Cultivating A Winning Mindset: 4 Tips From Yelp Sales

Working in sales isn’t easy. You hear “no” more often than “yes,” and that can be tough to swallow. But the upside is a career in which your performance and compensation is largely determined by you, and — especially at Yelp — you have the opportunity to work alongside teammates who are rooting for each other to succeed. How do the best and brightest at Yelp overcome the inevitable challenges that come with a career in sales? Two words: winning mindset. We rounded up a few of our top sales performers to tap into their secret sauce for success.

Fail Fast

At Yelp, this is a term often heard on the sales training floor. It’s all about making mistakes, embracing failure, and using this to make you a better salesperson. “At first I didn’t really understand why they’d ever want me to fail right away, but what I eventually realized is that failing fast resulted in learning fast,” adds Heather Chan, Account Executive.

Believe in Yourself

This tip probably comes as no surprise because — let’s face it — nobody is going to buy something from someone who isn’t confident. Oftentimes the struggle for sales newcomers is a lack of confidence. Sales Director Mike Sene says it best: “You can have the best line but the delivery matters the most. It’s not what you say, but rather how you say it. A confident tone is everything.”

Set the Bar High

Setting a lofty goal keeps Account Executive Connor Dalman constantly on his toes and motivated: “I set the bar high and work at smaller goals every day to get myself there.” For Connor, sales is a marathon, not a sprint. “Once I hit that big goal, I always think about what’s next.” Never take your foot off the gas.  

Self-reflection

Our final tip comes from yours truly, based on my experience as a Yelp Sales Director: Self-reflection is what sets great sales people apart from the good ones. Looking back on the day and thinking about all the wins, big or small, as well as all the feedback that was given is critical to a winning mindset. At the end of the day, you control your own destiny in sales. Taking time to figure out areas for improvement is crucial.

These tips apply no matter what career you’re in or challenge you face, but are especially  helpful in developing a winning mindset as part of Yelp’s sales team. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.”

Think you can? We’re hiring in our San Francisco, Chicago, Phoenix, and New York offices.

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