Four Seasons of Sales

Just as every morning, my mom would always send us her daily bible readings for us to read and reflect on. And as I read on, I shared to her my recent experiences these past few days as I have not been home recently due to personal reasons. However she shared to me some insightful thoughts that I'd like to share to you today. That in every life, no matter where you are, you will always experience what we call "Seasons". Though for most Asians, we'd only get to experience either wet or dry seasons but nonetheless we get to realize that we experience a personal season cycles.

Something we've watched...

Most definitely, you've either seen it on TV or through the internet, you've seen the 4 seasons that some certain places go through: Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring. I do believe that each individuals go through such a cycle as well, people such as in Sales are included as well. Seasons are periods or moments in our sales year where we feel both the abundance or drought in our career. Can you recognize these moments? Can you relate with these scenarios? What solutions do you have in mind whenever you're faced with such dilemmas. Let's journey through the Four Seasons of Sales.

Summer: Season of Hot Sales

We all know that feeling, that time when leads and orders are coming in blazing hot like that summer Sun. We start to jump for joy and have that level of enthusiasm where we celebrate our wins! Banquet of foods and drinks are shown everywhere like Fiestas on the month of May. Festive as it seems, but a lot of sales people tend to commit a grave mistake during these times. It's called "over-enthusiasm". I can't blame you, most especially when this is a period of time where you feel abundant! I'm not saying that you should not celebrate these wins, actually do celebrate them! But do not over-commit! In this period of abundance, you should still remember that there will also be a period where this may end. 

Therefore, find means to grow further not just in terms of sales. Personal growth such as increase in knowledge regarding leadership and motivation may prove useful. Find seminars where you may grow further as a person. Opportunities such as financial growth should be an important aspect to consider. Do not rely solely on the income you gain from your salary and commission. Find other investments where your money could grow. Investments such as stocks, bonds, and insurance are low risk investment tools for your hard earned money. You may choose to opt for immediate earning businesses such as a food cart or online reselling schemes. The point is to have another source of income that does not rely on sales alone.

Autumn: Season of Receding Sales

Remember that time when you used to have at least 20 phone calls per week? Now it's down to 10 and when you wonder why your customer seems to be out of the radar? They are like the falling leaves on a withering tree as if preparing for the worst. You start to feel as if you could only see a hue of either brown and orange. You could feel the cold winds of clients telling you statements such as: "there's nothing much happening recently", "We don't have a need for your product at the moment", or even at worst would be "Visit? No need, we don't really have the time". You slowly start to feel the sadness that cold breeze brings.

Remember that thing I asked you to do during summer? Now's the time for you to put it to good use! With your personal development, this is the period that you should start to develop deeper relationship with clients. Like a squirrel who had already prepared for a cold winter coming ahead, you should start to visit clients and understand their needs in terms of after sales service. During this season, clients may not have the need however they will see to it that if you are a supplier that they can trust, they would make sure that you are to have an order every now and then. Moreover, this is also a period of time to understand and learn about the ins and outs of your investment. A passive income gives you that sense of security for the coming season ahead.

Winter: Season of Cold Sales

As Ned Stark would say "Brace yourself, winter is coming", you really have to be ready for it. As the orders come to a halt like a frozen lake on a cold winter day, so does your source of income. You start to reminisce on that sunny summer mornings where you'd be ready to shower yourself with the warmth of the summer sun.  Winter has arrived and you begin to worry and ask yourself, "how long will it last?", "how long can I survive?", but the most important question is "Am I ready for this upcoming drought?". No matter how strong your heart is, you feel anxious and worried whenever you see those around you suffer due to the loss of income source. During this season you feel lots of hardships such as delayed payments on bills, notices for disconnection, pull-out notices of unpaid car amortizations, and unpaid school tuition fees for upcoming test exams of your children. In this period of time, you'd often feel the cold freezing horizon in your path.

In this season, remember that the most important thing as a salesman is to remain positive and resilient. In this time of cold sales, the journey to self-discovery is the most important part of this season. Be kind to yourself! Remember that your identity is not tied up with the amount of salary or commission you receive. You are a capable person and know that you are a SALESMAN, you are a being capable of providing solutions and products to numerous clients, whatever it may be.

Spring: Season of Rejuvenated Sales

You've survived the cold snap! The snow filled horizon is now starting to appear with its lush green meadows. The melted ice is nourishing your tired salesman soul. As if a storm filled season left with no trace, your orders are now slowly calling back. phone call after phone call, order after order, the relationships you've built with your clients are now slowly flowing in to your account as if a frozen river now starting its course back into the warm sea. You see each of your small accounts coming into full bloom because of the quality after-sale service and attention you've invested on them during your times of fall and gloom.

Remember to rejoice your achievements, you have survived and became stronger! Rejuvenate in life as if you have gained a new leaf, a new life. In this season of rejuvenation, remember to sow more seeds in an effort to prepare for the seasons ahead. Understand that you have come in full circle and that life will always come and go, like our four seasons.

Plan, Work, then Harvest...

Just like the seasons, I have experienced the highs and lows of life as a Salesman. There were times when life seems so beautiful to times where it was all gray and gloomy. But with the thought my mother told me, "son, remember cycles come and go but if you planned, worked on that plan, then I'm sure that you will harvest in full". Truly, it was my dedication to understand that cycles are permanent in life that caused me to grow into a better person. 

As a Salesman who has been there, I understand what you are experiencing right now and know that... 

YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS!