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There are few things more exciting or nerve-wracking than starting a new job. You need to leave your old job with grace and learn a completely new organization. A lot of time and energy goes into making it a smooth transition. Once you do find your footing in a new sales role, building up your confidence is crucial to longevity and success.
1) Set weekly goals
We’ve talked about setting goals before on the WISE blog and it’s well worth mentioning again.
When you’re new, it can be overwhelming to think of everything you still need to learn. It takes time to correctly identify a prospect worthy of pursuit. Understanding the different use cases based on your product’s functionality requires patience. Even knowing how to navigate legal approvals within your organization can be extremely stressful.
This is the time to break down all of the things you want to learn and master into weekly goals. You can prioritize (and collaborate with your manager!) what is most important for you to work on throughout your week to address these skills.Check-in with yourself at the end of the week and keep modifying your approach as you get in the groove.
2) Observe what others do well that you want to emulate
If your new company has a sales mentorship program, take advantage of it. If not, you can initiate relationships yourself. Ask reps if you can shadow their calls and take notes for them. They’ll be happy to have an extra set of hands and you can ask questions after the fact to learn what works best for you.
Another great strategy is to find some recorded sales calls. You can listen to them on your own time and won’t have to coordinate to shadow a live call. Hearing sales calls will get you more familiar with what to expect when you are talking on your own and help build up your knowledge base.
3) Proactively seek out feedback
When you first join a new company you have the opportunity to take a good look at your sales approach and make modifications. You’re already changing your product and pitch, so why not make changes to improve your process.
You can seek feedback from peers, ask your manager to shadow your calls and provide input, or discuss scenarios that you’re facing with your mentor. Instead of asking for general feedback, pose specific questions. Focus on where you are least confident so you can proactively address it and make yourself a better salesperson.
4) Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
This one is huge. If you read my previous guest post on the WISE blog you’ll know that I recently changed jobs. This is the point that has made all the difference for me. I started out with fear; fear that I was going to make a mistake and mess up an opportunity. Fear that I was going to say something wrong and look like a fool in front of my peers. Fear that I wasn’t equipped to handle the new challenge. And you know what all that fear did for me? Absolutely nothing.
So here’s the deal - you inevitably will make mistakes. This is the reality for anyone starting a new sales role. It’s better to make mistakes in the beginning and learn from them than to not make any at all because you are overly cautious. You are a skilled salesperson who got herself a new job (congratulations!) and you have to take ownership of both the setbacks and the successes. From working with prospects and customers to strategizing with your team, share your thoughts and let your voice be heard. The alternative isn’t going to get you anywhere.
Confidence is one of the most important aspects of being a great salesperson, and you can leverage this positive mindset even when you’re in a new sales role. By keeping these points in mind and pursuing your goals with intention, you will excel!
