During an economic downturn, mental toughness separates the top sales performers from those who are just average. Mental toughness helps salespeople overcome the pessimism they are likely to encounter in their e-mail messages and phone calls, as well as during faceto- face sales meetings. In such an environment, every salesperson can benefit from a companywide effort to instill mental toughness.

Mental toughness means staying the course, finding ways to resolve objections, pushing for desired outcomes, being creative in solving problems. It starts with a commitment from the top. Whatever their worries, solution provider owners and managers need to communicate a positive vision for the future that puts the downturn in perspective. We encourage solution providers to have monthly all-company meetings to improve communications among executives and staff. Well-crafted events can reinforce the positive attitudes and beliefs that lead to mental toughness. Other steps to take include the following:

• Push consultative selling: When customers and prospects alike complain about tough times and shrinking budgets, mentally tough salespeople empathize without buying into the negativity. Instead, they return to the basics of consultative selling. With the confidence to meet with business owners and C-level executives, instead of just IT managers, they highlight the business benefits that technology solutions offer. Sales staff who struggle with this approach should receive additional training.
• Bring in the customers: Letters of reference from satisfied customers help salespeople believe in what they sell, but why stop there? Customer user groups and focus groups provide invaluable intelligence to sales staff. Sales managers should invite your customers to sales meetings to explain the merits of your solutions. Salespeople will gain useful anecdotes for consultative selling and their morale will soar.
• Join salespeople on calls: In a downturn, there's a need for superior planning and execution on every sales call. Top management can help by participating on more sales calls. More eyes and ears at the prospect's office can mean better proposals and higher sales-close rates.
• Ramp-up lead generation: A fresh batch of quality sales leads will lift any salesperson's mood. Develop an aggressive campaign using proven methods such as webinars, executive forums and customer referrals.
• Focus on motivation: When negativity is in the air, salespeople need special encouragement. Try to make sales meetings fun as well as productive. Simple sales contests and games can boost team spirit while moving business through the pipeline. Also determine the sales incentives your staff likes best, and then honor those preferences.

In all this, it pays for salespeople to keep in mind the wonderful industry we are in. Technology solutions can help companies boost revenues, lower costs, increase productivity, improve customer service and drive profits to the bottom line. Mental toughness means helping customers realize these very real business benefits.