The Sales Mindset How we can, and should all be salespeople

There are many misconceptions around the nature of sales and what it takes to be a salesperson. These misconceptions can prevent salespeople, or people who have some sales responsibility from achieving their ‘sales’ potential or even ‘selling' in the first place.

This empowering session dispels many sales myths including the concept of the ‘natural salesperson’, demonstrating that attitudes are often more important than attributes, and that the skills we lack can be developed through the right kind of practice.

It also explores attitudes to sales and reframes sales as a virtuous pursuit that brings potential value to clients. More than anything it examines why people fail to achieve sales outcomes - how they get in their own way, and how to remove these obstacles

• Understand the myths and misconceptions around sales and examine how this affects delegate sales performance
• Understand the real skills and aptitudes of a successful salesperson – the importance of our attitudes
• Understand the research on the nature of talent and expert performance – and how we can develop the skills we need
• Understand how we ‘get in our own way’, develop an understanding of some specific sales-related examples, and some practical tools to address them

• Myths and misconceptions – the natural salesperson, sales isn’t my job, sales is a dirty word, I don’t want to bother people, I don’t have the skills, that’s not me
• The nature of talent and what drives expert performance -– ‘10,000 hours rule’ and purposeful practice
• The real psychology of success - passion and perseverance.
• Driving passion and perseverance? The growth mindset. Learn it all vs. know it all Learning from mistakes and attitude to ‘failure’
• What does good really look like? Key skills and habits and cross over with client management. Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, Habits, Process and Planning
• The power of the introvert
• Performance = Potential – Interference or ‘getting out of our own way’
• Interactive trouble shooting – what gets in your way in sales? Examples of your Fixed Mindset?

Nick offers a unique combination of skills in the UK insurance training sector – an industry sales specialist and a professional coach and trainer. Nick is an Economics graduate with over 25 years corporate insurance broking experience. He was a highly successful sales producer in the UK broking market before progressing into regional and then national sales leadership roles. As National Development Director at HSBC, Nick was one of only 40 people from a global workforce of 265,000 selected as part of the STARS programme to recognise exceptional performance. He is a highly trained consultative sales specialist, and his experience includes a secondment with a major management consultant to design a best practice sales process.

In the mid-2000s, Nick developed a chronic health condition; his journey to recovery fostered a new range of interests, and a passion for health, and performance. He studied widely, qualifying as a Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), obtaining a Diploma in Life Coaching, before going on to study Corporate/Business Coaching with The Coaching Academy. Nick is also a qualified Holistic Lifestyle Coach and Advanced Exercise Coach.

In the last few years Nick has worked in a self-employed capacity in training, coaching, and consulting. He works with a specialist adviser in Insurance sector M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions), and through Nick Thomas & Associates.