Expect the Best and Get It

The famous prayer of Jabez, where Jabez prayed for prosperity, is a model of expectant thinking that we can all benefit from. "And Jabez called upon the God of Israel saying "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I might not cause pain." So God granted him what he requested." 1 Chronicles 4:10.

Jabez was absolutely sure that God would give him what he asked. He asked in faith with confidence. How many times will we let our self doubt cripple us? So many salespeople go out each day without a real plan of action and simply hope for the best, all the while feeling inadequate for the task. They are doomed before they start. Since we tend to get just what we expect, this type of attitude will gain us precious little. Our customers will sense weakness, timidity and uncertainty. Our sales volume and resultant income will reflect this situation clearly.

If it is true that "we tend to get exactly what we pray for", we need to be vigilant and thoughtful regarding what is happening in our heads. Don't be a victim of what Zig Ziglar calls "stinking thinking." Do you expect the best each day, or do you simply go with the flow? Do you expect to close each sale or are you simply busy with activity? Are you actively working a daily plan to achieve your goals or are you simply wandering around hoping to make your quota? None of these are acceptable for the professional salesperson. Positive expectancy is the only attitude to have. Why else would we make a sales call unless we expect the sale?

Customers can sense desperation. You know exactly what I mean. They know what you are all about. So, expect the best and get it. Positive expectancy yields confidence. Confidence yields the energy that transfers from salesperson to customer during the sales presentation. That energy transference yields the sale plus the betterment of the relationship. That customer realizes that you are the type of salesperson that he wants to deal with. He will call upon you for your products and services. It is what will set you apart from so many other salespeople that will call on that same person that day. The customer will find you to be like a breath of fresh air. He will not see you as a salesperson, but rather a confident expert who is capable of meeting his needs. He won't call anyone else.

I believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jabez proceeded out immediately. He did not wish to waste any time. He knew that each minute matters. He went on his way with absolute confidence. He was expectant. He felt ten feet tall and invulnerable. Please note that he was also humble in the presence of God. He wasn't arrogant but faithful. He knew that he was unstoppable. He believed in himself. He expected success on every sales call. He expected to close every sale. He knew that each sales call would at least plant the seed for a new sale in the near future. He expected to eventually close each sale and yield a constantly increasing number of satisfied customers. Every effort counted.

Do you think that Jabez awakened each morning, reviewed his plan for the day and headed out expectantly? You bet he did. Was he successful? He certainly was. Do you think that Jabez spent some time planning at the beginning of each month and on each weekend? Do you think he had a definite plan of action? Did he have goals? Did he constantly review them, making any necessary adjustments to his strategy and then proceeding with his plan? Most certainly he did.

Jabez is an excellent model salesman to pattern your efforts after. He went to his Boss seeking the appropriate training and tools for the job. His Boss, seeing his enthusiasm, faith, expectant attitude and energy, was happy to comply with his request. He knew that his Boss was confident in his abilities. Jabez knew that he could count on the Home Office. His car was clean and his trunk organized. He was loaded with his sales tools, samples and the latest literature. He wanted everything slanted in his favor, and it was.

Positive expectancy is a necessary attitude. Would you go to the bank seeking a new home loan and ask the mortgage loan officer "I need a loan, but I know that you won't find me qualified for it?" That is ridiculous, and so is any negative attitude when selling. Expect the best. Really, expect the best! This attitude will surely yield positive results, less stress, more fun, more friends and greater sales.

Daniel Sitter is the author of the breakthrough e-book, Learning For Profit, the revolutionary how-to book providing simple, step-by-step instructions to teach people exactly how to learn new skills faster than ever before. It is what the author calls a skinny book, a new generation of e-book designed for busy people. It's currently available from c|net's download.com, the authors' web site http://www.learningforprofit.com/ and a variety on online book merchants. Mr. Sitter is a contributing writer for several online and traditional publications. His expertise includes sales, marketing, learning techniques, self-improvement and general business interests.