It might still seem strange to include health under sales technique. But if we look at the most extreme salesperson it quickly becomes clear why that should be the case.
For example, an entrepreneur could be seen as a type of an extreme salesperson. After all, they set up their business with the help of banks, support network and a brilliant idea and even if they start out with a team of salespeople, he or she will end up being a key person in bringing in revenue. It is inevitable. In effect they are a commission-only salesperson. Nobody pays their salary. They only draw money if sales are made. One thing that unites all successful entrepreneurs is their willingness to plough vast amounts of time and effort into their revenue generation, often putting their “salespeople” to shame. These entrepreneurs instinctively know the importance of health. The only way to make their business successful is to be ruthless in looking after this resource. That is why you see them in the gym, running along paths in the early morning, and generally looking after their health the very best ways they can.
It is possible to over-do the health kick. However, the point is to be sharp and ready whenever the business demands it. There is no point in feeling drowsy an hour or so after lunch. Good health ensures you can deliver the right things over the right period of time.
It is not just entrepreneurs who need health. All revenue-generating people need it. In effect they run their own business or should think like they do. Their sponsoring organisation maybe paying a salary, but in reality, this is commission paid a different way. Without sales the organisation has no revenue. With sales cash comes into the organisation. That is why business owners run huge risks when they hire salespeople- they often have to pay commission ahead of closed sales in the brave hope that their people will deliver.
Consequently, all revenue-generating people need to have a keen interest in looking after their health. We at Sandler have helped assess potential sales hires on behalf of clients and it is extraordinary the substantial percentage that demonstrate low vitality, suggesting lack of attention to health. Unsurprisingly those have not been good candidates. There is a direct link between being a successful revenue-generator and having a good health regime.
There are plenty of medical reasons why you might not be able to exercise to keep as healthy as much as you would like. However, lack of time is not a medical reason and can’t be used as an excuse.
Stephen Covey in “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” called his Seventh Habit “Sharpening the Saw” Staying sharp is the one habit that makes all the others possible. As he said, “most of us think we don’t have enough time to exercise…We don’t have time not to.” In his book he suggested all we need is a minimum of three hours per week. You might like to aim for his suggestion of six hours per week. That might seem a lot. However, if it is important to you, you can find that time during a week. Exercise doesn’t require any expensive equipment and it doesn’t necessarily need you to travel anywhere. It does require you to decide to do it.
Nearly one-third of adults age 51 and older experience fatigue, according to a 2010 study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. But very often the reasons are not specifically age-related. Fatigue is typically a sign of a health problem. According to CNN Health “sleep problems, pain and gastrointestinal reflux can induce fatigue, as can infections, conditions such as arthritis, an underactive thyroid, poor nutrition and alcohol use.”
There are plenty of studies that identify most people do not get enough rest. If you are under pressure to produce revenue, good quality sleep might be hard to come by. Unfortunately, it has to be the other way around. Good sleep means you are more likely to hit your targets and dreams. Stephen Covey considered proper rest as part of “Sharpening the Saw”.
According to the NHS if you experience feeling very tired, find it hard to concentrate and have mood swings you could have sleep apnoea and not even realise it. In other words, your energy levels could be affected by sleep issues. Untreated sleep apnoea sufferers, and I used to include myself, find themselves falling asleep very easily during the day. As it is a gradual process of sleep deprivation you might just think you are getting old or you have always been able to fall asleep withing seconds of sitting down after a hard day’s work. The problems are not just about lacking sleep: if you have untreated sleep apnoea you are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, you are more likely to have a stroke and you are more likely to be depressed or develop diabetes. Gentle snoring is one thing, sleep apnoea where you repeatedly stop breathing during the night is quite another. The snoring that is keeping your family awake is more likely to be apnoea if you are overweight, but it can even happen, like for me, when you are not overweight. Many sufferers are not even aware they have the problem and go for years without diagnosis or treatment. If you are serious about your health, you can’t be one of them.
Dr Michael Moseley suggests in his book “Fast Asleep” that it is not just the amount of time we spend in bed that counts but the amount of good quality sleep we get when we are there. He has investigated the scientific evidence and concludes that much about how we sleep comes down to diet.
The World Health Organisation maintains that “worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975.” In the US NHANES 2016 statistics showed that about 39.6% of American adults were obese. In 2020 the UK’s NHS stated that 26% of men and 29% of women were obese. These figures are shocking.
“Obese people experience fatigue and decreased physical endurance that indicates diminished energy supply in the body”, according to a study by Danuta Vlodek and Michael Gonzales. According to the report, there is a direct correlation between obesity and low energy levels. This suggests that to be successful in our business life we must look after our weight. There are plenty of reasons why you might not be at a good weight, and according to the above study, that doesn’t necessarily include over-eating or being sedentary. Whatever the factors are that determine your own weight to height ratio (your BMI), you are responsible for doing the best you can. That might mean a radical change in lifestyle.
Perhaps your biggest motivator to having a good health regime is not increasing revenue for your business at all. It could be that you will be more able to enjoy your family, both right now and for much longer than otherwise in the future. High BMI contributed to an estimated four million deaths globally in 2015 according to a study in “The Lancet”. Life expectancy from age 40 years was 4·2 years shorter in obese men and 3·5 years shorter in obese women. The scientific evidence suggests you will live longer if you have a healthy BMI score.
Physical health is a motor for your energy level. Lack of physical health means you are unlikely to be full of energy. Mental health is as important for energy levels. You can be physically in good shape, but if you are suffering mentally, all that can count for little. I am not qualified to make any suggestions about mental health. The statistics show that a sizeable proportion of people suffer from mental health problems at some point in their lives, so you may well already know just how debilitating lack of mental health can be. You may have experienced it or someone close to you has. If you are suffering from mental health problems, do not leave them too long without proper help. Everyone gets down or low sometimes, but proper depression or other mental problems need qualified help. Running a business increases the likelihood of mental pressure and therefore mental health problems. For example, in one study conducted by the University of California “Self-reported mental health concerns were present across 72% of the entrepreneurs in their sample” with 30% more suffering depression than the control group. Having a good physical health regime is often a part of the answer.
You might hate exercise, or you might not have found a regime or an eating plan you like. These are not reasons to use for poor energy levels. As a sales professional you owe it to yourself, to your organisation and to your family to do what it takes to be as healthy and fit as your circumstances allow. Eat well, sleep well, exercise well. Set goals and track your valuable resource, your health.
