Confidence – it’s one of life’s most useful (and at times, hard to muster) traits, and is one of the most important aspects of being a good sales representative. While it’s true that I’m new to the sales game, it’s also true that I know the secret to being a confident salesperson. I didn’t read it in a book though; it came from within me.

I love taking on new challenges and experiencing new things; however, I also have a profound need to be prepared. While jumping head-first into something can be exciting, it can also be a little scary!

Last summer my brother got married and he asked me to be the Master (or is it Mistress?) of Ceremonies at his wedding. Before I knew it, the words, “Yes, of course!” came flying out of my mouth. I was honoured and excited to do it! Then came that feeling of uneasiness – I didn’t know the first thing about being an MC. Aren’t MCs supposed to be funny? What if no one understands my humour… what if I mispronounce the Maid of Honour’s name… and so on and so on.

That’s when my need to be prepared kicked in and I started doing research, writing notes, finding out the correct pronunciation of names and even spent hours practicing in front of the mirror (maybe using a hair brush as my microphone, so what?).

Then came the big day and I walked into the reception hall with my binder (yes, binder) of printed speaking notes and timelines. The DJ told me I was the first MC he’d ever encountered with a binder.

The result? Confidence, of course! Because I had put in the time and effort to be prepared, I had no worries or nervousness (well, perhaps a few butterflies) and my MC duties went off without a hitch.

It’s this same discipline that I apply to my sales role. There’s no excuse not to be well prepared for a client meeting, and it pays to do your homework. You’ll thank yourself when you get there, ready to go, and with confidence in yourself and your presentation, to boot. The same goes for pitches and presentations — put the time in to practice and you won’t have any worries the day of because you know your stuff.

So why not adopt the “need to be prepared” for yourself and gain that extra little bit of confidence? It’s the best secret to share… Pass it on.

Kari Rennie

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