Have you ever thought about what continues to propel some people forward in spite of the setbacks they encounter?
One thing is relentless optimism. I’m talking about the kind of person who doesn’t get down, or at least not for long. These people see opportunity all around them and refuse to allow negative thoughts to propagate.
Here are a few outcomes for the relentless optimist.
Lifting Up Those Around You
People with relentless optimism help spur others to higher performance. I’ve seen customer service reps turn shipping delays into opportunities to show they care. Instead of making excuses, they call the customer directly, explain the situation and offer a solution before it becomes a problem. That optimism – believing they can fix it – makes all the difference.
Generating Fuel for Performance
Have you ever observed people who move forward despite significant obstacles? Their optimism becomes fuel for reaching higher. The print industry has had its share of setbacks, but look around and you’ll find those who are succeeding anyway.
Take the example of a distributor who loses a major account to online ordering. Instead of dwelling on it, he might ask himself: “What can I offer that a website can’t?” He might then start focusing on custom forms and specialized labels, products that require consultation and expertise. Fast forward a few months, and we can imagine that he’s thriving, but it took optimism to see past the loss.
Closing More Business
I’d rather buy from an optimistic salesperson than a pessimistic one. Wouldn’t you? Most of us want to associate with people we believe are at the top of their fields, and we associate that success with optimism. When you tell a prospect “Here’s how we can solve that” instead of “That’s going to be difficult,” you’re already halfway to closing the deal.
Your Enthusiasm Becomes Contagious
When we’re optimistic, we create contagious enthusiasm. Imagine a sales rep getting genuinely excited about helping a small nonprofit print donation receipts. His enthusiasm becomes infectious. The client gets excited too, and that project turns into a long-term relationship and recurring revenue.
Creates Opportunity Where None Exists
When we have relentless optimism, we create opportunity at every turn. Instead of seeing segments of the print industry as mature, for example, we see pockets of opportunity. This gives resellers with relentless optimism a significant advantage. They see what others don’t, and as a result, they reap benefits their competitors don’t.
What benefits of relentless optimism have you seen in your business?
Bill Prettyman is CEO of Wise in Alpharetta, GA. Wise manufacturers industrial/prime labels and tags, traditional forms, and digitally printed products and services for resale only. For more information, visit www.wbf.com or email Bill at [email protected].
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