The Power of Persistence | Travel Research Online

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The Power of Persistence

Many Americans seem to have been stricken with the disease “quit-itis.” They quit everything too soon. It is almost an epidemic. From marriages to diets, jobs to exercise programs. The malady is even more acute in the sales profession. It makes me stop and wonder what happened to good old fashion persistence? Has “flight” taken over for “fight?”

In a marketplace that has more than its share of options in just about every category imaginable, it is becoming harder and harder to gain somebody’s attention, no less carve out enough time to conduct a meaningful conversation about providing meaningful products and services. It has become a real head scratcher.

Has it come to sales people throwing in the towel at the first sign of adversity? I hope not, but I am afraid so.

The percentages have been documented. After a prospect first rejects a proposal, fifty percent of sales people stop calling. They figure that they’ve “tried,” so they are justified to stop all future activity as it relates to this prospect. That is not the end of it.
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An additional twenty-five percent stop calling a prospect after a second rejection. This group decides to give it one more shot before they too pack their bags, and head onto what appears as greener pastures.

Summation: 75% of all sales people “quit” after the first two attempts at landing a new client.

Herein lies the rub. The secret to success has everything to do with the next percentage.

The vast majority of all sales (80%) come to fruition after the fifth contact.

Is this disconcerting news? For the quitters, it is. But for salespeople schooled in the art of selling, this statistic paints a very exciting picture. Why? Because seventy-five percent of your competition is quitting long before it is time to quit. All you need to do is figure out how to stay in the game through those five initial blows to your ego.

If you consider preliminary rejections as stepping-stones to future business, you will be well on your way to achieving your personal sales goals.

Today’s message: Don’t quit. Don’t ever quit. Don’t ever, ever, ever quit.


Mike Marchev Mike Marchev has plenty of stories, strategies and tactics to keep you on top of your game.
Mike will be conducting his 5th annual Travel Sales & Marketing Business Development Cruise, sailing the Freedom of The Seas from Ft. Lauderdale. Email him at mike@mikemarchev.com for complete details. Five cabins are still available.
Mike’s daily column is made possible by AmaWaterways.

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