Sales, more than most any other profession, is filled with unbelievable highs and lows. The salesperson who best deals with those swings is the one who will be there for the long term. There are many techniques, keys and skills needed to be successful in the field of sales, but maybe the most important thing needed is an even keel.

There are going to be days, weeks and months when a salesperson is making a sale to every customer they encounter. It may seem like all they do is say hi to a customer, and they hear “I’ll take it!” Those moments are great, and you take them when they come, of course, but understand that it won’t last very long.

When you are in one of those runs where everything is going well and you are selling everything under the sun, it’s even more important that you keep working. Stay on top of your inventory, stay up to date with paperwork, write thank you notes when appropriate and most importantly, stay humble, because it will change. Enjoy the ride, but prepare for when the ride is over.

By the same token, you cannot let yourself get so down when things are not going well that you can’t get out of the slump. Just as there are going to be times when customers buy from you no matter what, there are also going to be times when you make a perfect presentation and the customer still says no. It’s easy to get down when you hear no after no, but that’s part of the business and fighting through those times is what separates those who last from those who don’t.

The bottom line is this: every salesperson is going to have good days and bad days. Every salesperson is going to have slumps, but staying on an even keel is the number one priority for every salesperson. The next customer deserves the very best you have and they don’t care what happened before they got to you.

If you are down because you haven’t closed a sale in a while, then that is going to come across in your next presentation, and your slump is going to continue. If, however, you approach every customer as a new opportunity, then you have a chance to make a sale each and every time.

There will be ups, there will be downs, and the salesperson who navigates the best will be around for the long term.

FINAO - Brad Huisken