Sales can be a dirty word for most people. Picture me speaking to group of accountants not long ago. I started the meeting by asking, "Would you prefer if I share what I am about to tell you in the context of helping you market and sell you? Or would you like me to share it more in the context of your clients so you see how they can be more successful working with you?"
I couldn't take the silence for more than a few seconds. Nobody responded.
I asked, "What? Do you have as many customers as you want right now?"
More silence. I was starting to get nervous. Would anything I have to say today help anyone here? Soon, after cracking a couple of jokes and attempting supple humor, the small group warmed up. I delivered the message about the power of sales and marketing for small business success. Ah, I just love non-selling professionals!
It was no mystery why I got the reaction I got that day. These were accountants. I learned long ago about "non-selling" professionals like accountants, attorneys, doctors, engineers, and many creative types who are more introverted than likely to have fun sucking up to humanity at the local chamber of commerce meeting. They loathe the concept of selling and you know how they feel about sales calls and sales people.
Selling Doesn't Have To Be So Hard
Most people have huge head trash about selling. It's not just professionals who are self employed. Every day lawyers, doctors, engineers, accountants and just about everyone else on the planet who is self employed has to have a steady stream of new and existing clients to stay in business. So how do non-selling professionals overcome their anxiety and notions about sales so they don't have to get a day job?
Simple. They learn to overcome their head trash about selling. They learn to see selling in a different way; like actually helping people solve a problem. They get coaching, take courses and practice. Confidence in selling comes from the practice of authentically wanting to help people. You don't have to be a used-car sales persona to help people get what they want.
The bigger the problem, the bigger the pain. The bigger the pain, the higher the cost of pain. Solve bigger problems, charge bigger fees. Pretty simple. Do you think you could present (sell) the concept to a client that if they pay you $2,500 to solve a $250,000 problem that they've got a freaking huge return on their investment in you and your solution?
Exactly. So here's a simple formula for selling you. It's how you as a non-selling professional, like any other selling professional, uses a proven process for finding, attracting, engaging and converting as many customers or clients as your heart desires. But you have to practice all of this to get really good at it, like anything else in your business or your life.
It's your business, your branding, your strategy, your customer base, your cash flow, your life. How badly do you want to grow and help people doing what you do best? The simple truth is that the most successful accountants, attorneys, doctors and other non-selling professionals learned how to get over their head trash about sales, branding and marketing. They just want to help people and they figure out a way to learn to sell without selling.
1. Define who you really are. You have to believe in yourself and be super authentic.
2. Take a bold stand. Boring people who don't have passion can't stand out.
3. Know your why. Your major definite purpose drives your mission every day.
4. Define the biggest problem you solve for customers. Take away the pain.
5. Know your customer well. Define this as clearly as you can.
6. Clearly explain how you do what you do. Nobody cares til they know you care.
7. Answer the question about cost with value. Blow customers away.
8. Give people reasons to like and trust you. If they don't like you, it's over.
9. Build a bullet proof platform. Marketing automation and analytics systems are critical.
For the sake of brevity here, let me summarize how putting all these elements together will look when done. It's revealing how your marketing can really work in terms of getting your comfortable with "selling" and telling your story in a way that really engages people. Think of your most confident you, doing your best work to save the world! (I go into more detail in the video.)
The New, Authentic You
You wake up every day so clear on who you are that you burst out of bed so you can get to work. You know exactly what you stand for, and what it will take to make a difference at work, to customers or maybe, for the whole world.
You believe so much in what you do to help people that you become super focused and efficient. Time flies. The Law of Attraction kicks in. You feel and live a flow at work and at home. This is because your why comes through as your passion. It attracts people who align with your energy and what you stand for in this world. People show up to help you. You quickly move away from those who won't get you closer to your mission.
You are the best problem solver in your field. Everyone looks up to you because you are the real deal. You live, eat and breath your area of expertise. You are a thought leader. Your speeches, books and slide decks convey a sense that you are here to disrupt and contribute and help the team get where they want to go. People depend on you because you are so committed and good at what you do best. You've learned to delegate the rest to people who you trust. They trust you.
People you meet "get it" when they hear what you do. Your vision, mission and purpose is you so it's easy for you to help others see it and either help you or not. Again, you are more efficient and tireless. Your energy takes you to new performance heights, especially for those in sales and customer facing.
You offer so much value that nobody ever questions your price. You ask such intelligent questions of people because you care so much. You want to help . You ask and get clear on what is happening, where the gaps are and how to solve the problem; reach the goal. When price comes up, the relationship you have is so solid that it, combined with the business value you deliver, makes you virtually impossible to knock out leaving your client to the competition.
All this happens with a plan. The plan lays out goals. It tells everyone what they need to do, by when. Action steps start happening and production deadlines are met. Marketing starts working and it feeds the sales machine. New customers convert from new prospects and leads like never before. You can actually see the numbers because you have reporting that makes complete sense to you for the first time.
You walk out of your office at the end of the day. As you flip the light switch off and look back at your desk you think, "Wow. That stuff really works. What a difference it makes to have a plan, a system and someone to keep us on track."
It Really Works When You Work It
That's how it will be. This is how my life and small business flows today. It really works for me and anyone else who invested the time and money to build the systems and commit to long-term marketing campaigns that build trust and value. Same for all my clients who actually listen and do the work we advise them to do. It's amazing to wake up or go to a meeting and see while away from your desk that this happened ...
You get an email that you see on the phone notifying you of a new appointment. The person found you online after reading your article clicked a link to book a time to consult with you. They get an automated series of confirmations, thanking them for their interest. You show up and either close the deal or not.
Follow these steps and build your confidence by building discipline. Do the work. The results will come.
I always appreciate your comments, questions and suggestions.
To your continued success and happiness.