Marketing Review - Spring 2008 - (Page 18)

›› GUEST COLUMN FUELING THE ENGINE OF SALES SUCCESS: Five Keys to Sustainable Self-Motivation David McNally, an internationally acclaimed speaker and recipient of the National Speakers Association’s prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame Award of Excellence, leverages his knowledge of what motivates and inspires people to acquire the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to perform at their best. [ DAV I D M c N A L LY ] hether you are salesperson of the year or a rookie, you have probably experienced low points, such as the loss of a hard fought competitive battle or a constant stream of customer “No’s.” In these challenging circumstances, some salespeople, despite considerable talent and potential, find it difficult to jump back in the game. They seem to lack the elusive quality of motivation—the ability to soar above these temporary obstacles and keep moving forward. They lose momentum; avoid making calls, and take refuge in the safe havens of their offices. On the other hand, there are salespeople whose motivation and resilience enables them to make every customer call as enthusiastically as if it were the first. These individual’s desire to succeed allows them to leverage even “ordinary” skills and abilities to achieve extraordinary results. For the majority of us who, perhaps, fall somewhere in the middle, there is an opportunity to increase “motivational intelligence” by keeping in mind these five simple principles. W 1. Motivation is completely and entirely an inside job. No one, no matter how inspirational, has the power to motivate others. Motivation— the movement to action—is a decision that can only be made by the individual. Many things can cause a lack of motivation, but the most common are fear and lack of confidence. The solution—courageous action! Consistently summoning the courage to move forward in the face of fear is unquestionably the single most important difference between highly motivated achievers and those who give up too easily when confronted by a challenging situation. 2. Motivation requires a meaningful “motive.” For many Olympic athletes a medal is their clear, meaningful motive. For some, however, the opportunity just to participate in the games is enough to keep them dedicated to years of disciplined, rigorous training. What is meaningful varies with individuals and their circumstances. This personal sense of “why” we act often gets confused with the “what” we need to do, which, for salespeople, is often defined in terms of external goals such as making a quota, or closing a particular sale. Getting truly motivated begins with a willingness to get to the truth of what we want for our lives and careers. It’s important to ask what has meaning and long-term value for you. Is it growing and developing your skills and knowledge? Is it meaningful to know you can genuinely help your customers solve problems? Whatever it is, the real power of personal motive comes from a deep connection to your values and who you are as a unique individual, not from short-term external incentives. 3. Motivation is propelled more powerfully by faith than by fear. Fear can be a powerful motivator and is a highly appropriate response to threatening circumstances. But waking up fearful every morning is debilitating, highly stressful, and, ultimately, soul-destroying. Faith, on the other hand, is the belief that what you aspire to is attainable. Moving forward in faith, however, takes HSMAI MARKETING REVIEW • SPRING 2008 18

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Marketing Review - Spring 2008

HSMAI Marketing Review - Spring 2008 Contents COLUMN: The Online Marketer COLUMN: Success Stories COLUMN: Guest Column Ten Trends Now Shaping the Future of Hospitality Turning the 2008 Consumer Tax Rebates into Hospitality and Travel Sales 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality and Travel Sales and Marketing The Lure of Lore: Connecting with Customers Through a Unique Brand Story A Careful Balancing Act A Meaningful Relationship: How Technology Affects the Connection Between Hospitality Marketers and Meeting Planners SPECIAL SECTION: The 2007 HSMAI Adrian Awards Building Five Star Imagery

Marketing Review - Spring 2008

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