What Sales Isn't

We are in the selling profession to make a living by introducing prospects to a service or product that will solve their problems. Today we’re going to talk about what selling is not.

·         Sales is not about getting your needs met. When I work and develop sales people one of the first things we address is fostering a proper attitude about our profession. Sales is not about making a commission or selling a product or service that doesn’t meet a prospect’s needs or expectations.

·         Selling is not about selling as much as it is about discovering if a service or product that you represent is potentially a good match for the respective prospect.

·         Selling is not about doing a presentation until both you and the prospective client have determined that there is possible fit for your services or products.

I purchased a service not long ago that made sense and that I could easily justify based on the price, value, and the credible advice I received from the representative. I could easily determine that she was looking out for my best interest. As we proceeded through the interviewing process, we became relaxed and had a very objective conversation. As we worked through the discovery phase with an appropriate amount of presentation and information from both parties, we quickly determined that the service was a good fit. We both walked away satisfied that it was a win-win for all involved.

If we do what’s in our client’s best interest, incomes and commissions will always take care of themselves.

Sales Image

As I mentioned in my last blog, over the next few months we’re going to introduce you into the world of professional selling. For objectivity, we’re going to take the gloves off so we can clearly see the positive and negative perspectives that exist in the selling profession.

 I found amongst sales professionals that there is a stigma in the way we view one another. In most cases, sales people do not see themselves in the negative perspective. Instead, they view themselves as the exception. The old 80/20 rule comes into play as we separate those that represent our profession in a positive or negative way. I found over the years that 80% of sales professionals have their perspective clients’ best interest in mind. We call it a win-win for all involved. The negative 20% have always been around and always will be.

In doing sales workshops and seminars over the years, it has always amazed me how sales people are viewed by their contemporaries. In my workshops, I introduce a short version of a game show called Password. The premise is to use one adjective to describe a noun. For example, if the noun is salesperson, generally the adjectives will start on a positive note and quickly regress into a negative tone in very short order. The other day in listening to a sports host during signing day for college recruits, they referred to some of the coaches as having a better sales pitch and relentless in their pursuit. It is these kinds of connotations that create a negative image of the sales profession.

The 20% of those in the sales profession that choose to represent our profession in a negative way will always be there with the negative connotations that go with it. As sales professionals, it is our responsibility to take the 80% of those of us that take pride in our great profession and to educate buyers and fellow sales people as to how we continue to stimulate the economy, create company growth and productivity in the entrepreneurial world we live in.

Why People Buy and Why They Don't

Understanding both aspects of why a transaction takes place and why it doesn’t is a great place to start in better identifying what motivates a perspective client to move either in a positive or negative direction in relationship to purchasing a product or service (P/S) that you represent. People in companies purchase a P/S because of the following:

·         The culmination of a transaction takes place when the value of a P/S exceeds the cost.

·         Companies purchases P/S to solve their specific problems

o   A problem either exists or it doesn’t. If it does and you can fix it, then great! If not, move on.

·         People do not want to be sold; they simply want to buy for their own reasons.

A few weeks ago, I was at a networking event and a gentleman approached me and introduced himself. I made the mistake of asking him what he did for a living. Ten minutes later, he was still rambling on and hadn’t taken a breath. He didn’t stop until I finally excused myself. He made the mistake in assuming that there was value in what he was presenting without knowing who I was, what I did for a living, or if I had an interest in what he was selling. If you think about it, why would anyone present any concept or idea until they find out if there is a potential fit?

When we present without knowing if a problem exists, we insult the prospect’s intelligence and leave a less than favorable impression. If you develop good interview skills, you will be viewed in a positive manner, especially if you determine that your P/S not a good fit and you share that with them.

Professional selling is not always about selling. In fact, many times it’s just the opposite.

Sales: The Foundation for a Growing Business

Welcome back! Over the next eight weeks, we’re going to stay tuned in to sales concepts and processes. As I’ve stated in my previous blog, sales and transactions are the fuel that drives a company’s success. Sales are what creates consistent cash flow and ensures a strong top and bottom line.

Often, I discover that many business owners are highly proficient in their product knowledge and application in solving problems for their clients. The next step in growing a business is sometimes the most difficult for the business owner. We live in a highly competitive environment and you must be able to generate new and consistent business growth in order to succeed. You can be the most creative in your respective field, but without a well thought out and conceived sales concept in place to generate business, your chances of success are considerably lower.

I shared with a client this past week that they have a wonderful product that is well-positioned to fulfill their prospective clients’ needs. The only problem is that many of their future clients don’t know that they exist. They lack visibility in their market place. You don’t have to like sales, but you do have to do it, and do it well if you expect to make it in your respective field of an endeavor.

For the next couple of months, we’re going to concentrate on sales growth and what it takes to create a successful sales formula to ensure your success.