Sales and Communication Anxiety

A new year calls for new salespeople.

These fledglings come from many backgrounds; college graduates, career changers, stay-at-home parents, and so forth.

Many people that get in sales don't consider it as their first choice in profession. However, experiences that consider degrees with low employment, increasing financial needs, or even human fulfillment can make anybody get into sales.

These different backgrounds can bring on various behaviors, which call for a variety of training needs. From a managerial perspective, you can help your team grow with leadership that can train and recognize various growth obstacles.

Regardless of these differences, people want to be good at what it takes to make money. However, anxiety can be a considerable obstacle when it comes to sales success.

But what is anxiety?

When it comes to the overall view of anxiety, many consider it to be fear.

Be that as it may, fear and anxiety are much more complicated.

People express anxiety in many ways and can make people reconsider their sales ability. Furthermore, leadership teams that fail to consider differences in behavior and mannerisms can also hinder the training process.

What are the ways people express anxiety, and why do they express it that way?

You can visually see anxiety with restless legs, fidgeting hands, and other forms of physical behaviors. These physical behaviors are a form of control.

Moments of stress make time go by slow and make you feel like you are not in control. Shaking and fidgeting can help you focus your thoughts on bodily movement versus the anxieties taking place, making your mind seem like it's speeding-up time.

Unless you have special powers, you cannot speed up time. However, restless behaviors take away from focusing on the sale.

Bodily responses can also take form in regards to a lack of physical control. Do you notice yourself taking shallow breaths when you're nervous? Shallow breathing can be fear that imitates the response of prey hiding from a predator. Shallow breathing also creates a lack of oxygen to the brain creating issues in cognitive ability.

Looking at anxieties at this level considers why these habits occur and finding constructive coping mechanisms to replace those habits.

Are their anxieties stemming from fear of failure and don't have the confidence to pitch? Fear of failure leads to rushing to get the pitch over for the sake of not being uncomfortable. Gaining the ability to sell takes practice and repetition. A variety of thoughts and emotions can take place within the first 30 seconds.

Thoughts of "they don't want what I'm selling" or "they don't like me." can occur. Training your mind or your representatives to replace these thoughts with "I will get them to want what I'm selling" or "I am a likable person" can transform self-skepticism into confidence.

Are they shaking their legs because they are tired and trying to stay awake, in fear of falling asleep? Why are they tired?

Ensuring that your representatives are getting enough rest will increase those individuals' energy and create an environment full of life.

"Google's culture is flexible (employees are encouraged to work when they like and how they like), fun (offices have nap pods, video games and ping pong) and founded on trust. Collaboration is key – so much so that employees are encouraged to coach each other in the 'Googler to Googler' programme." states Ross Brooks of Peakon.

Many companies do not have the luxuries that Google has. However, many modern and progressive professional teams have a form of 'active rest' that has the agenda of producing company morale and energy within spent representatives.

At Paramount, we get together weekly to praise each other and eat as a team.

Anxiety and fear are human; creating an environment where those feelings are transparent can unlock the ability for better communication, improving a team's ability to overcome those fears and anxieties together. These sessions also help determine motivations that can drive levels of effort.

How is your team providing mentorship and training outside of your regular work duties?

As we can see, sales anxiety is intricate. We haven't even scratched the surface level when it comes to acknowledging those complexities. Sure, you can recruit those that don't necessarily need this extra consideration, but that's not always the case.

Michael Jordan brings us the quote, "A champion is made not born."

Change is easier said than done; training innovation takes work. Does your team have the ability to make champions?

At Paramount Advertising and Lead Solutions, our representatives train with the focus of building confidence and enjoying the sales process. We understand the mentality it takes to master persuasion and its approach to creating that cognitive behavior.

Click HERE to learn more about our training programs!

50 Fun Facts about the Hummer

On October 20th, 2020, GMC revealed the brand new electric Hummer and we're excited to see what GMC did to this truck ten years later. Let's recap the Hummer's history with these 50 fun facts! 

1. AM General designed the first versions of the Hummer to replace the vehicles that the US armed forces' used during the 1950s and the Vietnam war.

2. The pentagon awarded AM general over $1 Billion to manufacturer a vehicle capable of efficient transportation.

3. Officially called the High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle, familiarly known as the Humvee.

4. The HMMWV created over ten different designs for the High Mobility Combat Vehicle program for various purposes and uses.

5. The Humvee gained its popularity during operation Desert Storm. This version focused more on transportation, concentrating on the vehicle's speed, reliability, and ability to perform in most terrains.

6. Operation Restore Hope in Somalia introduced the need for an armored version of the Humvee after small arms damage during transportation. This Humvee is known as the M1114.

7. O'Gara-Hass & Eisenhardt Armoring Company developed an integrated armor system for the HMMW, known as the M1114. This version is capable of protecting against assault rifles and small explosives.

8. The M1114 has a variety of weapon systems, giving the occupants another level of protection.

9. The average unit cost for the M1114 is around $150,000.

10. Manufactured in Mishawaka, Indiana, the military truck's civilian version came in different models to suit any consumer wants and needs.

11. The Hummer's civilian version, the H1, didn't do so well despite Arnold Schwarzenegger's role in the endorsement.

12. Arnold Schwarzenegger actually started a national petition for AM General to develop a street-legal version.

13. The Hummer H1 ultimately failed because of cost. Consumers couldn't justify the H1's fuel costs during the economic recession.

14. In 1992, the H1 went on sale with a base cost of $39,500. Today this would be equivalent to around $70,000.

15. Consumers gravitated to more fuel-efficient vehicles, ultimately causing sales to drop from 55,986 to 27,485 from 2007 to 2008.

16. The Hummer delivered an average of ten mpg and weighed more than your average vehicle.

17. As a result, Hummer received negative criticism from environmentalists because of the additional release of dangerous gasses.

18. Municipalities were not fond of the vehicle because they had to redesign more robust infrastructures to allow for the Hummer's street legality.

19. General Motors eventually bought the Hummer Brand name from AM General in 1998.

20. Although the H1 had a long run in the market, Hummer sold roughly 12,000 H1s from 1992 through 2006.

21. AM General discontinued the H1 in 2006 but continued to manufacturer the H2 for GM and the HMWWV for the military.

22. Discontinuation of the H1 wasn't necessarily a direct response to costs and environmental issues, but a response to new emission laws for diesel engine vehicles in 2007.

23. The smaller and less expensive Hummer, the H2, made its debut in 2002, making the product release perfect for Hummer. Gas prices were low, and the economy looked great.

24. H2's marketing strategy focused on the vehicle's ability to stand the test of time, featuring messages like, "When the asteroid hits and civilization crumbles, you'll be ready."

25. The H2 resembled a modern SUV, rather than the oversized military vehicle.

26. Although smaller the H2 offered a more comfortable driving experience for its occupants, delivering premium sound systems, heated seats, climate controls, and more.

27. The H2 offered a bigger cabin size, despite its overall size reduction.

28. Unfortunately, the H2's gas efficiency did not significantly increase from the H1. The H2 reported a maximum average of only 11.2 mpg.

29. America's trend for power in the early 2000's carried the H2's sales, resulting in almost double sales during the second year.

30. Controversy struck when the vehicle received the support of political leaders. Disputes over the H2 leads to violent demonstrations, including a burning in a California dealership in August 2003.

31. The burning included the torching of over 20 H2s, causing over a million dollars in damage.

32. The H2 stopped production in 2009 after a Chinese manufacturer, Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company, announced that it would acquire Hummer. However, according to Reuters, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce did not allow the deal.

33. In 2005, General Motors produced the H3, the smallest version of the Hummer.

34. The H3 initially started with a base price of $28,935.

35. The H3 carries an enhanced version of a frame similar to the Chevy Colorado and the GMC Canyon.

36. The H3 is the most fuel-efficient Hummer, reaching up to 20 mpg on the highway.

37. Higher fuel efficiency came with some backlash. Consumer's complained that the H3 needed more power.

38. The want for power manifested the H3 Alpha, featuring a powerful v8 engine with 295 horsepower and 317 feet of torque compared to the 242 horsepower and 242 feet of torque produced by the 3.7-liter inline-five.

39. H3 production stopped in 2009. The last H3 order satisfied a rental-car fleet order.

40. Oshkosh Corporation took over operations to replace the High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle.

41. Over ten years later, GMC comes back to revolutionize the electric truck market with the Hummer EV. With 1000 horsepower and 11,500 feet of torque, the truck can reach 0-60 miles per hour in approximately 3 seconds!

42. The EV features revolutionary features for off-roading, including CrabWalk, allowing the truck to drive diagonally and Extract mode, allowing the car to increase the suspension by 6".

43. Say goodbye to blind spots. The EV comes equipped with eighteen camera views, allowing you to see around the vehicle, including the underbody!

44. The infinity roof has available transparent sky panels that allow you to look at views from the sky while protecting you from the sun's elements.

45. The EV's driving range is over 350 miles, almost doubling the 181 mile average of your typical electric vehicle.

46. The 1st edition EV starts at $112,585 and will arrive in Fall 2021.

47. There will be more affordable models that have less performance and power.

48. The Edition 1's reservation sold out within 10 minutes.

49. Select trims feature fast charging, allowing the truck to gain about 100 miles of range ager 10 minutes of charging.

50. The EV is also capable of handling deep water and can ford up to 32 inches of water

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