Stay positive and view tough times as stepping stones to something better with the help of our tips. 

The Problem: You Just Lost a Big Client

The Opportunity: It’s a blow, to be sure. But you can still use the loss as a platform for greater success. If you have the opportunity to speak with the client, ask them why they chose to go in a different direction. You might learn something useful that will help you better serve other accounts.

Whether you speak to the buyer or not, analyze the relationship, identifying how you could have improved your performance. Again, you might gain valuable insights that help you increase client loyalty from all buyers. If your analysis reveals that you did all that could be reasonably expected for the departing client, then you can at least rest easy in that knowledge.

Perhaps most importantly, view losing a major client as a chance to grow your sales to new heights. The loss frees up time for you to start mining untapped business in other accounts. It’s also a great impetus for delving into strategic prospecting – prospecting that leads to the discovery of an even more lucrative large account.

The Problem: Something Goes Wrong On an Order

The Opportunity: The color doesn’t match the client’s corporate guidelines. The imprint is shoddy. You ordered the wrong quantity. The list of potential issues can go on.

Still, whether it’s your fault, the supplier’s fault or the client’s fault, it’s incumbent on you to try to find a fix. In this, there lies great opportunity.

Time and again, the industry’s top-performing sales pros say that they have won the devotion of major buyers by coming through in the clutch when an order veers off course. A stout performance when the chips are down proves to clients that you are a trustworthy partner upon which they can rely.

Start by taking responsibility. Taking responsibility means you recognize that the client came to you with an expectation of having certain goods delivered, that you acknowledge those things were not (yet) provided and that you will do everything you can to set things right. Next, give the client a specific timeframe in which you will get back to them with potential solutions. Then, dig into the specifics of the problem at hand and come up with a way of rectifying things.

The Problem: Negative Thinking

The Opportunity: The key to dealing with problems, whatever they may be, is to maintain a positive, optimistic attitude. Therefore, it’s important to self-evaluate, recognizing that you may be prey to pessimistic thinking. This realization yields great opportunity to grow, change and be more successful.

Initiate the mental overhaul by replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Instead of thinking of all the ways a meeting or an order or a client relationship can go wrong, start thinking about all the measures you are taking – and new ones you can potentially take – to make matters go well. Envision the success happening. See the rewards that you’ll reap as a result. Furthermore, cultivate positivity in all aspects of your life. Surround yourself with positive people. Take time out to feel/express gratitude. Focus on things that make you happy. Think about your goals and the best ways possible to achieve them. And, recognize that you always have the power to make change for the better.

When you create an optimistic outlook, you’re vastly better prepared to overcome challenges. Let competitors wallow. You’ll solve.

Action Items

• Start training your brain to look for possibilities when problems arise.
• Check out the “Hey, You’re Human” section on the last page of this month’s issue to see how one sales pro successfully handled a problem-pocked order.

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