Over the last few months’ time and time again the topic of “sales is sleazy”,”I don’t do sales”, or we are experiencing “sales reluctancy” in our organization has come up in our discovery sessions.
Individuals and companies need stop looking at it as “sales.” You aren’t selling anyone. You are a problem solver and educator. You started a business or job out of a passion. You are simply sharing your passion and knowledge with others. You have to have confidence in what services or products you are offering is THE solution to the potential client’s problem/challenge. Just get it (sales) out of your head.
Everyone is selling every day but you just don’t realize it. What would the conversation look like at a backyard grill out or a coffee with a friend? That is the language you should be using. Not sure why but along the way we have stopped what we would naturally do or say to someone face to face when communicating in an email or online. Sales is all about relationship building. I tell my clients to change the language if the word “sales” is tripping them up. Call it knowledge meetings or education meetings. Don’t call it a sales meeting. Don’t call it sales goals. Call it impact goals as in how many people have we helped or impacted this week or month. Play whatever game you need to play to trick your mind into not feeling nervous about reaching out to potential clients to share your knowledge and passion.
You have to watch this quick video by Mel Robbins as she explains the 5 second rule.
Our brain wants us to stay comfortable. It is there to protect us. Unfortunately, it is protecting you from growth outside your comfort zone. Just move forward with the thing that scares you in “5 seconds” of bravery. You can do this. The world needs your solution, service or product.
Everyone is a salesperson in the organization. Every person is impacting their internal and external customers. Every conversation counts no matter the title! People remember how you made them feel not your perfect “pitch.”
Today, I see that when reviewing a website, proposals, marketing materials or presentation content it is all about the company and not about the client or problems that you solve. The potential client wants to see themselves on your website, proposals and presentations. How are you engaging them? What are you trying to help the “fix”, “avoid”, or “accomplish”? How are you guiding them to the solution they need to solve their business challenge? Think about how you like being sold to….. What has worked to get you to make a decision in your business?
Are there things that frustrate you on how others are selling to you?
If there are things that frustrate you on how others are selling to you, like the immediate pitch after connecting on LinkedIn, grabbing your email address and adding you to their enewsletter, the lengthy email that talks how they have been in business since 1948 doing “x”, etc. Then why do we continue to do those exact things in our sales process? When we have coffee with a new friend, we don’t show up and say let’s get married. We ask questions to learn about them and their interests. This is exactly what happens when we do land that first meeting.
I am genuinely curious about people, what they are trying to accomplish and how I might be able to help them or be a connector for them. Conversation is easy for me. I get that isn’t true for a lot of people. I have been given the gift of gab from my mom.
Steps to overcoming sales reluctancy:
Be human-what would you say when having coffee with a friend (gaining new information–who, what when, where, how…)
Be curious-ask questions, seek to understand, really listen not listen to respond
Bring value -Share your knowledge and passion
Be brave-5 seconds to success, get out of your head
It isn’t sales. It’s a conversation! You are a problem solver. Now, go solve some problems!
