| People often label enthusiasm in negative terms | | | | themselves to people. Salespeople are word |
| such as artificial, hysteria, or phony. We tend to | | | | merchants; they paint pictures with words. The |
| curb our enthusiasm because it’s been | | | | three E’s are key: excitement, emotion, and |
| programmed out of us to some extent, but we | | | | enthusiasm. Being enthusiastic makes your |
| can get it back! | | | | prospective customer want to help you. They |
| | | | | become your ambassadors by telling other people |
| What is enthusiasm? | | | | how great you are. |
| Enthusiasm is an outward reflection of an inner | | | | |
| glow. The word comes from a Greek word | | | | Every individual has the capability to become an |
| enthusiasmos, which means “God within.” | | | | outstanding salesperson, all you have to do is see |
| If we don’t have enthusiasm, it’s | | | | yourself as one. You’ve probably heard the |
| because we’ve blocked it. Emotion spells out | | | | expression, “Seeing is believing.” However, |
| self-confidence in letters 10-feet high. | | | | I believe the opposite is true. You see when you |
| | | | | believe. That’s the law of attraction. A |
| Enthusiasm is emotion management. In other | | | | positive thought attracts the positive. In turn, |
| words, enthusiasm is the ability to control the | | | | enthusiasm attracts enthusiasm. |
| emotional climate of any situation you’re in. | | | | |
| This is key in sales, because emotion | | | | “I am a human transmitter. I transmit |
| management is a projection of your personality | | | | enthusiastic confidence,” is an excellent |
| power. | | | | affirmation for a salesperson. What would happen |
| | | | | if you transmitted enthusiasm everywhere you |
| What do you need to be enthusiastic? To be | | | | went? Enthusiasm gives evidence that |
| enthusiastic about something, you have to be | | | | you’re sure of yourself and what you are |
| interested, knowledgeable, and have belief. It | | | | doing. It helps the prospect to feel secure. |
| would be hard to be enthusiastic if these three | | | | |
| elements did not exist. | | | | There is nothing as effective in sales as |
| | | | | enthusiasm. The one predominant characteristic of |
| Although in the United States we have the | | | | all the successful people I’ve ever met, seen, |
| greatest school system in the world, it has | | | | or studied — the one common denominator |
| unfortunately educated out of us some of our | | | | — is enthusiastic confidence. Someone who has |
| natural enthusiasm, emotion, and feelings. Often | | | | enthusiastic confidence has a healthy self-image. |
| the more professional, higher educated, and | | | | It’s the person who knows where he stands, |
| sophisticated you become, the less you feel the | | | | knows where he is going, and is motivated by the |
| right to act out whatever you feel. You become | | | | end result. |
| more reserved, and, consequently, less | | | | |
| enthusiastic. | | | | In sales, we must first create a state of mind or |
| | | | | a customer mood that’s favorable to our |
| What can enthusiasm do for you? Enthusiasm | | | | idea. Remember, customers buy personalities and |
| creates confidence. It cries out, “I’ve got | | | | ideas, not just products. Enthusiasm also has |
| what it takes!” Your sales prospect can see it | | | | psychological effects on your prospect. It |
| in your eyes and feel it in your handshake. | | | | convinces them without explanation that you are |
| Enthusiasm is the advance man that paves the | | | | happy and prosperous in what you are doing. And, |
| way and sets the stage for your ideas. It is the | | | | of course, everybody likes to do business with a |
| way you squeeze the trigger on other | | | | winner. Your prospect thinks, “I can be happy |
| people’s emotions. | | | | and prosperous just like this guy. I want what |
| | | | | he’s selling!” Enthusiastic confidence is |
| Let’s take a closer look at enthusiasm as it | | | | powerful and contagious. |
| relates to sales. Successful salespeople sell | | | | |