. If you are in peak physical condition and are the smartest guy in the room, you still will not be able to hack it in sales if you aren't emotionally prepared for the job. Customers can be hostile. Coworkers can be cynical. Bosses can be unreasonable. How will you handle it? Whether it be through prayer, meditation, or simple reflection, having a heart that is daily prepared for the day's activity is essential to becoming a successful salesperson. Perserverance. Courage. Passion. These necessary sales traits have nothing to do with how much you know. They come from the heart. Without them, you can't make a difference. How's your heart? Is it prepared?


4. Social. Sales is definitely not a career for you if you don't like people. The time you spend with others will greatly influence is meetings you have with customers. An unsocialized salesperson is akward. They cannot connect with customers in a meaningful way. They don't understand basic social protocol. How much time do you spend with other people? Do you go out with friends or do you spend all of your time in isolation? A successul salesperson will have plenty of practice mingling. Customers, after all, are just people. They can be engaged in conversation like anyone else. Are you prepared for conversation? Can you handle the social-role of the salesperson?

Taking care of yourself is not selfish. As a matter of fact, not taking care of yourself is the most selfish thing you can do. What good are you to anyone else if you don't first equip yourself to be a difference-maker? The end-goal, of course, should always be to serve others. You are wasting your talents, skills, and creativity if you don't use them to positively influence the lives of others. However, if you don't first make sure you are the best person you can possibly be, you are worthless to anyone else. Go ahead, take care of yourself. It is the most selfless thing you can do.