From Hero to Nothing
When a new month begins, we have a saying in sales. When the accomplishments from the previous month are removed from the board and you get the pleasure of starting anew, it is frequently noted. As we dismiss our efforts from the previous month and get back to work, we exclaim, “Hero to zero!”
I think the all-too-common “month-end hangover” is where the term “month-end hangover” originated. So many salespeople essentially leave everything on the table. In the last week or few days of the month, we work so hard that we exhaust ourselves! It is understandable why sales frequently decline for a few days on the first day of a new month. There isn’t much energy left after making a mad dash to the finish line to finish the race and get up and repeat it the following day.
Successful salespeople are aware that each and every minute of the day matters. Without a doubt, we shouldn’t sit back, unwind, and celebrate our accomplishments. The idea for “Hero to Nothing” was born out of that mindset. It serves as a reminder that we should resist the urge to congratulate ourselves or mark the accomplishments of the previous month. In the end, the previous months were fully completed, right? It’s right that none of last month’s success carried over to this month.
What if the triumph from last month still has significance today? What may be possible if you, as a salesperson, could rekindle your desire to close sales and your sense of purpose? What if you were able to maintain the optimistic outlook and self-assurance you had after accomplishing your goals? If you maintain your momentum through the first week of the next month, what would happen?
Before you start beating yourself up and adopting the “hero to zero” mentality, stop minimizing or even forgetting about your recent successes. For the love of God, take a moment to appreciate your accomplishments! Purchase a nice gift for yourself or a member of your family. Purchase a professional back rub at a nearby spa as a favor for yourself. Enjoy your favorite dish at your preferred restaurant. Take the time to do something you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t had the time for. This can really help you reach your sales goals for the upcoming month. Here’s how.
When “the desired behavior or increasingly close approximations to it are followed by a rewarding or reinforcing stimulus,” according to the Merriam-Webster definition, “operant conditioning” is taking place.
How does this affect you? This means that if achieving and exceeding goals through sales is the ideal behavior for a salesman, then by rewarding yourself or providing yourself with a “reinforcing stimulus,” you will actually prepare yourself to achieve AGAIN! That’s correct, by rewarding yourself for a job well done, you can enhance your odds of success, your confidence, and your capacity to meet and exceed your goals next month! Decide to reward yourself for your work so that you may both feel great about achieving your goals and feel great about yourself. YOU MERIT IT!
The next time you achieve your goals, don’t worry about what you accomplished last month; it’s over, Someone will inform you on the first day of the new month. also “Hero to Zero! It’s time to resume work. Instead of heeding that advice, ask yourself, “How should I reward myself for a job well done?” Just like anyone else who achieves something amazing in their work or personal life, you deserve the reward!
We enjoyed a record-breaking November at my auto dealership this year. In addition to exceeding our ambitious objective, we outperformed last year’s revenues by more than 20%. Today, when I report to work, I’ll start the sales pitch all over again. But I’ll treat myself by making this Christmas fantastic for my wife and kids! In addition, I believe I’ll treat myself to a stylish new winter coat to mark the achievement. If we as a team surpass our new objective for the upcoming month, I might even start planning my December reward now!
How will you recognize yourself or your team for a job well done last month so that you can duplicate it and set yourself up for success this month?
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