As a digital designer and branding expert, I’ve had to learn how to sell my services without coming across as too pushy or salesy. In this article, I want to share my insights and tips on how to sell like crazy while still remaining true to your values and beliefs.
What does it mean to sell?
Before we get started, let’s redefine what it means to sell. Selling is not about pitching or convincing someone to do something. The goal of sales is to inspire the prospect to make a decision. You do this by helping them think through their challenges and needs. You don’t tell them what to do; you ask questions, listen empathetically, and summarize their needs.
Let’s take a look at the five steps to selling without being salesy.
Step 1: Serve
The first step in selling is to serve. It’s important to prepare yourself to think about sales in a different way. Selling is not about what you get but what you give. It’s about showing up to help others without expectations. You do this by acting in the best interest of others and being selfless. Another way of thinking about this is to act like a fiduciary that you’re taking care of somebody else’s money in business and you have their best interests at heart.
Let’s say you’re a financial advisor, and a potential client comes to you seeking advice on how to save for retirement. Instead of immediately pitching your services, take a step back and focus on serving the client’s needs. Ask questions to understand their current financial situation, their goals for retirement, and any challenges they may face in reaching those goals. Then, provide advice that is tailored to their specific needs, even if it means recommending services that you don’t offer.
Step 2: Ask
Don’t give advice. Instead, ask questions. The goal is to surface the real challenges and needs of the prospect. The more you ask, the more you will learn about their challenges, goals, and aspirations. By asking questions, you can build rapport and show that you care about their needs.
Continuing with the financial advisor example, instead of telling the client what they need to do to save for retirement, ask them questions about their current financial situation. Some possible questions could be: What is your current retirement savings? How much are you currently saving each month? Do you have any outstanding debts that could impact your ability to save for retirement?
Step 3: Listen
The third step in selling is to listen. Really listen. Put your phone away, turn off your notifications, and focus on the conversation. Listening is not just hearing; it’s about understanding what the prospect is saying, and why they are saying it. When you listen, you can empathize with their needs and develop a solution that addresses their challenges.
While the client is answering your questions, focus on really listening to what they have to say. Pay attention to both the words they use and the emotions they convey. If they express concern about not having enough saved for retirement, for example, you can respond by saying “I understand how stressful that can be, and I’m here to help you develop a plan to address that challenge.”
Step 4: Empathize
When you empathize with the prospect, you can connect with them on a deeper level. This helps build trust, which is critical in any sales process. You can show empathy by acknowledging their challenges and showing that you understand their situation.
After listening to the client’s concerns, show empathy by acknowledging their feelings. For example, you might say “It sounds like you’re worried about not being able to retire comfortably. I can understand why that would be a concern.” This shows that you care about their situation and are committed to helping them find a solution.
Step 5: Summarize
The final step in selling is to summarize. Summarizing is not just repeating what the prospect said. It’s about taking their challenges, needs, and goals, and summarizing them in a way that shows you understand their situation. Summarizing helps build rapport, shows that you were listening, and sets the stage for the next step in the sales process.
Once you have a good understanding of the client’s needs, summarize their situation to make sure you’re on the same page. You might say something like “Based on what you’ve told me, it seems like your top priority is to save enough for retirement to maintain your current standard of living. Is that accurate?” This shows that you’ve been actively listening and can help move the conversation forward towards developing a solution.
Conclusion
Selling doesn’t have to be slimy or salesy. Remember to serve, ask, listen, empathize, and summarize. Selling is not about pushing your products or services on someone; it’s about helping them find a solution to their challenges. By following these steps, you can build genuine and meaningful rapport with your customers and increase your success rate.
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