Real selling isn’t aggressive…
It doesn’t manipulate and it’s not desperate…
To be effective and to foster healthy relationships, stop selling the way you’ve been taught, immediately!
In fact, let’s not call it selling anymore. There’s too much negative thought associated with that word…
Instead of sales or selling, what if we coined it, “Mutually Beneficial Persuasion”…
Let’s explore this…
The primary grievance about traditional selling is its focus on being quantitative, and not qualitative…
“Selling is a numbers game!” – how many have been fed this lie?
Stop speed dating!
Stop selling!
You’re dialing to meet quotas, and there’s no life in what you’re saying…
Those you speak to know that it’s not about them. Your interests are entirely self-serving…
So, what is mutually beneficial persuasion?
Simply, it’s about putting others first…
Where does the “mutually” come into play?
By putting others first, you’re making it mutual…
You are a supply chain for others…
When you make it about you, your pipe immediately clogs up, and you end up with nothing to give…
Selling is a distributive act. Modern day thought has made it about receiving…
I recently had a meeting with some company executives that I’m looking to work with…
I did not leave with a signed agreement, but the meeting was a success…
I concluded for them that they did not need me (i.e., a Search Partner) to fill their position…
I sat across from decision makers whom I traveled to meet with at their office only to tell them that the best use of their time & money was not to use me…
They are well governed with strong cashflow, but they’re at the infancy stage of their growth trajectory. They don’t need a Search Partner; they need an advisor; an ally. Someone to tell them the truth.
Real selling is about becoming whatever they need you to be in the moment…
The reaction from the President was interesting to say the least, but I left feeling like I did something good for the company.
We ended up talking for close to 90 minutes about their business, their marketplace, and their steps towards future growth…
We shook hands, exchanged holiday greetings, and I went back home to take my kids skating…
No contract, no position to fill, just an exchange of value that had nothing to do with me and what was seemingly best for my business…
A real “pipeline” is a distributor. It flows freely to others…
The faucet in your sink is a producer; a one way channel of value to a thirsty person…
A faucet is not installed for what you can do for it. It’s sole purpose is to serve…
This is mutually beneficial persuasion.