A Complaint Challenge

Complete Story

09/30/2025

A Complaint Challenge

Source: Bill Farquharson, September 29, 2025

How long can you go without complaining? Do you think you can make it through an entire day without one negative word crossing your lips? Maybe, Bill, but what does this have to do with sales? Well, bear with me…

Want a powerful sales challenge? Try going an entire day without complaining.

Sounds easy, right? Think again. One man tried to go a full month complaint-free. Every time he failed, he had to start over… it took him 18 months to get there.

Negativity is a habit — and it’s contagious. It creeps into how you talk to prospects, how you follow up, and how your customers feel after interacting with you. Whether you're a salesperson or a selling owner, your attitude walks into the room before you do.

You're not just selling a product or service — you're selling you. And positivity is magnetic.

Clients may not be able to put their finger on why they enjoy working with you, but chances are it has more to do with your energy, tone, and outlook than your price list.

So here’s the challenge:
Start paying attention to your words, especially when you’re frustrated, tired, or under pressure. Shift from “The problem with…” to “What if we tried…?”

Smile more. Say thank you. Give a compliment. Choose optimism.

You’ll not only feel better — you’ll sell more.

Watch Bill present this week's sales tip

The Sales Vault, created by Bill Farquharson, is a subscription-based resource and sales community featuring a calendar packed with live workshops, on-demand sales courses, peer-to-peer discussion groups, and 35+ years of sales training content all searchable by sales challenge. Think of it as a sales conference where the seminars and workshops, full of instantly applicable ideas, are ongoing and more programs are added constantly.

The Sales Vault is available on a monthly subscription basis, normally at a no-brainer monthly price of $45/participant, but… GMA members can take advantage of an exclusive offer: FREE membership for 30 days followed by a discounted monthly subscription price of just $40/participant.

Bill has been a friend of GMA for many years and is, no doubt, known to our members as a top sales trainer and content creator for the graphic arts.

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