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The Ultimate Selling Strategy: Change Your Thinking.

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I got a call from a client last week. She had just begun our program with her company and had heard us talk about “changing how you think” in order to get better results. We hadn’t yet gotten into the details of that, but since she called, I shared with her the five areas of change needed to radically change results.

I hope you can use this information to achiever better sales/business results for yourself. We’ll probably do a podcast (The Advanced Selling Podcast) on it soon.

=1 Change how you think about yourself. Most of us see ourselves as victims in a big economy–held hostage by market forces and company forces. We are quick to blame others for our malaise. That’s what’s so cool about sales–it’s up to you. It’s your accountability that is THE factor in whether you’re a success or not. See yourself as an abundant being on a mission to bring value to your customers. Whether they buy or not–or whether they buy on your time line–is irrelevant. All that matters is that you’re in the present moment with them while in conversation about their pains/issues/matters of the heart. The greatest sales strategies in the world won’t work if you aren’t thinking correctly about your self in the sales process.

=2 Change how you think about your market potential. Most markets are abundant. Yet, when I hear salespeople talk about their sales funnel, it appalls me at how scarcely they see things. Your market is in a lot of pain that they need you to fix for them. Never forget that. And because there is an abundance of pain–and an abundance of money available to fix that pain–then you are in an abundant market. Period. Never let the scarcity of another (even a prospect) effect you.

=3  Change how you think about your roles as a sales professional. This is cool and very simple. Your role in the sales process is to create an environment for the truth to occur. You have to create a safe atmosphere where your prospect is so comfortable telling you the truth, that it’s easier to do that than to lie to you. You’ve heard the expression “buyers are liars.” Well, it’s only because amateur sales people drop into “convince and persuade” mode and make them lie. If you’re creating the right environment, buyers won’t lie.

=4  Change how you think about your value. The value you bring to customers hovers around the intersection of THEIR PAIN and YOUR SOLUTION. Stop thinking your value is all about your benefits and features. Your benefits are only relevant if they have a pain and they believe you have a solution for it. NEVER LEAD WITH YOUR VALUE. Lead with them telling you their problems–and you determining if you can help them. Most corporate selling strategies lead with how great they are for the client. If your a prospect, do you want to hear that?

=5  Change how you think about the sales process. “OK class, who should control the sales process? The one with the money?” NO. THe one wtih the solution. Most sales people get this wrong. But you can only control the sales process to the extent you change your thinking on #1-4. If you merely try to exert control of the sales process without work on #1-4, then you’ll appear crass and amateurish.

So that was my answer to my client. Obviously, in training, I go into much more detail, but thought you’d maybe get a little something from that.

Any comments? I know someone will take me to task for something I said (or didnt’ say), so have at it. And recognize that a change in sales results starts in the mind–not in the market.

You Have The Power. Why Throw It Away?

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Well, of course, the answer is “you shouldn’t!” But, lest you think I’ve lost my mind (which is entirely possible) let me explain.

An article–a good one–in the NY Times Sunday by Dan Mitchell about the shifting power from manufacturer to retailer (as in Wal-Mart) prompted this post. Mr. Mitchell has some great content–but there is more to the story.

This article begs the question: who should be in control between buyer and seller?

In our training business, that is one of the fundamental shifts sellers must make mentally–that they should be in control. But when I read an article like this, it reminds me of how much work there is to be done on the matter.

There is a common belief that “buyers” should have control becuase they have the money. But that’s absurd. I believe “sellers” should be in control because they have the solution to the buyer’s problem. And the solution has to be worth more than the money (if it isn’t, then you, the seller, have more work to do on your value).

If you or your sales team feel that the buer has the control, then you have set yourself up for a career of begging and averageness.

There are three things that must be in place though before you can call yourself a follower of this new method.

1. Abundant Market. You have to believe that your market is abundant. If you can get there “mentally” then you can detach from the outcome. The person who is least invested in getting their outcome, is the one with the power. The way you get to that belief is to create a “possibility plan” of all the people (companies) who have problems that you can solve.

Companies that sell to large firms get mentally yucked up by saying to themselvs “yes, but there are only so many Wal-Marts.”

2. Effective Process. You have to have an effective sales process that contains a step for finding the problem–so that you have something to link your solution to. If you are one of those “quote and hope” people, not really concerned with the prospect’s pain, then you will be out of control. Your process must have their best interest in mind–the best solution.

3.  Ideal Client Mentality: Not everyone is for everyone. Yet, when sales teams go to the market, they try to make everyone a prospect. Instead of this strategy, change to an “ideal client strategy.” In that method, you admit to yourself (and other human beings) that not every prospect is a good one. And that in order to provide “optimum value” for your client, they must fit. If they don’t, then move on.

This entire new way of thinking gives power to the selling organization with a big “however.” Mr. Mitchell is right when he says sellers that are forced by big customers to impose sorely needed discipline on their processes actually come away from the fray stronger and leaner. So, in a way, the control that your customer exerts on you can help you become better. But you still need control.