TO ME vs. FOR ME

As we go about our everyday business we encounter a lot of different circumstances, how we view these circumstances will shape how these circumstances affect our future.

As I have worked with sales people over the years I have seen a major shift in the way they view things. Sales people used to be the most positive, uplifting people in the world. We used to always see the glass as OVER half full and we knew that keeping a positive attitude was the best way to cope with many of the negative situations we found ourselves in.

Over the past 5 to 10 years there has been a major change in the outlook of the average sales person. It may be because of the shift in how business, especially sales, is conducted today. In years gone by the sales rep was the sole source of information and the sole source of products. Today the internet, distributors, big box stores have all become alternative sources for supplies. Many sales reps see this as diminishing their value and eliminating the need for their service. Personally I see this as the exact opposite, the internet can’t answer of a customer’s questions about how a product will “fit” in their business. A shelf in a big box store can’t market a product. Distributors carrying hundreds maybe thousands of products don’t have as much product knowledge as a rep working for a small line or one manufacturer.

Here is where how a sales person views an issue shape how the issue affects them. If a sales person sees the internet as a force that is doing something “TO” them they will be negative towards the internet. However if they view the internet as an information source that does something “FOR” them, they will use the internet to help make sales. The same goes for distributors and big box stores, they can do something TO a sales persons business or FOR a sales persons business.

Let’s face facts, no one wants anything done TO them. The idea that they are a victim to circumstance is negative and sets up a combative situation. On the other hand having something done FOR you is positive, when something is done for you it is a help and is advancing your business. This sets up a co-operative situation.

Once a sales rep has experienced a particular situation, they will always look back at the experience as being a “TO” them or “FOR” them situation and react accordingly. We will succeed or fail depending on how many times we feel we are the victims or the benefactors. We grow based on what we learn from each of these experiences and how well we can control our outlook.

I love being around sales people, I believe that when all is said and done sales people are today as they have been in the past the most positive people in the world. I am convinced that for every situation where a sales person sees themselves as a victim there are a dozen situations where they see themselves as the benefactor. I am sure that the future of the sales rep will prove that we things as being FOR us not TO us and that our customers will realize that when all else fails their sales rep will be the person who comes out on top and will help them the most.

Lorin