Every morning when you wake up, you face a choice. And in the instant you make that choice, the rest of your day is locked into place. The choice is whether you’ll have a good day or a bad one.

Sure, things happen to all of us throughout the day that can throw us “off.” But, most of us have the ability to affect our reactions to the things we experience. And I believe our reaction is determined shortly after the buzz of an alarm clock rouses us out of bed.

Let me share two versions of the same story to illustrate what I mean:

On this particular morning, you wake up and choose to have a bad day...

When you woke up, you instantly knew you were in a bad mood. On your way to a meeting with a prospect, you spill coffee on your shirt. Your anger with the coffee cup is so palpable, it can be felt three cars away. Clearly upset, you keep on driving. A few minutes later, you remember the extra shirt in your trunk. You stop to change, but you're running late because you didn't get out of bed when the alarm went off. This doesn’t do any good for your level of anger. A few minutes later, you arrive at a prospect’s office for a 9:00 meeting. At 8:55, you walk toward the lobby. On your way there, you drop your papers. This infuriates you. Again, your anger is visible. You didn’t realize that your prospect happened to be in the lobby while you were walking up. He sees you cursing the parking lot, papers, and the wind. After you gather everything, you learn from the receptionist that he’s unable to meet with you.

Now, let’s take a look at the same day, but with a different choice...

When you woke up, you knew you were ready for a great day. On your way to a meeting with a prospect, you spill coffee on your shirt. It’s no big deal because you always have an extra in your trunk for an occasion like this. You pull over at the next opportunity, which isn't a problem because you have plenty of time. After all, you jumped out of bed this morning, ready to attack the day. You get going again and before you know it, you’re arriving at your prospect’s office for a 9:00 meeting. At 8:50, you walk toward the lobby. On your way there, you drop your papers. You start laughing at the situation. You didn’t realize your prospect happened to be in the lobby while you were walking up. He sees you laughing in the parking lot and rushes out to help you gather everything. After the two of you pick everything up, you’re meeting in his office.

So, choose to make it a good day or a bad day. Because either way, you’ll be right.

- @JebBrooks

The two types of motivation can help you sell more effectively:

1. Extrinsic Motivation and
2. Intrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation comes from managers, paychecks, or even spouses telling you what to do. It’s less effective than intrinsic motivation, which comes from within you and tells you what you want to do. We need extrinsic motivators to do the things we don’t want to do.

Intrinsic motivation can stand on its own. All you have to do is listen for it. Unfortunately, it can sometimes send you in a bad direction. For example, I might be intrinsically motivated to have the cheese danish at the back of a meeting room, but the extrinsic motivation from my doctor encourages me to eat the apple.

However, if you’re able to focus your intrinsic motivation on achieving the “right” things, you’re a much more effective person.

Using intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to help you sell better works like this:

Focus your intrinsic motivation on understanding what your customer wants. Your primary motivation should be: “What do they want and how can I deliver it?” You’re stopping short if your motivator is your commission check.

Once you discover their motivation, make it your extrinsic motivator. What motivates them? What makes this buyer tick? Listen for it! Is it career growth? Are they motivated by independence? Maybe it’s the idea of staying out of the spotlight? In any event, if you discover what motivates your prospect, you are much better able to deliver it.

Awhile back, we did some research to determine motivators for particular types of buyers.

@JebBrooks

It’s an old saying that you first heard when you were about five. But it’s as true now as it was then...

You are who you hang around with. 

As a salesperson or sales manager, your environment influences your attitude. And, whether you’re around optimists or pessimists, their attitudes and perspectives will rub off on you.

Prosperity and poverty have something in common: They both come to those who expect them.

Optimists and pessimists think completely differently.

• An optimist has a prosperity mindset. It’s a belief in abundance.
• A pessimist has a poverty mindset. It’s a belief in scarcity.

If given the choice, I prefer optimists. Don’t you feel the same way? Wouldn’t you rather be around positive people who see opportunity where others see inevitable loss? It seems like the choice is obvious.

And, in the world of sales, you have even less choice than others. Sales is the hardest easy thing you’ll ever do. Anything -- whatever it is -- that gives you an advantage or puts you in a better position for success is worth a shot (so long as it’s ethical). Why would you not seek an environment filled with possibility?

Some of you are probably thinking “yeah, those optimists are fools who never recognize unnecessary risk. They just trudge along through life stupidly smiling in the face of failure.”

Okay, I get that. Optimism needs to be tempered with reality. Let’s not ignore the real world. But I’ll say I’ve never seen a “pragmatist” who isn’t really a pessimist in disguise.

The real takeaway, though is to find people who can help make you better.

1. Find salespeople who have more experience and learn from them.
2. Find sales managers who can mentor you.
3. Find customers who can give you honest feedback about your effectiveness.
4. Find friends who will tell you when you're about to make a mistake.

But more than anything, find some optimists. If you listen, they will make you more successful.

@JebBrooks

We all make them. But not everyone understands what to do next. Successfully recovering from a mistake is a simple, three step process.

1. Admit it.
2. Learn from it.
3. Move on.

1. Admit it

Admitting it is sometimes the hardest part. That’s because our egos can sometimes stand in the way. However, admission is step one. It also has the added advantage of making you “human.” The willingness to admit fault is called “personal accountability.” Customers like doing business with salespeople who are personally accountable. Sometimes you have to be accountable for others’ actions. And that’s a tough pill to swallow. Be cautious about it, but be willing to take that step.

2. Learn from it

Learning from your mistake is the most useful step. It allows you to grow as a salesperson. The best way to avoid a mistake is to have made it in the past and learned from it. But that requires taking the time to step back from the situation and asking, “why did that happen?” And “how can I avoid it next time?” Look for opportunities to discuss your mistakes with people who can -- objectively -- help you identify the lessons contained in them.

3. Move on

Finally, moving on is necessary in order to continue progressing forward. Sometimes, depending on your personality, you can get stuck in a rut. Remember the (terrible) movie Groundhog Day? Bill Murray’s character gets stuck in time. He wakes up every morning on the same day. That can happen if you fail to move on from a mistake. As long as you’ve admitted it and learned from it, it’s probably okay for you to move on from it.

It’s important to complete each step before moving onto the next one. If you make a mistake and immediately move on from it, you’re probably stepping on toes and running the risk of upsetting people.

@JebBrooks

There's a French proverb that says, "He who makes excuses, accuses himself."

It's the middle of August. People don't buy things in August. It's too hot, they're not at the office, and so salespeople don't have to work.

Yup, it's just about time to kick off that venerable annual tradition: The Summer Sales Slump.

The choice is yours: You can either make the excuse and say that people don't buy things in the summer. Or you can use the time more effectively than your competitors.

I prefer the second option. Your time is probably more valuable than you think (even during the summer slump.) Here are 14 ways to invest the time:

1. Attend a conference and implement three ideas you learn.
2. Meet with top performers in your company to understand what they do well and follow their example.
3. Pick the brains of company executives to learn about strategy and adjust your sales efforts accordingly.
4. Arrange informal meetings with your customers to learn why they buy, what else they’ll buy, and what you can do better.
5. Look for acres of diamonds among old leads, lost opportunities, or long-gone customers.
6. Attend a sales training course and integrate what you see into your work.
7. Create a personal marketing campaign.
8. Commit to reading a new sales book (or three). Put the ideas into action.
9. Research your competition.
10. Write an article about how your customers can get value from your offering.
11. Start a blog for your customers.
12. Take better advantage of social media for sales.
13. Make your sales presentation more effective.
14. Write some new sales questions to gain information from prospects. Use them.

The most critical element for sales success is, without a doubt, personal accountability. That's a willingness to accept responsibility (and credit) for your own actions. So, remain personally accountable and defeat the summer sales slump!

@JebBrooks

When I was 13 or 14, my grandfather decided it was time for me to learn to drive. Apparently, he was better able to judge my abilities than the DMV. Anyway, he took me up on his farm, put me in the seat of the 1988 Ford Pickup Truck, and said, “Drive.”

He gave me very little “coaching” that day. Instead he let me learn as I went. I’ll never forget how valuable that experience was. The opportunity to simply learn-by-doing still remains my preferred method of gaining a new skill. It forces me to "own" my mistakes and take greater pleasure in my victories.

There's a great lesson for sales managers in letting salespeople make their own mistakes, but the real gem came when he offered one of the few bits of advice that came that day.

As I was climbing a hill he caught be tapping the brakes.

“Never brake when you’re going uphill.”

My grandfather was a remarkably practical man, but I don’t think the double meaning was lost on him.

When you’re going uphill, you’re working harder than usual. Whether you’re working with a difficult customer, challenging a member of your team, dealing with personal issues, or driving a pickup, you've got to keep your foot on the gas. You can't tarry.

Don't brake the next time you've got to power through a tough challenge.

@JebBrooks

Confucius said, "Choose a job you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life." Even though he died a couple of thousand years ago, most people still haven't figured out how to follow his advice.

Why? Well mostly because people find themselves on a career path for one reason or another and they stick with it because it's easier than changing what they're doing. People have to pay bills, after all. Right?

But there are a few lucky souls out there who somehow find passion at work.

If you're a High IMPACT salesperson, sales manager, or sales leader. You'd better love what you do. It's too demanding not to.

Think of a friend, coworker, or a neighbor who genuinely enjoys work. What's different about the job? What's different about your friend?

Simply put, the person you're thinking about has aligned her natural abilities with the requirements of the job she's doing. In other words, she's playing to her strengths.

One of the reasons working with salespeople is so rewarding is that they tend to be optimists. And, if I get a choice, I’ll take an optimist over a pessimist any time. They’re more fun. Here's why:

Half Full or Half Empty?

• An optimist believes. A pessimist doubts.
• An optimist thinks of possibility. A pessimist ponders impossibility.
• An optimist dreams of potential. A pessimist has nightmares of failure.
• An optimist hopes for improvement. A pessimist waits for setbacks.
• An optimist imagines a better tomorrow. A pessimist remembers a bad yesterday.
• An optimist visualizes what's undeveloped. A pessimist sees pitfalls.
• An optimist takes a chance. A pessimist avoids a risk.
• An optimist likes. A pessimist dislikes.
• An optimist observes the good. A pessimist seeks the bad.
• An optimist stretches. A pessimist withdraws.
• An optimist studies the probable. A pessimist identifies the improbable.
• An optimist believes in the limitless. A pessimist sees limitation.
• An optimist laughs. A pessimist frowns.
• An optimist endeavors to attain. A pessimist works with disdain.
• An optimist praises achievements. A pessimist points out failings.
• An optimist looks up. A pessimist looks down.
• An optimist seeks improvement. A pessimist remains satisfied.
• An optimist yearns for tomorrow. A pessimist fears it.
• An optimist believes in what will be. A pessimist focuses on what was.
• An optimist can. A pessimist can't.
• An optimist will. A pessimist won't.
• An optimist looks for a hand up. A pessimist expects a handout.

Of course a dose of pragmatism doesn't hurt. But overall...I want positivity. Which way do you lean?

@JebBrooks

This week, my brother (Will Brooks, President of The Brooks Group) and I will be doing a lot of traveling. We're taking along a few movies to entertain us during the inevitable travel delays. Don't worry, we have plenty of work, too...

Anyway, I think Hollywood has done a decent job pointing out the humor of our profession. Salespeople make great characters because of the many personality traits it takes to be successful.

We'll be watching Boiler Room, Glengarry Glen Ross, Tommy Boy, and Wall Street. But there are a lot of other good ones, too. Like Cadillac Man, Death of a Salesman, and Tin Men. But what other ones should we pick up? What are some other great sales movies?

@JebBrooks

Boiler Room

Glengarry Glen Ross

Tommy Boy

Wall Street

Do these 21 Characteristics from the 1930s hold true today?

The ingredients required for success in sales haven't changed much in the last century. At least that's my thought.  Here's what I mean...

We have an old poster hanging in our office. It's from the 1930's, I think. And, granted, it's a bit out of date, but I like it for the lessons it teaches.  It's called "Salesmanship" and it's a picture of a boat. It has various qualities the artist deemed necessary for success in sales. Of course, the term salesman is offensive -- a point I've made before. But let's take a look at the qualities (and what I think they mean). Do you think they hold true today?

1930's 'Salesmanship' Poster

• Personality: It's the hull of the ship. It's the combination of qualities that form a person's distinctive character.
• Service: The action of helping a prospect or client.
• Personal Appearance: The way you appear to others should instill confidence.
• Goals: The object of your desire. Remember the cliche that goals should be S.M.A.R.T.? Your goals should move you forward.
• Desire: Successful salespeople wanting something positive to occur for their prospects and clients.
• Motivation: Do you have an internal desire to achieve greatness?
• Conviction: A firmly held belief in what you're doing.
• Showmanship: The charisma and energy that attracts others to you, your cause, and your offering.
• Product Knowledge: You have to know about your product or service.
• Self-Confidence: There's a fine line between self-confidence and arrogance. Successful salespeople are aware of exactly where that line sits.
• Organization: An effective approach to the tasks required of you. Sometimes organization and salesperson seem like oxymorons! But the most successful salespeople remain organized.
• Enthusiasm: A genuinely positive attitude about what you're doing.
• Faith: Complete trust and confidence in yourself, your profession, your organization, and your offering.
• Perseverance: Steadfastness in fulfilling your promises regardless of the difficulty.
• Courage: The willingness to accomplish your tasks, even if they might appear overwhelming or frightening.
• Courtesy: Respect for everyone around you and a general attitude of politeness.
• Self-Discipline: The ability to control your feelings as well as an awareness of your strengths and weaknesses.
• Mobility: The willingness to put in the "windshield time."
• Imagination: General creativity in your approach to problems and opportunities.
• Work: It's a lot of work to sell. You've got to put in the effort.
• Pride: Never forget to be proud of your work. Sales is the most noble profession. We're in the business of solving problems for our clients. By presenting our offerings, we're making their lives better! No matter what we sell.

So, really, how accurate is this list TODAY? What's missing? What's changed? Maybe not much (other, of course, than the name "Salesman.")

++++

Oh, and by the way, would you be interested in signing up for our monthly newsletter? It's packed with tips, ideas, strategies, and principles to improve your sales and sales management effectiveness. Click here!

@JebBrooks