“I’m a philosophy major… That means I can think deep thoughts about being unemployed.”- Bruce Lee. When most people think about philosophy, it doesn’t come across as something that is particularly useful. In practice however, our personal philosophies are critical to our success. What I’m referring to are the thoughts and beliefs that we entertain in our mind and subconscious. Today I’m going to share three personal philosophies that when changed, will transform your results:
“Buyers are happy to hear from me”
Making initial phone calls can be tough. We have all faced the fear of rejection, and as a result have said some pretty dumb things. If what you sell is truly relevant and valuable, why should you feel guilty for sharing it with others?
Make a point to offer something of value upfront, whether you do business or not. Your purpose for calling is not to take something, but to give. In this way you earn the person’s time, and can feel much more confident that your prospects will welcome your call.
“My job is to help people make educated decisions”
Gone are the days of manipulative selling. Our role is no longer to push products on people, but to educate them to make an informed decision. This has led to the rise of consultative selling, where meetings are designed to explore the difficulties our prospects are experiencing. After diagnosis, we provide focused and relevant information to educate the prospect on possible solutions.
Stop focusing on “closing the sale.” Instead, put your attention on building a solid business case where you demonstrate a positive ROI. If you can show you really understand their pains and have the right solution for it, securing the contract will not require any fancy closing gimmicks. If they don’t buy, you can simply conclude to yourself that what you are offering is not a good fit for their situation. It takes much of the pressure away, and will paradoxically lead to more sales!
“It is in their best interests to buy”
Of all three sales philosophies, this is of greatest importance. Absolute conviction in this area will cause you to do whatever it takes to help the people you talk to, and will alleviate any hesitation to sell. If you truly believe that the client will be better off buying than not, this will translate into every word and action you take in the sales process. Your chances of securing the sale will be maximised.
Conviction about your product cannot be created artificially. Talking to your happiest clients will give a boost to your beliefs, but ultimately you need to sell a cause that you really care about. What results have your product created for your clients? How do you translate those into a return on investment?
Take Action
Focus on giving value to relieve nerves when making calls. Focus on educating and consulting when in sales meetings. Finally, remember and reinforce the value that your product brings to your clients. “Your attitude, not your aptitude, determines your altitude!” – Zig Ziglar
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