Selling is all about relationships. It demands honesty and integrity and a perception of caring. Success in life is truly a matter of developing and maintaining relationships with others. Sales emulates life.
Selling is about interacting with people, other human beings. It is about connecting at a number of levels. Selling is all about relationships. It demands honesty and integrity and a perception of caring.
You do not necessarily need to be technically proficient to be a success in selling. Although computers, projectors, Powerpoint presentations, videos, spreadsheets, email campaigns, automated mail programs, CRM, Blackberry's, flash drives and other technical marvels can certainly aid us in spreading our sales and marketing message, allowing us to reach out to more people faster than ever before, our success is not at all dependent upon the technology we employ. The technology is simply an aid, a tool, a resource. It is simply a means to an end. You are actually the message.
Mike Sansone recently wrote concerning this topic on his Converstations blog. He created a wonderful C.I.R.C.L.E. acronym as a reminder to us that success in life is truly a matter of developing and maintaining relationships with others. Through these relationships, our circle, we honesty try to benefit others and be a resource for them. In this manner, the biblical laws of reciprocity take over and we benefit as well. Consider Mike's thoughts as applied to sales. Successful selling is all about:
Connections we make
Influences we earn
Relationships we build
Conversations we conduct
Leveraging newfound knowledge
Engaging in new projects, collaborations...friendships. And then, we make new connections...
People tend to get hung up on technology, or at least allow it to get in their way. All too often it becomes either a crutch of dependence or an excuse for poor performance. In reality, technology is a tool. It allows us to be more efficient and streamlined in our work, able to respond faster and communicate with more people.
Our technology tools are helpful and necessary assets, never intended to replace the presentation or the message. Consider the scenario of a sales presentation to a room full of engineers where your projector bulb burns out, prohibiting your wonderful slide show that took you hours to prepare. Is your attitude in check? How are your nerves? Could you still deliver the goods, capturing the attention of your audience despite this setback? Will they even notice? It is up to you.
It's relationships that ultimately matter. Those relationships start with honest communication and direct eye contact. They endure trials because you always have the other person's best interests in mind. In the end, that's what will further our prosperity, bringing ultimate satisfaction and allowing us to reach our stated goals. The relationships will remain when the hectic nature of the day has passed.
Selling Means Maintaining an Open Communications Channel
None of us can be experts in everything. Customers appreciate being able to speak their language and having their audience understand it. In this manner, they feel confident that there is an open communication channel and their needs are clearly understood. What steps are you taking to ensure that you clearly understand your customer.
Are you Experiencing Sales Growth Despite the Economic Times?
The volatility of the present economic climate has left many people, including salespeople, in a state of fear and uncertainty. We now have the highest number job losses in five years as business are trimming both people and operations. How do you sell in this environment?
How to Sell Successfully in a Recession
Downward trends are indeed a stressful time posing numerous challenges, yet they do indeed present many opportunities. What is there to do when you are a salesperson needing to make a living in such a mess?
