Last updated on Jul 29, 2024

Here's how you can stay composed in challenging situations while working in Outside Sales.

In outside sales, you're often in the field, directly interacting with clients and potential customers. This can lead to unpredictable and challenging situations where staying composed is crucial. Whether you're dealing with rejection, difficult customers, or unexpected obstacles, maintaining your composure can make the difference in achieving sales success. Let's explore strategies that can help you remain calm and collected, ensuring you can navigate any situation with professionalism and poise.

1 Breathe Deeply

When you're faced with a stressful situation, your body's natural response may be to tense up, which can impact your ability to think clearly. To counteract this, take a moment to focus on deep breathing. Inhale slowly through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, and then exhale gently through your mouth. This simple technique can help lower your heart rate and blood pressure, allowing you to regain composure and approach the situation with a clearer mind.

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Vishal Panchal

Client Partner | Business Development Leader | LinkedIn Top Voice | Health Tech Advocate | Expert in Generative AI | Fintech | IoT | Supply Chain Logistics | ESG & Sustainability
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Let’s say you’re in a meeting with a client who is unhappy with your product’s performance. Here’s how you can stay composed: Stay Calm: Take a deep breath and focus on listening to the client’s concerns without interrupting. Acknowledge and Empathize: I understand how frustrating this must be for you. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. Solution-Oriented Approach: Let’s work together to find a solution. Can you tell me more about the specific issues you’re facing? Follow-Up Plan: I will take these concerns back to our team and get back to you with a detailed plan by specific date. By maintaining your composure and focusing on finding solutions, you demonstrate professionalism and build trust with your client.

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Uillen Machado

Sales Development Specialist | Head of Sales | Complex Sales | Growth | SEaaS | SaaS | B2B
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Sempre houveram momentos difíceis, como negociações acirradas ou clientes insatisfeitos. A chave foi desenvolver habilidades de controle emocional. Sempre me preparei antecipadamente, estudando todas as informações relevantes para estar confiante e seguro. Por vezes uso da empatia para entender a perspectiva do cliente e resolver a questão de maneira colaborativa. Minha sugestão é investir em treinamentos de inteligência emocional e praticar a escuta ativa, permitindo responder de forma equilibrada e eficaz. Assim, você consegue transformar desafios em oportunidades de fortalecimento da relação com o cliente.

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2 Stay Positive

Maintaining a positive mindset is essential in outside sales, especially when challenges arise. Instead of focusing on the negatives or what could go wrong, shift your perspective to what you can learn from the experience. Embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth and remind yourself of past successes to bolster your confidence. A positive attitude will not only help you stay composed but also radiate to those around you, potentially improving the outcome.

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Edward Wijnen

Innovative Technology Sales and Marketing Leader, Entrepreneur & Investor
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See a stressful situation as an opportunity to build a strong relationship with the customer or prospect. Also keep in mind: "no shine without friction"

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3 Listen Actively

In challenging situations, it's important to actively listen to the other person. This means paying full attention, not just to the words being spoken but also to the tone and body language. By doing so, you demonstrate respect and empathy, which can defuse tension and lead to a more constructive dialogue. Listening actively also provides valuable insights into the other person's perspective, enabling you to address their concerns more effectively.

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4 Prepare Thoroughly

Preparation is key in outside sales. Before entering any sales situation, arm yourself with extensive knowledge about your products or services, the market, and your customer's needs. Having this information at your fingertips allows you to respond confidently to questions and objections, which can help maintain your composure. Preparing potential solutions to common challenges can also prevent you from being caught off guard.

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Edward Wijnen

Innovative Technology Sales and Marketing Leader, Entrepreneur & Investor
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To this day, I remember the adage one of my mentors used to cite: "Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail". And it is so true. Preparation is key.

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5 Stay Organized

Organization can significantly reduce stress levels in outside sales. Keep a detailed schedule, set reminders for follow-ups, and have all necessary materials readily available. When everything is in order, you'll feel more in control, which can help you remain calm in the face of adversity. An organized approach ensures that even if something doesn't go as planned, you have the resources to handle it smoothly.

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6 Reflect Regularly

After each sales encounter, take the time to reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Reflection allows you to assess your performance objectively and identify strategies that helped you stay composed. By recognizing your strengths and areas for development, you can work on fine-tuning your approach, which will enhance your ability to remain poised in future challenging situations.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Here's how you can stay composed in challenging situations while working in Outside Sales.

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2

3

4

5

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1 Breathe Deeply

2 Stay Positive

3 Listen Actively

4 Prepare Thoroughly

5 Stay Organized

6 Reflect Regularly

7 Here’s what else to consider

Outside Sales

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Here's how you can stay composed in challenging situations while working in Outside Sales.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Breathe Deeply

2 Stay Positive

3 Listen Actively

4 Prepare Thoroughly

5 Stay Organized

6 Reflect Regularly

7 Here’s what else to consider

Outside Sales

Rate this article

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