Investing In Yourself

Sales Series Part 2 

Last week I took the time to talk about how the virtual world is here to stay- especially with sales (read Sales Series Part 1 here). This week I’m talking about how to be a better salesperson, and it’s not talent. Sales take skill. Skills take time to improve. You see, there are going to be situations that come up that challenge you. Your mission is to prepare yourself, so your sales career can soar. You can shine during a pandemic, when you’re on-screen, and when there’s adversity staring you in the face. There will be things that you didn’t plan on, but what you can do is prepare yourself and equip yourself to be ready. Whether seasoned in sales or just starting, it all begins with investing in YOU.
Commit to yourself that you will be on a journey of lifelong learning. Personal growth is necessary no matter how much experience you have under your belt. You want to increase your knowledge so you can be a better mentor, earn more, and make a difference in your community. Don’t get left behind because you think you know enough or have plenty (or not enough) experience. Close-minded thinking will get you left behind when the world continues to move forward, evolve, grow and adapt. 

How to invest in yourself:

Be Mindful of Who Is Around You!Surround yourself with the five people you most want to be like, or share similar beliefs or goals. In other words, find like-minded people! Be a support system for each other, like a mini-community where you can offer each other support, give each other ideas, refer business to each other, and share positivity. Maybe you create a Facebook group or a group text. Perhaps you set up a weekly call or Zoom with each other. Get creative. Make sure the group is exclusive to only people who will be beneficial to you. If people aren’t supportive of each other’s growth, they shouldn’t be part of the group.Make sure you are also contributing to others in the group. Offer them the support they need to grow and shine in their own way. 

Give Yourself The Gift Of Time

One of the most common questions my sales team and colleagues ask me is about time and money (when it comes to investing in oneself). A good rule of thumb is 30 minutes a day- or about 2 hours a week. Some people prefer to knock out the 2 hours all at once, like a hyper-focused power session, and others prefer the 30 minutes a day route. It’s up to you and how your brain works.As far as how much money you should spend, well, that’s a different beast. There are so many options out there. Think podcasts, youtube, skillshare.com, masterclasses, traditional classes, books, Facebook groups, meetups, seminars, the list goes on and on. It would be best if you stuck with the time commitment I mentioned above. Enroll in as much for free as you can- and then set aside about 5% of your income for self-improvement/lifelong learning. Even if you don’t use it all, it will be there when you need it. Then when an ‘expensive’ opportunity surfaces, you aren’t scrambling to fit it into your budget.

Choose From Topics That Challenge You

Where to begin and where to focus? Where do you feel your strengths are? Where do you feel your weaknesses are?There are bound to be places that could use a little investment. Look at the list below and rate your abilities. No judgment. The one or two that you feel make you the most outside of your comfort zone are likely the ones to give your focus. But don’t force yourself. Make it fun. Make investing in yourself a habit above all else.

• Time management
• Computer skills 
• Writing, composition, blog/content producing.
• Focus/Staying Focused
• Self-discipline
• Self-Confidence
• Verbal communication skills
• Listening skills
• Dress and grooming
• Business etiquette
• Organizing
• Body language – reading and relaying.
• Reading- (do you read/listen to books?)
• Math
• Product knowledge
• Industry knowledge
• Podcasts in your field of expertise- (do you subscribe to any?)
• Paperwork/entry knowledge
• Networking and following up
• Prospecting
• Personal finances
• Spiritual (do you pray or meditate?)

Don’t Focus On Your Lack Of Experience (Or Results)

Don’t stress over lack of experience or being set in your ways if you are more seasoned. Magic will happen if you genuinely dedicate 2 hours a week to personal development. Keep in mind that you can use good old ‘google’ for pretty much everything you want to improve on. Self-investment isn’t about investing finances (although it can at times); it’s about investing time in YOU. Investing in yourself is the ONE WAY you can be sure to grow and learn your entire life, even when things get a little fuzzy- like a pandemic, or stock market crash, or political wars. Stay the course, and it will pay off. I can bet you will like the person in your skin more and more too!

Investing in yourself means being in-tune with what makes you tick. Where do you feel you need improvement? What strengths do you have that might help someone else? Do you have something that makes you fearful? Do you know of an area that makes you uncomfortable? What about something you’ve always wished you learned or mastered? It’s never too late. Why not get inspired and be inspiring? Why not invest in yourself? What do you have to lose? I hope this blog post gives you the confidence you need to go out and conquer adversity in your professional paths. Comment below with some resources that you use to help the life-long learning process. What enables you to feel ‘normal’? What makes you nervous and overwhelmed? Let me know, and let’s chat!