I just finished my last phone call of the day yesterday at 4:50 p.m.  253 calls this week and 19 conversations.  Do I love doing this?  The answer is “No”.  Do I want to do this?  “Yes!” Like a consistent routine of exercise and proper eating I believe doing so will have a direct positive outcome on what I desire.   Second, I can do these things with Integrity!

If it is not clear to you how consistent prospecting or other measured activities driving direct buyer contact are key ingredients to lifelong sales success, I encourage you to invest the time in determining whether or not you believe it is true.   After 29 years in direct sales, I believe without any further convincing that my success as a sales person is defined by few greater factors than my ability to make personal contact with my buyer.

For this post I would like to spend a few minutes on what integrity in prospecting means. Let me start with another question; “Do you believe in the Golden Rule?”  It simply says, “treat others the way you want to be treated”. I believe it embodies correct principles that when followed, will guide me to the true life outcomes I most deeply seek.  Just like I cannot expect to defy gravity by walking on air, or a farmer cannot expect to be successful in cramming for the harvest, there are true north principles of behavior that govern consequences I cannot circumvent (positive or negative).

I am living in integrity when my mind, body and heart are acting in accordance with what my inner most world already knows to be true!

To explore this further, let me ask you some questions about your current view, or map of prospecting. Do you:

• See it as a contest where the sole objective is to get agreement on what you want?
• Hold your breath with every dial in anticipation of what you are going to blurt out before the reciever is slammed in your ear?
• Believe there are acceptable fringe rules of engagement like telling white lies to get past a secretary, or calling cell phone numbers left for emergencies?

If you do, then even the best “can do attitude” will be sorely tested in consistently executing under these conditions.  Why?  This outlook, or manufactured world map of prospecting, provides a destination that is in discord with the “true north” map directed by the Golden Rule.   Even if you succeed in the verbal debate, get past the secretary, or close a deal, some part of your internal world will be resisting with every call.  “Our map is taking us in the wrong direction!”

In the next posting I will discuss some specific examples of what prospecting with integrity might look like.  Let me end this posting by leaving you with these thoughts:

• Invest the time to determine what you believe about the importance of prospecting.
• As a long term motivator and predictor of success at multiple levels, do you agree that a “can do attitude” pales in comparison to choosing to prospect with integrity?  Think about this in a quiet place.
• Now with the right outlook and preparation, fire up that “can do attitude”. It’s still important! Prior to every call be your own personal coach.  Is this the prospective buyer I can help?!  Will this call be the one that gets me one step closer to that family vacation?

Your Salesman for life!

Thought on my Mind:
Thank You Stephen Covey. I will always be grateful.
7 Habits of Highly Effective People