The physical side of a sales slump can be more devastating than the emotional aspect.
Anyone who has ever gone through a sales slump will attest to the mental toll it can take on you.
Seldom does anyone mention the physical side and the havoc a sales slump can have on your physical well being.
Those in a sales slump are easy to spot with their slumped shoulders, tired lifeless greeting, and lack of a sustained eye to eye connection.
Beyond the obvious outward appearances, there are several physical side effects of a sales slump.
Physical Side Of a Sales Slump
– Change in eating habits.
Sales associates in a sales slump reach for their comfort food.
Why do they change their eating habits?
The mental strain drains their energy.
To get their energy back they instinctively reach for food that provides an instant short term boost.
Bottled water gets replaced with sugary sodas.
Healthy lunches go by the wayside in favor of fast food.
All of this leads to a short term energy spike followed by a deeper loss of energy a few hours later.
Afternoon sales drop as their blood sugar level drops.
If you are in a slump avoid fast food completely and do everything possible to get your healthy diet back on track.
This is a vital point that is often overlooked.
– Loss of sleep.
Life, in general, can cause a few sleepless nights.
Toss in a sales slump, a drop in self-esteem, erosion of confidence, and potential job loss, it is not surprising that you might spend more nights staring at the ceiling.
Without a restful night of sleep, you simply cannot be on top of your game.
The little irritants that you once let roll off your back now become an issue.
The extra time you use to spend getting to know the client now is an annoyance because you just want to get to the closing stage of the sales presentation.
Sales follow up gets pushed aside or forgotten.
Not surprisingly sales continue to drop which causes more sleepless nights and so the vicious cycle continues.
Take every step possible to get a good night of sleep.
Cut off caffeine early, unplug from the depressing evening news and get in bed.
It is amazing how different an issue looks the next morning after a good night of sleep.
– Flu-like symptoms.
Upset stomachs, headaches, and general muscle ache are all common ailments brought on by a slump.
Your body just doesn’t feel right.
Often those in a long sales slump say they feel like they are coming down with something.
The truth is that it is the effects of stress.
Prolonged stress produced by a slump can cause acne, irritable bowel syndrome, back pain, eczema, weight gain, chest pains, heart palpitations, irregular periods, and frequent colds.
Confide in your doctor about the level of stress you are experiencing.
You have to take extra care to safeguard your health during a sales slump.
Eating a healthy balanced diet in addition to getting some meaningful rest is vital.
Remember that stress can cause a whole host of related ailments in your body.
Heed the early warning signs and consult with your doctor before they become major issues.
While most studies have shown that what causes a slump is mostly mental there is certainly a physical side of a sales slump which can be serious.
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The host of “Inside the Jewelry Trade” Radio Show – Jewelry Business Strategist – President of Four Grainer LLC. Author of the business books “A Reason To Chant,” and “A Reason to Chant – Jewelry Trade Edition.” Rod lives in Atlanta with his wife and two almost-human cats.