Did Stuart Smalley Have the Right Idea?
I’m smart enough, I’m strong enough, and gosh darn it … people like me!
~Stuart Smalley played by Al Franken on Saturday Night Live
Maybe it dates me, but the old Saturday Night Live skits were pretty funny. My little sister makes fun of my positive attitude with this quote all the time. I know it was a skit that mocked people’s addiction to 12 Step classes, but is it possible he actually had the right idea? Do you psych yourself up in the morning with positive affirmations in the bathroom mirror? Do you talk yourself up in the car on the way to a sale? I have definitely told my discouraged teenagers to take some time to encourage themselves before they face a difficult time. It’s really not bad advice. Even in business, we need to be keenly aware of what is going well.
Change Your Thinking, And Success Will Follow
Everyone who runs a business is marketing and selling something. If you’re not, you’re not going to get too far. When everyone around you is concerned about sales, you would do well to realize that if you’re business has slowed down, it’s because other businesses have slowed down. The right attitude to use with your customer is to share what you can do for their company that will in turn pick up business for them. If you go in commiserating about the down economy and fewer spenders, you aren’t going to have much success. You need to become better at language that recognizes the ‘upside’ of things. Have you thought about what can be done?
It won’t take you 30 minutes to jot down ways that you can incorporate more positive language into your communication. Find out what has gone right with your products or services lately. Many times conversations will surround needs for improvement, and while that is extremely important, you need to be an aggressive finder-outer of what has gone terrific and make sure your team realizes what’s at stake if they don’t do the same. When something goes well, expound upon why and how it went well, and do not forget to ask your client for written positive feedback in the form of an email or business review on Yelp.com, MerchantCircle or Google Local.
When you practice positive speak, people notice. Maybe not immediately, but sooner or later, the glass is half full approach will win the favor of your clients while the glass half empty approach will always keep them more distant than you realize.
What do you do to encourage yourself? Do you make it a regular practice? Tell us about it.
It’s actually the mindset that matters, I do agree on your points especially with the statement on how to speak positively. It will greatly influence people.
Thank you for responding, Faith. I think we always influence one way or another – why not be positive, right? Good to hear from you.
If I’m in one of those “moods” I tend to make sure I am not out in “public” by way of social media.
I also find that playing my favorite songs can change my overall mood as well. Additionally just having a mindset of positive expectation is amazing at keeping things in a positive light.
It’s true, Michelle. Keeping a positive attitude is just smart business! Our mom always taught us that people can see your smile right through the phone. I believe it. Good to hear from you.
Fantastic! I couldn’t agree more! There’s really no better way in dealing with things than being positive, you are sure that things would come your way. If you do it otherwise then it’s your lost!
Sending positive vibes to everyone!
I personally feel that if you don’t value yourself, nobody is going to value you…this thing suites here as well..if you are going to say to your customers that you are not a good seller, nobody will buy anything from you thinking you as a retard…but if you tell them the different story how you have sold anything and how people listen to you in any case, then you will surely get the benefit and make a good business…but try to be honest as liars get caught easily…:)