ColumnistsJul 16, 2024
The PR Adviser: Awareness Starts With Your Online StoreColumnistsJul 23, 2024
Peter Smith: The Case for Optimism in Sales
In his latest column, Smith shares multiple reasons why people who look at the glass as being hall full often make better salespeople.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
Margaret was an enigma.
She was nothing less than a powerhouse salesperson; focused, driven, and successful.
She also cast a giant shadow and her colleagues walked on eggshells around her, either necessarily deferential to avoid even the appearance of opposition, or disdainful and strategically distant, refusing to be intimidated by her.
Margaret was the top producer every month.
She was on 24/7 and yes, that included days off and vacations, which she took reluctantly and with great foreboding, lest she miss something while away.
Having studied great salespeople for decades through the lens of experience, observation, and the academic and psychological literature on the subject, I still struggle to define Margaret.
She was precisely the kind of employee who would (and, I suspect, did) send myriad managers into early retirement. Yet she was consistently the single most reliable producer of results, especially when the month or quarter needed to be delivered at the 11th hour.
I often wondered whether Margaret was a happy person. Unlike many of us, she didn’t wear her emotions on her face.
When she made a big sale, she’d act like she’d been in the end zone before and expected nothing less.
When she experienced disappointment, because a customer didn’t make a purchase at all or didn’t spend what Margaret expected them to spend, she’d dip her head to the floor, offer a barely perceptible shake, and speed away in pursuit of her next opportunity without uttering a word.
Related stories will be right here …
She was nothing less than a powerhouse salesperson; focused, driven, and successful.
She also cast a giant shadow and her colleagues walked on eggshells around her, either necessarily deferential to avoid even the appearance of opposition, or disdainful and strategically distant, refusing to be intimidated by her.
Margaret was the top producer every month.
She was on 24/7 and yes, that included days off and vacations, which she took reluctantly and with great foreboding, lest she miss something while away.
Having studied great salespeople for decades through the lens of experience, observation, and the academic and psychological literature on the subject, I still struggle to define Margaret.
She was precisely the kind of employee who would (and, I suspect, did) send myriad managers into early retirement. Yet she was consistently the single most reliable producer of results, especially when the month or quarter needed to be delivered at the 11th hour.
I often wondered whether Margaret was a happy person. Unlike many of us, she didn’t wear her emotions on her face.
When she made a big sale, she’d act like she’d been in the end zone before and expected nothing less.
When she experienced disappointment, because a customer didn’t make a purchase at all or didn’t spend what Margaret expected them to spend, she’d dip her head to the floor, offer a barely perceptible shake, and speed away in pursuit of her next opportunity without uttering a word.
As difficult as it was to fully understand Margaret’s psyche, the one thing I am willing to bet on is that she was an optimist. Not the surface-level, wear-it-on-your-face variety, but an optimist nonetheless.
Margaret, you see, expected to close every single customer she encountered and, despite not wasting a minute on internal relationship building and social engagement, she believed every first sale was the beginning of a long relationship with that customer. And she was right, a lot.
Martin Seligman, the sage of positive psychology, wrote, “Life inflicts the same setbacks and tragedies on the optimist as on the pessimist, but the optimist weathers them better.”
The extent to which Seligman’s sentiment can be used as a bellwether for sales performance would be an interesting topic of debate.
Some of us may have experienced seemingly negative people who somehow managed to eke out a living in sales, but there can be little doubt that there is a strong correlation between optimism and sales acumen.
For the record, sales acumen means a track record of consistent performance influencing customers to make buying decisions, like Margaret.
“Some research suggests salespeople can be hired based purely on their optimism alone. I wouldn’t go that far, but there can be little doubt that being optimistic helps steel resilience, and that trait is critical in sales.” — Peter Smith
We also can assess ourselves on a regular basis to make sure we are spending more time looking at the glass as half full, rather than the decidedly less useful half-empty pessimism. That is not fun to be around, and not a useful trait for influencing and inspiring buying behavior.
Some research suggests salespeople can be hired based purely on their optimism alone.
I wouldn’t go that far, but there can be little doubt that being optimistic helps steel resilience, and that trait is critical in sales. If you can’t handle heavy doses of rejection, you won’t ask questions that invite “no” answers or perceived rejection.
Danny Kahneman, the Nobel Prize-winning author of “Thinking, Fast And Slow,” wrote, “If you were allowed one wish for your child, seriously consider wishing him or her optimism.
“Optimists are normally cheerful and happy, and therefore, popular; they are resilient in adapting to failures and hardships, their chances of clinical depression are reduced, their immune system is stronger, they take better care of their health, they feel healthier than others and are in fact likely to live longer.”
Margaret will remain a wonderful mystery to me, hardly cheerful and happy, but brilliant and complex.
And while I might think twice about hiring someone with her personality because it could be hard for teammates to flourish under her big branches, that deeply rooted optimism, the expectation she took into every customer interaction that she was going to make the sale and build a long-term relationship with that customer … well, get that into my veins.
Happy retailing!
More on Columnists
The Latest
SurveysDec 04, 2024
In-Store Shopping Outpaced Online Over the Holiday Weekend, Says NRF A total of 126 million consumers shopped in stores over the five-day period, about 5 million more than last year.
Lab-GrownDec 04, 2024
GJEPC Says Indian Trade Will Use FTC-Approved Terminology for Lab-Grown DiamondsThe FTC’s Jewelry Guides require “clear and conspicuous” disclosure when advertising lab-grown diamonds.
SourcingDec 04, 2024
Designer Saul Fraiman Retires After 55 YearsThe fine jewelry designer, who came out of retirement in 2017, is putting down his sketchpad for good.
Brought to you by
Protecting Your Sparkle: Why Screening Has Become Essential While no reputable jeweler would knowingly sell lab-grown stones as natural, it's a growing possibility.
AuctionsDec 04, 2024
30-Carat Pink Diamond Fetches $2.6M at BonhamsThe Type IIa, very light pink colored diamond was the highlight of the recent Hong Kong jewelry auction.
Weekly QuizNov 26, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeDec 03, 2024
Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Florida JewelerJohn Willard Craiger, 83, fatally shot jeweler Ghazi “Gus” Michel Osta following an argument in the store.
SourcingDec 03, 2024
Gemstone Cutter Glenn Lehrer Dies at 71An innovative artist inspired by the natural world, Lehrer is remembered for being a visionary and a shining light.
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
WatchesDec 03, 2024
Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin Appoint New CEOsJérôme Lambert returns as CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, while Laurent Perves takes the lead role at Vacheron Constantin.
MajorsDec 03, 2024
Neiman Marcus’ ‘Fantasy Gifts’ Sparkle In Pavé This Holiday SeasonThe extravagant gifts in this year’s “A Neiman’s Fantasy” Holiday Book range from a Messika diamond necklace to pavé diamond cowboy boots.
IndependentsDec 02, 2024
Windsor Jewelry Closing After 105 YearsOwners Greg and Lynn Bires are heading into retirement.
GradingDec 02, 2024
Jewelry Appraiser Craig Lynch Dies at 70The industry veteran is remembered for his faith, his dedication to his family, his wealth of knowledge and his generosity in sharing it.
SurveysDec 02, 2024
10-Year Rewind: Comparing 2024 Holiday Shoppers With the Consumers of 2015PricewaterhouseCoopers’ 2024 holiday trends survey took a 10-year look back to see what mattered to consumers then versus now.
Lab-GrownDec 02, 2024
Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry Set Sells for $55K at Charity AuctionMonique Lhuillier and Kay Jewelers collaborated to create the pieces, which were offered at the recent Baby2Baby gala.
Policies & IssuesNov 27, 2024
G7 Announces Botswana as Second Verification ‘Node’ for Rough DiamondsBotswana joins Antwerp as a certification center for rough under the G7 ban on Russian diamonds.
SourcingNov 27, 2024
Gemfields Reports 'Disappointing' High-Quality Emerald Auction ResultsThe miner said its November sale, which earned $16.1 million, felt the effect of competitive pricing by a rival Zambian producer.
CollectionsNov 27, 2024
Piece of the Week: Mignon Faget’s ‘Crescent Starry Night’ Tassel EarringsMignon Faget honors its hometown of New Orleans with a piece inspired by “The Crescent City.”
TechnologyNov 27, 2024
Nivoda Secures Additional Funding The London-based business-to-business diamond and gemstone marketplace just closed on a $51 million round of Series C funding.
SourcingNov 26, 2024
De Beers Stays With ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ for 2024 Holiday Campaign“Forever Present” highlights gifting opportunities for natural diamonds, celebrating familial, friendship, and romantic relationships.
AuctionsNov 26, 2024
Christie’s To Auction Collection of Suzanne Belperron JewelsIt’s one of the most impressive assemblages of the French designer’s pieces ever to come to auction, Christie’s said.
MajorsNov 26, 2024
GIA’s Board of Governors Adds 2 New MembersRetail leader Lisa Bridge and geology professor Dr. Wendy Bohrson joined the organization’s board.
MajorsNov 26, 2024
Ben Bridge Jeweler Unveils This Year’s ‘Benny Bear’ Look out for a black bear wearing a purple Santa hat and its zippered tummy pouch made for holding a holiday gift from Ben Bridge Jeweler.
SourcingNov 25, 2024
William Goldberg Celebrates 2 Major Milestones With New Book“The William Goldberg Way” was released in honor of the company’s 75th anniversary and 25 years of its proprietary Ashoka diamond.
Lab-GrownNov 25, 2024
Lab-Grown Co. Lusix Sold to 2 Companies for $4M Fenix and Dholakia Lab-Grown Diamonds have jointly acquired the Israel-based company, which grows diamonds using solar power.
IndependentsNov 25, 2024
Sophie Bille Brahe Opens First US StoreThe Danish brand has opened an appointment-only location on Madison Avenue in New York City.
Events & AwardsNov 25, 2024
The Original Miami Beach Antique Show Panel to Feature Fred SavageThe actor and watch enthusiast will be part of the show’s education lineup.
EditorsNov 22, 2024
Out & About: Inside the CD Peacock MansionStep inside the nearly 21,000-square-foot suburban Chicago jewelry store with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff.
