Using Criticism to Maximize Sales

If you want to maximize sales, use criticism!

You’ve probably had to deal with professional criticism at some point (or often) in your sales career. In such a fast-paced, high-pressure profession that is continuously focused on results, we are often subject to our fair share of criticism from colleagues, managers, clients, and prospects.

If you want to be successful in sales, you must learn to take criticism and use it to your advantage. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your faults when others are pointing them out to you. But, there are steps you can take to efficiently move past the negativity and actually create success through the criticism that you receive.

Maximize Sales Through Criticism: 3 Steps

1. Change the Definition of Criticism

Remove the word “criticism” from your vocabulary and replace it with the word “feedback.” Changing your mindset about the feedback that you receive helps turn the situation from a negative to a positive.

Don’t struggle with feedback from your client. Try to understand their point of view and use that knowledge to improve yourself. If you’re constantly losing paperwork, it may be a sign that your organization needs improvement. If your client mentions value that your competitor offers and you currently do not, perhaps you can discover new opportunities for your business as well.

Notice that simply by changing the definition of the issue, you go from a state of fault to a state of improvement.

2. You’re Not Alone 

We all have and will receive feedback from multiple sources throughout our careers. You do not have to shoot for perfection. You simply need to approach your business with a willingness to learn and improve.

3. Take Action from the Criticism You Receive

Learning from the feedback you receive is a wonderful thing. It’s an important first step! However, any knowledge that you acquire is useless unless you put it into motion.

If you have discovered that your organization skills need improvement, take steps to improve them! If you have learned that you need to communicate more effectively, start researching ways to improve your communication!

By using the feedback you receive as learning experiences, you break down any tension you may be feeling and enter a state of improvement. The most successful sales professionals are simply the ones who made mistakes, received feedback, and took positive action to enhance their skills!

What’s one piece of feedback you have received and improved upon in the past?