How to get out of a sales slump (according to science)

Published: Wed, 08/14/24

Updated: Thu, 08/15/24

August 14, 2024

TOGETHER WITH

Welcome back to The Quota, the only sales newsletter that treats you like human beings instead of cold-calling, LinkedIn message-sending, too-much-coffee-drinking, heart-racing-until-you-feel-like-you’re-going-to-pass-out animatrons. In this week’s issue, we’ll take a look at what science says about getting out of a sales slump, share a Sales Fail about a LinkedIn “thought leader,” and give some advice to a rep who isn’t used to longer sales cycles. Let’s go.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

80% of B2B sales are conducted virtually

Source: Prezentor

SALES ROUNDUP

Here’s what’s happening in the sales world this week:

The owner of a Florida-based telemarketing company was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for using “false and deceptive” practices to sell limited indemnity health insurance plans to unsuspecting customers. In February, a federal jury in East St. Louis convicted Steven Dorfman of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and eight counts of wire fraud. You can read more about his crimes here.
Police in San Diego are investigating after a car salesman was hit by a vehicle while it was being test driven. According to the police department, a 54-year-old man was test driving an electric 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning when the vehicle reportedly launched forward abruptly after it was shifted into drive and hit the salesman. Police say the victim was taken to the hospital for treatment. You can read more about it here.

FEATURE

Image: eamesBot/shutterstock.com

10 Ways to Get Out of a Sales Slump, According to Science

Every salesperson experiences a slump at some point in their career. Those periods when deals just won't close, quotas seem unreachable, and motivation wanes can be demoralizing and miserable. But science can offer evidence-based strategies to help you bounce back. Let's explore some research-backed ways to break out of your sales rut and reclaim those dump-truck sized commission checks.

1. Leverage the Power of Mindset

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck's research on mindset shows that how we view our abilities can significantly impact our performance. Cultivating a "growth mindset" — the belief that your talents can be developed through effort and learning — is crucial for overcoming challenges.

Action step: Reframe your slump as a learning opportunity. Instead of thinking, "I'm terrible at sales," try "I'm developing my skills through this challenge."

2. Practice Self-Compassion

Dr. Kristin Neff's work demonstrates that self-compassion, not self-criticism, leads to greater resilience and motivation. Beating yourself up over a slump often makes things worse.

Action step: Treat yourself with the same kindness you'd offer a struggling colleague. Acknowledge that slumps are a normal part of sales and that you're doing your best to improve.

3. Set Process Goals, Not Just Outcome Goals

Research in sports psychology, which often applies to high-performance sales environments, shows that focusing solely on outcomes (like quotas) can increase pressure and anxiety. Instead, set process goals that focus on actions within your control.

Action step: Alongside your quota, set daily goals for prospecting calls, follow-ups, or skill development activities. This gives you achievable wins even when deals aren't closing.

4. Harness the Neurochemistry of Success

Neuroscience tells us that even small wins release dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter that motivates us to repeat successful behaviors. This can create a positive feedback loop to pull you out of a slump.

Action step: Break your sales process into smaller milestones and celebrate each one. Did you land a meeting with a decision-maker? Treat yourself to a favorite coffee or take a short, rewarding break.

5. Optimize Your Physical State

Your physical condition directly impacts your mental state and performance. Exercise, in particular, has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance cognitive function.

Action step: Incorporate regular physical activity into your routine, even if it's just a brisk walk during lunch. Also, ensure you're getting enough sleep and maintaining a balanced diet.

6. Leverage Social Support

Research consistently shows that social support is crucial for resilience and performance. Your colleagues and mentors can offer fresh perspectives, emotional support, and practical advice.

Action step: Don't isolate yourself during a slump. Reach out to high-performing teammates for advice or find a mentor who can guide you through this challenging period.

7. Practice Mindfulness and Stress Reduction

Studies have demonstrated that mindfulness practices can reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance emotional regulation — all critical skills for sales success.

Action step: Incorporate short mindfulness exercises into your day. Even five minutes of deep breathing or meditation can help reset your mental state.

8. Revisit Your 'Why'

Psychologists have long recognized the importance of intrinsic motivation – doing something because it's personally rewarding, not just for external rewards. Reconnecting with your core motivations can reignite your passion.

Action step: Reflect on why you chose a career in sales. What aspects of the job do you find most rewarding? How does your work contribute to your larger life goals?

9. Embrace Continuous Learning

The rapidly evolving sales landscape requires ongoing skill development. Research on expert performance across fields consistently shows that deliberate practice is key to improvement.

Action step: Identify a specific skill you'd like to improve (e.g., objection handling, storytelling, social selling) and create a deliberate practice plan to enhance it.

10. Use the Power of Visualization

Sports psychologists have long used visualization techniques to improve athletic performance. These same methods can be applied to sales, helping you mentally rehearse successful outcomes.

Action step: Spend a few minutes each morning visualizing yourself confidently executing your sales process and closing deals. Engage all your senses to make the visualization as vivid as possible.

Remember, every great salesperson has gone through slumps. By applying these science-backed strategies, you'll not only overcome your current challenge but also build resilience for future obstacles.

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MEME OF THE WEEK

Source: Instagram -- Sales Humor

QUIZ

Before launching Berkshire Hathaway, which product did famous investor Warren Buffet sell?

A. Real estate
B. Home remodel services
C. Securities
D. Insurance

SALES FAILS

Each week, we bring you the most cringe-worthy sales moments from across the web. To submit your sales fail story for consideration, click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

This happened to me about a month ago. I was actually pretty pissed at the time, but I've come to realize this is too funny not to share.

I booked an intro call with this exec. He's kind of a thought leader on LinkedIn with a few thousand followers, nothing crazy, but he makes posts almost every day. I read through his posts and used that info to do personalized outreach and got the meeting. He was nice enough on the call. He seemed to have a bit of an ego, but I played into it. Overall, I felt the call went pretty well.

Three days later, he hadn't responded to my follow-up email. So I looked at his LinkedIn to see if there was anything I could use to reengage with him. This freaking guy made a post that started with "I took a intro call with a sales rep this week, here's what he did wrong..." I read the post and it was about the call I had with him! One of the things I apparently did "wrong" was mention that we could offer him a discount (after he explicitly asked about it on the call), which according to this guy, I shouldn't have been doing on the first call.

Needless to say, there was no deal that ever materialized. I came pretty close to writing this guy an email telling him off and refuting all his points, but after I calmed down I decided to just let it go.

Anonymous Location Withheld

GRAPH OF THE WEEK

Source: LinkedIn Poll -- August 2024

WORTH A PEEK

Is it possible to work two sales jobs at the same time, especially if one only requires 15 hours a week? This was a question recently posed to SaaStr founder Jason Lemkin, who responded with five great points. See what he wrote here.

ASK THE QUOTA

Want to submit a question and be featured in our advice column? Click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

Dear Quota Team

I got a new sales job a little over 3 months ago. I'm in the same industry but now I'm selling to enterprise customers, whereas before I was selling to SMBs. Naturally, the deal sizes are much larger and the sales cycles are more complex and take a lot longer. In my old role, deals were usually around 1-3 weeks from first contact to a closed deal. In my new job, the sales cycles are more like 1-6 months, or, in some cases, close to a year.

This is extremely stressful for me, as it feels like any of these deals that I'm counting on could fall apart at any moment. I'm also trying to adjust my strategy and not be too pushy and give the deals in my pipeline time to breathe. I'm pretty sure I lost a deal last month because I was a bit too eager in my follow up comms with the prospect and I scared them off. Any advice on how to keep my sanity and be patient while working deals with long sales cycles?

Anxious in Location withheld

Dear Anxious,

We've all had the nerve-racking experience of getting no response after a few days (or weeks) when you need a deal to make your number. You should expect that enterprise prospects will be moving at a much slower pace than SMBs as they have more stakeholders that need to get aligned and more checks and balances in place. Remember, they're most likely not thinking about you, your company, or your product throughout the day — they have a million other things to do.

That being said, don't overlearn your lesson and be afraid to follow up. The key is to set the right expectations up front, on both ends. Open and clear communication is the key to a smooth (as smooth as possible, anyway) sales process. It might take a while to adjust to the slower flow of enterprise, but this shouldn’t be something that remains an ongoing problem. Focus on building out your pipeline so that losing one individual deal won't ruin your quarter. Good luck!

Quiz Answer: C. Before launching Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet sold securities (you can read the source article here)

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Today's email was written by Ken Kupchik, Erica Furgiuele, Steve Rado, and Emily Hill.

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