How To Overcome Negative Thinking In Selling

Negative thinking is a problem that affects many sales people and it can be hard to overcome. Negative thinking means that the person selling the product or service has low expectations for success. The first step in overcoming negative thinking is to recognize when you are succumbing to it, because this will allow you to take corrective measures. 

For sales people, one way of recognizing and combating negative thinking may be to do regular affirmations about yourself and your abilities or talking with a friend about how things are going. For example, one may say: "I am a valuable employee and my company is proud of me. I enjoy going to work in the morning because I am productive."

The individual might do this while looking directly into a mirror, with arms outstretched and smiling radiantly. This type of affirmation serves a dual purpose: it reinforces the positive message while at the same time making you feel good physically.

Another method of overcoming negative thinking is to go over your sales statistics. By focusing on your successes and achievements, you will have something concrete to hold onto as you combat negative thoughts that are trying to creep into your mind.

A third method is to get into a routine of writing down your sales numbers and successes in the form of daily or weekly totals. Here is an example of how you might write your sales numbers:

For each sale, I made $1,650. That's 75% more than what I had projected. I sold twice as many units as I'd planned. The customer rated me as excellent and gave me an A-plus on the order.

If you are having trouble keeping track of your numbers, print them out and paste them on your wall in chronological order so that you can view them throughout the week or month. You will be able to see that your company is growing and increasing its sales each time you review it.

A negative thinker is not only limited to sales people themselves. Customers can fall into the trap of negative thinking, too. For example, let's say that you are selling something like a security alarm system for home use. If your customer has had bad experiences with other companies in the past and is skeptical about the positive reviews he or she hears from you, this is an example of negative thinking that you have to overcome. 

The solution here is to ask three pointed questions, such as: "Why do you have this fear and skepticism?" The answer to these questions can be a salesperson's undoing. A simple way of asking the three-pointed question is to say, "I just want answers." This allows the buyer to feel that there are no wrong answers, which encourages them to provide more honest answers. Once the buyer has unemotionally answered the three questions, it should be easier for him or her to overcome their negative thinking about working with you.

Another example of negative thinking in selling occurs when an employer's employee has a bad experience with the company. The employee may be reluctant to ask for a raise until they have had several bad experiences with the company. The solution to this is to sit down and develop a conversation with the employee, in which you ask them if they have any problems that they want to discuss. The employee may admit to thinking negatively about the company and the work itself, but this can then be used to turn the conversation around.

For example, if you are talking to your sales staff and one of them reveals that they don't want a raise because they think that their company is greedy and will fire them if they don't agree to work for less money, it is up to you as a good employer to set this misconception straight. If you understand where this kind of thinking comes from and can correct your employees' ideas so that they have a better view of their company, you should be able to alleviate any negative thinking that they may have.

Negative thinking can also be found in the general public, as illustrated in a poll run by the University of Michigan from January to March 2005. It found that 11% of respondents were having "a bit" of negative thoughts. It also said that about 1% had moderate levels and 4% had high levels of negative thoughts.

According to the survey, those with high levels of negative thinking were less likely to feel happy or satisfied with their lives, more likely to report stress, and most likely to be depressed. The researchers suggested that those who are regularly dealing with negative thoughts have higher levels of stress and depression because it's a coping mechanism.

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