Reality Check – YOU Are In Sales!
“I hate sales, it’s not for me,” says the wannabe success story.
Well in the wise words of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay:
“Get Ye Head Out Ye Ass!”
You my friend are in sales.
It doesn’t matter the profession.
It doesn’t matter the industry.
It doesn’t matter the position.
You are in sales!
Rapport building, persuasion, rejection – are a part of every single job ever.
If you’re a magician you gotta sell me on your trick.
If you’re a poker player you gotta sell your bluff.
If you’re a manager you gotta sell me on your leadership style.
Somewhere along the way, sales and the concept of being a salesperson received a bad reputation and now everyone tries to spin it like they’re doing something better, that they are above it.
I’m an expert. I’m a guru. I’m a coach.
What Sales Is
Sales is more than providing a service for money.
A sale is the ability to sincerely persuade another party that you are worthy of their attention, trust, loyalty, and business.
It is a transaction between two parties that is hopefully designed to be mutually beneficial.
It is to follow through on your promises.
It is answering an email, phone call or text message in a timely fashion.
The cliché says – business isn’t personal.
Well I am here to tell you that business is one of the most PERSONAL experiences in this world.
(I can’t take credit for that line though, it’s all over the internet – I just have no idea who to attribute that quote to.)
A transaction only occurs when trust is built.
And if trust exists, a natural attraction happens between the producer and the consumer that will help them relate on a deeper level.
The Reality Check(list)
My name is Riaz Sidi and I’m in sales.
Ahhh, that felt good.
- Now better your life now by admitting this to yourself: I am in sales.
- Find a target with a sincere need for your product or service.
- Authentically make him, her, or them aware of this problem.
- Help them to understand the consequence of them not acting on the problem and the ramifications it has on their life or business today, tomorrow or whenever.
- Highlight your ability to solve this problem with your solution ‘x’.
And you repeat.
It’s not magic and as mentioned earlier – if it were magic – I’d still have to sell you on it.
It’s not rocket science either, but I gotta ask: would it make selling rockets easier?
Reality Check #2
Sales isn’t easy for anyone because its volatile, unpredictable, and based on emotion.
There’s no luck in sales.
Someone else decided to go for your prospect and raised their game to be able to make it.
Be that person.
Humble yourself.
Realize we are living in a new economy.
Realize every single profession makes you a salesperson.
And be excited about it.
And most importantly – ask yourself if you are selling yourself, product, service, or expertise effectively OR if you are going about your business hoping for a break or for some miracle to drop from the sky.
Tell me in the comments below – are you selling?
Riaz
Good Read! One other group of people are in sales and fail to recognized their skills…PARENTS! It’s truly an either or proposition for most parents…either eat your veggies or you don’t get dessert! I know that sounds very basic, but after all it’s sales distilled to core. Knowing what questions to ask a potential customer is easily one of the most simply facts about how sales is performed (yes, performed, when you’re on you’re on – stage like- when you’re not stay in and do paperwork).
Keep up the good work.
Michael
Michael, I never thought of parents but you are absolutely right! (I guess I still have a different type of sales experience left to acquire in the form of parenthood!)
You are right the ultimatum technique can actually damage a relationship.
But as you mention, asking the right questions to the right prospect is the best way to make your sales job easier. The moment you have an agenda, you can damage your relationship as it comes across as a one-way deal and not a mutually beneficial transaction.
Thanks for the continued support!
Every business needs customers to be a success. So every business need a successful ‘sales & marketing’ approach! Sales is the lifeblood of every business nd those who actively sell for a living should be proud of their profession. Of course sales gets a bad name because some ‘so called’ salespeople will do anything to get a sales including selling something to an individual who dosent want or need, what they have to sell or telling lies about the ‘product’ or being manipulative or even intimiidating! Those who adopt these approach’s are NOT professional salespeople they are ‘con artists’. Great salespeople identify those with a ‘need or want’ for what they have to sell and enter an engaging persuasive honest conversation which convinces that person to buy from them. A win win outcome!
You have hit it right on the head Anne!
I like to start at the end and look for the benefit required to fill the need first before even bringing up a specific product or service.
As a consumer, I know I wouldn’t want a product or service if I wasn’t aware that I had a problem that required a solution to begin with.
Many sales reps. think about their quota, the ramifications of not hitting their goal, and how their boss will react. The unfortunate thing is none of these stressors actually involve the customers being happy.
If your client is happy, everything else will fall into place.
Great article! I realized the power of sales myself when I read “Selling 101”, by Zig Ziglar. I took what I learned and applied it to job interviews. Once I started treating the interview like a sales pitch, I started getting numerous calls and job offers. It works.
Thanks for sharing! I haven’t had a chance to read ‘Selling 101’ by Zig Ziglar (RIP).
I will definitely take your advice and grab a copy – and possibly do a review here.
Thank you Riaz for the shout out and the great read. Your article pretty much sumes it up!
Live We’ll.
Stephen