Sales Blog for Sales and Sales Management

Yes, it is a question and not a declarative.  Going through my google reader, I spied Verne Harnish's intriguing headline:  What Makes Us Happy:  Seven Questions for a Client Centered Proposal and clicked to read more. Hence the question: Are you a happy sales person?  I'll let you read the rest of the article actually written by NY Times columnist, David Brooks, but until you do, here are some of my own questions about sales happiness and sales results.

1. Are you stressed or are you happy?
2. How come?
3. When you are happiest, what are you doing, thinking or talking about- Business, family, hobbies, money?
4. Do you have basic needs covered?  If so, what is your motivation? What will make you happy now that you have the house, car, and the security that you pursued?
5. How do you think you come across to a prospect when you are happy versus stressed?

Where I think I want to go with this is that motivation is important to us all, but over time, motivation changes.  When we start our careers and we are earning money, the money motivation is to acquire the basics, and then when we make enough money and acquire each one of those basics, we are happy, fulfilled and have pride in a sense of accomplishment.  But, as Brooks points out in his article, what happens if we suffer loss somewhere along the way? I don't know about you, but the happiness enjoyed by closing my biggest sales is soon lost when I get the news that a parent, close friend or associate has passed away.

I have for years instructed people that 'MONEY MOTIVATION' is the key to the passion to be successful in sales.  As I notice more gray hairs in my head and find myself clinging to my now freshman at the NIT Champions University of Dayton, I realize that something else brings me happiness.  And interestingly enough, when I'm happy as a result of something other than my bank account balance, I have a tendency to call more prospects, ask for introductions more often, am more easy going on the phone and end up with more opportunities for business.

As you think about your motivation and your happiness, stop and take some time within 24 hours of reading this and write down some goals that are truly meaningful to you. Goals, objectives and ambitions that, when you think about them, bring a smile to your face, lower your blood pressure and make you happy.  It is only appropriate that I close by saying:  Happy Easter Season.