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It’s Only Common Sense: Reinvent Yourself—Don’t Be a Willy Loman

You have been at this a long time—heck, 20, 30, or even 40 years (maybe too long)—and now you’re getting a bit long in the tooth and somewhat tired. But you still love the business, and (kind of) like what you do. You like it enough to stick around for a while, but you need to pick up your game a bit. In short, you’re an old dog looking for new tricks. I get it. Here are some new tricks from my bag that should not only get you out of bed in the morning but have you leaping out of bed ready to face the world.

But first, forget all of those age-old axioms that you’ve clung to over the years such as, “You can’t call on Monday because the customers are in weekend hangover,” or, “You can’t call you on Friday because the customers are in weekend anticipation mode.” Just call; nothing will happen until you do. You should also throw out all of your hogwash excuses about what has kept you from making your quota; they are just holding you back and making you feel good about it. No more excuses!

Now that your psyche is purged of bad habits you have accumulated, let’s start some new good habits:

1. Start learning 21^st century selling strategies. Stop bragging about not knowing what “tweetering” is or that you don’t believe in LinkedIn. Find out what they are and how they work. There are books, and articles, guides, and even mentors to teach you about these things. Start using them to your advantage. Selling the way you do right now leaves you holding a bow and arrow in a nuclear war.
2. Learn about your product. The new salesperson is a sales consultant. Customers are going to buy from people who understand the technology they are selling, and they want vendors who can teach them about the products they sell. If you want to be successful, you have to bone up on your product’s technology. You want to be a technical sales professional, not a peddler.
3. Study your craft. You are a sales professional with years of experience in your industry; now, it’s time to treat yourself with that kind of self-respect. You should be reading books on sales and marketing, watching videos, attending seminars, and doing whatever you can to hone your skills. If you are not taking your career seriously or doing these things, then who will?
4. Learn from young people. If you want to work with them or even compete against them, learn from them and take them seriously. Don’t insult them with the stereotypical labels which are inaccurate, insulting, and demeaning—and make you look bad. Respect all generations, and treat them as you want to be treated.
5. Stay energized and healthy. Exercise, eat right, and take care of yourself. You’re not going to be able to learn any of these new tricks if you’re out of commission. And if you still drink, do so in moderation. The image of an old, drunk salesperson is pretty darn ugly. And if you still smoke, then what can I say?
6. Stay curious. Learn something new every day. Learning is the very best anti-aging trick I have in my bag.

These are only a few of the tricks you can use to reinvent yourself so that you will continue to be a good, effective salesperson for a long time to come. But heed my words, or you will find yourself standing next to the patron saint of has-been salespeople, Willy Loman, and nobody wants that.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.