Trying to convince someone to buy your product or service is more than just about putting in the basics of persuasion. Persuasion encompasses a variety of communication and trust-building skills to bring people around to your way of thinking. Learning how to convince people in sales starts with, on a very simple level, building a relationship with that person. Starting a relationship with somebody who doesn’t believe they need your product or service is tough, and this is where some of the following tactics and techniques can ensure that you build that relationship.
“Did you know that the #1 reason people don’t ask for a sale is not because they don’t think the product or service, they are selling is valuable?
… It’s because they are afraid their prospect doesn’t like them enough to buy.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
Liking Really DOES Matter in Business
One of my early sales mentors and models used to remind the team at every single meeting that emotion and personality were just as important in Business-to-Business sales as they are in Business-to-Consumer sales – in some ways they are even more important. Closing a sale is almost never simply about features, benefits, and logic.
I often tell the story of Bob, the Photocopier man in my sales trainings – for context here’s the short version…
Some years ago, I was preparing for a conference and the department decided they needed to print some additional materials. We had a problem with our existing copier, and I had authorisation to purchase a new one. I was trying to distinguish between two copiers that looked identical from a brand that we knew and liked, and they sent their sales representative to talk to me.
Time was short and a couple of my colleagues were out sick, so I just wanted to clarify the features and order the new photocopier as quickly as possible. I explained this to Bob when he arrived, but he wasn’t listening and jumped straight to the start of his presentation. 90-minutes later I ushered him out the door without the sale and called the competing company.
When we’re talking about this situation during training people sometimes think this is an example of “Just get to the point, answer the question, and take the sale when you’re talking to a business.” It’s not – in fact, it’s the opposite.
You see, when Bob walked into our office the only thing that stood between him and a $45,000 closed sale was his ability to read the customer and answer my burning questions. He failed to do that… And he lost the sale to his competitor. In fact, he cost his company hundreds of thousands of dollars because before long all our photocopiers came from the competitor.
So, here are the 5 secrets that will get people to like you and give you the sale…
Secret of Liking #1: Listen Carefully
If you’re selling anything you need to know the product or service you are selling inside out. By all means, have your scripts and presentations ready and study the FAQs, but the real secret to creating trust and likely is your ability to discover what they really need to know before they buy – and to determine the questions they are not asking.
Secret of Liking #2: Discover Your Prospect’s Primary Communication Style
We all have one or two senses that are more highly developed than others. Identifying (and using) the language that resonates most effectively with the person you are talking to is an incredibly effective way of building trust and liking with others. It has the added benefit of demonstrating that you are really listening (See Secret #1).
Discover your own primary communication style by taking this short quiz.
Secret of Liking #3: Enter Their World
In the world of advertising, you’ll often hear people say that you need to ‘enter the conversation people are already having in their own heads.’ That’s a powerful truth for increasing engagement, but it’s also a wise strategy for creating and growing the emotional connection between two people. It’s hard not to like someone who demonstrates both by their questions and their responses to your answers that they have made the effort to understand your world and to feel your pain and that opens people up to listen when you offer a solution.
Secret of Liking #4: Pay Attention to Details Specifics sell.
Generalisations may capture the imagination and intrigue, but without details to back up the lofty promises and glorious vision they can lead to suspicion. In one-to-one conversations (in person, on the phone, or via Zoom), use the information you have gathered from applying secrets #1-3 to zero in on the details that you know will interest the other person. Save the ‘laundry list’ for large group communications and sales letters where you are speaking to a wider group.
Secret of Liking #5: Give Them Space
Humans are designed to pursue that which runs away and flee from that which pursues. The needy salesperson rarely makes a sale because prospects sense their desperation and instinctively step back. Your likability index measurably increases when you give others space to explore other options while knowing that you are still there. There’s a fine, fine line between persistence and space and so it’s essential to expand your communication and people-reading skills.
At LifePuzzle Sales is the #1 Life Skill
We believe that this is true because sales is also a fundamental HUMAN skill – one of the few skills that doesn’t just apply to one aspect of your life, but which translates across cultures, languages, environments, and specialties.
As we run trainings in corporate environments, as well as public trainings we constantly hear back that the communication and persuasion skills our clients learn are transforming their teams, homes, marriages, parenting, and friendships (even though we don’t actually conduct marriage or parenting training). I think that it is a sad reflection on our society that it puts ‘sales’ in the icky pile (you wouldn’t believe how many people recoil from the idea of sales training) because I think that has two critical consequences (quite apart from the actual $$ value of a sale):
- Without well-developed sales (persuasion, influence, and communication) skills no-one is able to share their excellent ideas persuasively and the world misses out on opportunities for growth, change, and productive discussion;
- Anyone who is not well-equipped to sell their own ideas and products and to influence others is vulnerable to leaders, managers, and others who possess those skills… Which can lead to dangerously authoritarian situations.
If you would like to learn more about LifePuzzle’s sales and communication programs and their role in business development, take a look HERE.
“The greatest success is to be able to reach your goals through the right mindset and preparedness. With determination and dedication, everything can be achieved.”
~ Fyodor Dostoevsky
What Is Success and How Can You Achieve It?
We all want success in life and most people are on the hunt for a way to achieve it because they realise that it won’t just fall into their lap.
But how do you define success?
How will you know when you have achieved it?
First of all you need to define what success means for you. My definition of success probably isn’t the same as yours, which is…
- a very good thing because we are both unique people with our own desires and goals; and
- enabling – because I can help you achieve your goal without jeopardising my ability to reach my own goal.
First, you need to set clear goals that are meaningful for you. Then you need to make a plan to reach those goals which sometimes requires an outside eye – and always demands hard work over time. Along the way, you will probably make mistakes and it’s important for you to recognise them, learn from them, and keep moving forward.
A positive and empowering mindset and a good coach are key factors when you are learning new skills and trying to achieve more than you’ve ever done before. Both of these keep you focused on the goal and provide momentum when you hit setbacks.
Think of your success in the same way that elite athletes approach their own goals – they don’t try to get their alone – they have carefully selected team to support them.
The Power of Mindset in Achieving Success
Your mindset is one of the most important elements in achieving success.
Mindset plays a very important part in your success – or lack thereof. The difference between a true champion and a ‘wannabe’ is rarely a question of talent. It has very little to do with the training, time, or effort expended either. Instead, it has everything to do with the message that your unconscious mind is sending out.
Having a sense of purpose, repeating affirmations, and believing in yourself help you to remain focused and motivated, but retraining your unconscious mind and removing every trace of doubt is even more powerful. When all the messages you send to yourself are 100% congruent then you will make better decisions, react to challenges more quickly, and have more confidence to go for what you want and succeed in reaching your goals.
How to Be Prepared for Anything Life Throws Your Way
Life rarely turns out exactly how we planned it to look.
Stuff happens – sometimes that’s fantastic – like being invited to work with a dream client or given a huge promotion; sometimes it stinks – like a cancer diagnosis or a cancelled contract.
I remember the year my Mum died – unexpectedly soon after a cancer diagnosis. It wasn’t just that I was overwhelmed with grief, everything was complicated by the fact that we were also in business together and we had a busy year of trainings scheduled for both of us – tied to income as well as promises we had made to clients.
I had a plan for the year that I had thought was pretty robust – but suddenly I had to come up with an alternative almost overnight. Thankfully, I have trained my mind to offer solutions, rather than roadblocks and I had a team of coaches and colleagues to draw on because I needed all the flexibility of thinking and action I could muster, but I know that many people have trained their minds to focus on problems rather than solutions…
Are you one of them?
Here’s a quick test…
You’ve just been told that a valuable client is quitting at the end of the month. You need to make up their income immediately or you won’t be able to pay your bills. How well do you sleep that night and where do your thoughts run?
Identifying and Developing a Winning Mindset
Hopefully, your answer to the scenario I’ve just outlined went something like this…
- Check the balance sheet and determine the minimum client value required to break even;
- Check pipeline to see if there are any upgrades or new prospects who can fill the gap;
- Sketch out some alternative revenue streams for quick cash or client influx;
- Consider some long-term strategic actions that will mean you are never again this dependent on a single client;
- Get on with whatever you had planned for the evening;
- Go to sleep expecting a solution to present itself and get a good night’s sleep.
A winning mindset:
- Acknowledges the reality and the gravity of a situation – it doesn’t try to blur the unpleasant consequences or details whether it’s in the sphere of business, relationships, health, or finances;
- Evaluates existing options (if any);
- Looks for unexplored opportunities, information, ideas – and is willing to list and entertain even the seemingly impossible or improbable;
- Assumes that this problem will demand them to grow and stretch to meet its demands;
- Sets the problem aside;
- Goes to sleep asking for solutions rather than wallowing in the problem and creating desperation.
… And the result is that the next day, you are well-rested and equipped to….
Take Decisive Action Towards Your Goals
You see, a winning mindset isn’t just affirmations and self-talk.
It’s the kind of self-talk that ignites massive and decisive action and creates desirable outcomes that really matter to you.
And that brings us right back to where we started… to YOUR definition of Success.
If you need some clarity on what success means to you – maybe because you’ve been pursuing someone else’s definition of success – or if you have been derailed by catastrophe and don’t have anyone to help you get your mindset back together – then we’d love to help you.
Click HERE to schedule a FREE 15-minute clarity call with one of our team and see if one of our programs will help you get back on track.
“Actions speak louder than words!
As a sales person, your best metric of success is sales, not praise.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
How Do You Persuade in Sales?
Give People a Reason to Listen
One of the most important things any potential customer will be thinking when you approach them is whether they should give you the time of day or not. Giving them a reason why they should give you their hard-earned time is the first step because if you do not provide clarity on how your message connects with your potential customer, you will never get to tell them why they should invest those few seconds.
Show Them Why They Can Trust You
You’ve got to show them that you care about their needs first, and when you get their attention, showing them you care involves understanding them. In the sales process, you have to first listen and show the commonalities based on their pain points and how you can take them in the right direction. Once you show them you care, you’ve got to highlight your credibility and how you are an expert, because this will give your customers a reason to trust you.
Practice NLP Techniques
Using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques can be very helpful when trying to persuade people in sales. These techniques involve using verbal language and body language to influence the way someone perceives an offer or product. NLP can be used to increase the credibility of your message, as well as build rapport with a potential customer.
How Do You Talk in Sales?
When it comes to delivering a sales pitch, you need to get to grips with the matter of how you talk. If you’ve obtained their trust, now is when you have to focus on the process of the things you say and how you say them. When it comes to how you talk and deliver your amazing sales pitch, you must consider the following:
Do Not Just Think About the Words
You need to communicate enthusiasm and confidence, and this is down to how you present yourself. According to the 7-38-55 Rule, 7% of all communication is done through the words you speak, but the remainder comes from your body language and your facial expressions. This is why you must pay particular attention to how you say something. You should imagine that you are communicating with someone that doesn’t understand what you are saying, because this will give you an insight into those times when just your tone of voice and visual cues can stimulate a working relationship. Open and honest body language and tone of voice will make people want to listen.
Consider Your Mindset
One shortcut to appearing enthusiastic is to be enthusiastic. You may have seen sales reps or public speakers get into the zone by practising talking, standing up, or getting into a certain frame of mind. When they do this, it goes straight to the core of who they are, to the point where they are not playing a role but are instead embodying a certain behaviour. You need to put yourself in that emotional state before delivering your pitch. Some people do this by exercising, and others practice visualisation, but the reality is that you should do what works for you.
Prepare for Objections
Rather than following the natural ebb and flow of a conversation, you need to rehearse every possible permutation, including any form of objection. Selling to somebody is about providing helpful solutions to their problems, but if this individual prospect is putting up barriers throughout every part of the conversation, you need to prepare for the most common objections. These can include:
- Avoiding eye contact.
- Defensive body language.
- Cutting you off mid-sentence.
When you identify the most common objections and prepare solutions to them, you must rehearse them to the point that they become second nature.
How Do You Sound Convincing in Sales?
The notion of being convincing in sales is not about an “us versus them” approach. Rather than thinking that you need to go into battle, some of the most important psychological tricks include the following:
Mirroring the Tonality of the Prospects
When cold calling potential customers, mirroring is an excellent technique to overcome barriers, where you mimic the customer behaviour by adopting their body language, speech patterns, and attitude. It is something that humans do to connect with each subconsciously. If you become in tune with your language, pattern of speaking, and tone of voice, mirroring your prospects will help build rapport more quicker.
Use Specific Terms
We have talked about how you say things, but it’s also important that you understand the impact of specific words. There are commonly used words that are red flags in a sales pitch. For example, “should” and “would” point people towards “yes” and “no” answers. When you ask questions, you should start with who, what, where, when, why, or how, as this will open the conversation.
Avoid Complicated Language
You may attempt to stimulate the fear of missing out on your potential customer, which may persuade them to buy your product or service in fear of losing out on an opportunity. However, it can make the salesperson feel like they need to mythologise the product more and start using unnecessarily complicated terms. You should know your product inside and out, and while you may feel the temptation to describe a variety of technical features, this can make things too complex, resulting in a subconscious barrier. Keep the language simple to the point where you could explain it to a 5-year-old.
Be Genuine
Rather than thinking about the sales, if you convince yourself that you want to help the other person rather than yourself, this builds trust and stops you from being pushy, resulting in a greater sense of rapport, and will very likely result in more receptive follow-up calls.
Consider Sales Training, Courses, or Programs.
Sales training can provide you with additional techniques to help you learn how to convince people to buy in sales. The goal of these programs is to train or certify individuals on the basics of selling and persuading.
When it comes to the sales process, many people are of the opinion that to entice future prospects, you must be full of bluff and bluster. The reality is that even if you don’t think you are selling, you are still selling something, which is why these tactics can help provide a comprehensive framework, resulting in an amazing sales pitch that helps you build that all-important notion of customer trust with new or current customers.
“What differentiates effective sellers from wannabes today is their ability to listen to others, think laterally, and bring fresh ideas and angles to the problems their prospects are facing.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
When you think of the concept of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) sales training, its very title tells you that it’s about the relationship between our brain and our language. It’s actually a twentieth century formalisation of the communication and persuasion tools that leaders and change-makers have used and documented for millennia – tools that were embedded into the education systems of Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. That systemisation makes the concepts easier to grasp and implement.
Given this background, it is not surprising that NLP is one of the favoured tools of sales trainers all over the world – and that influencers and salespeople use its techniques even when they don’t name them as such but, here are some surprising benefits of NLP training our clients have experienced…
Benefit #1: NLP Sales Training Increases Confidence in All Areas
Professor Dumbledore told Harry that “magic leaves clues” – and so does confidence.
The clues to confidence include a measurable improvement in success in whatever venture you’re engaged in – especially in sales results. This confidence that NLP sales training generates acts like a rolling stone: the more genuine confidence you project, the more sales you close.
Benefit #2: NLP Sales Training Improves Resilience
How do you respond to –
- Negative feedback?
- Bad news of any kind?
- Failure?
- Trauma?
Some people quit.
Some people just go through the motions.
Some people are driven to learn from their experience and to work harder and smarter until they succeed.
The difference is your level of resilience that enables you to keep getting back up, applying the lessons you have learned, and refusing to give up because you are committed to the outcome you are aiming for. NLP sales training can help improve your resilience which in turn will make you a more efficient salesperson.
Benefit #3: NLP Sales Training Enhances Creativity
I will never forget the first time I was introduced to Quantum Linguistics – one of the most powerful tools for both problem-solving and creativity.
I watched my trainer draw out truly unique and powerful solutions to problems that participants had been wrestling with for months, just by asking the right questions appropriately… And I determined to master that skill myself.
I was surprised and disappointed to learn that most NLP trainers don’t use this technique because “it’s too hard to teach” – I’ve never had that problem with my students or clients. The enhanced creativity that NLP sales training can provide is truly priceless.
Benefit #4: NLP Sales Training Nurtures Relationships
Given that NLP is mostly about communication, observation, and listening, it should come as no surprise that NLP sales training nurtures relationships, but it really does surprise people when they discover after a few training sessions that both their work and personal relationships are growing deeper.
In the same way that confused buyers don’t buy, confused (or confusing) communicators don’t have many close relationships.
Benefit #5: NLP Sales Training Develops Self-Awareness
We improve our results and our relationships largely by working on ourselves.
BUT… In order to change ourselves we first need to acknowledge and define the problem we are trying to solve. The beauty of NLP sales training is that it provides us with tools to do this in a non-threatening way and then enables us to identify current strategies and replace them with more positive ones.
Benefit #6: NLP Sales Training Creates Prosperity
This should come as no surprise after the previous 5 benefits I’ve outlined but I want to spend a few minutes here anyway. Like ‘success’ and ‘happiness’, everyone has their own definition of what prosperity means to them, so everyone’s life can look quite different and they can all call themselves ‘prosperous’.
I happen to think that it’s important to feel that you are prosperous – even if you are regularly shifting the goalposts on your definition of success as you reach one level… and the next… and the next.
Just think about it… If you are
- Confident
- Resilient
- Creative
- Relatable
- Self-aware
… Then how can you NOT be prosperous? And NLP sales training helps create prosperity in all of these areas.
“Selling is about being face-to-face with a customer, truly hearing what they say (not merely ‘listening’) and responding appropriately. When you’re selling by phone or virtually, you need your skills to be more finely honed, not less – that’s how you can use NLP to boost your sales.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Sales Training = More Important than Ever
As the world shifts back to face-to-face interactions, you’ve probably realised that some of your communication skills are just a little rusty. If so, you’re part of the honest majority who acknowledge the problem and have decided to do something about it – which is where neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) sales training comes in.
Maybe you’re making an effort to attend in-person networking events and conferences or go to the office a couple of days per week rather than work from home. Perhaps you’re going out to restaurants more or hanging out in a coffee shop… But when you look around you realise that there a lot of people who seem to be struggling to communicate and interact.
I get that.
Conversation is like music, a foreign language, dance, or any other practice-based skill. You use it – or you lose it. The first step is to acknowledge that you have a problem and not just pretend things are ok.
The next step is to recognise that this is an opportunity for you. Rather than merely regaining your previous level of expertise in conversation (as opposed to chit-chat), you could choose to become a deliberately skilled communicator. NLP sales training allows you to present your ideas (as well as your skills and products) persuasively in ways that resonate with your audience whether that is one person, a small group, or an auditorium filled with eager listeners.
At Life Puzzle we have a distinctive focus on actually practicing the techniques with precision, understanding the psychology that makes them effective, and exploring real life applications at an appropriate level. If you’d like to find out more, check out our NLP sales training page today.
NLP Sales Techniques Help When Subject Knowledge Is Not Enough
Of course, you know what you are talking about. That’s just your entry card, though.
The key to influence is understanding how your audience sees the subject and its relevance to them. Whether you’re having a conversation or making a speech, you need to make the connections for them – and that’s a skill that Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) sales techniques can help you develop.
You see, all successful salespeople know their product and can explain its relevance and benefits to the user, but the ultra-successful ones know how to read their audience and deliver group presentations that appeal to people with a range of communication styles. Using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques, these same master communicators and salespeople are also great conversationalists in both large and small groups because of their ability to listen to others and shape their responses to appeal to them.
When it Comes to NLP and Sales, Congruency is Key
NLP and sales go hand-in-hand, but some people think it is manipulative.
I have two responses to this:
- All communication is manipulative – it springs from the desire to inform others and shape their thinking and actions. That’s true, even if it’s as simple as asking someone to take out the rubbish bins, shut the door, or do their homework. ‘Manipulation’ as a pejorative term is a misuse of human character.
- What is your intention? Are you trying to achieve your own goals or to help the other person? Do you speak from a place of genuine conviction and concern, or is your intention purely self-centred?
I really hate the idea of ‘fake it till you make it’ or taking a position because you believe it will give you an advantage even if you don’t really believe it. If you’re in sales and you aren’t getting results, my #1 question is always:
“Tell me about the product you are selling. Do you believe it represents value for your customers?”
NLP teaches us that our words are only around 7% of our communication – that’s true even on the phone. If you are making sales calls and not getting results, you are either talking to the wrong people or you have a problem with congruency… No amount of sales training, NLP, or anything else will help you sell a product that doesn’t serve its purpose – but NLP sales training can help you develop and communicate congruency around the value you deliver and the price you charge.
The Results of Using NLP in Sales
James knew his product statistics inside and out. He could recite the features and highlight the benefits it would deliver to the buyer. He was personable and motivated, but he wasn’t really getting the sales results his manager wanted even when he was speaking to qualified customers.
He attended an NLP training session I presented on “Confident Closing” and was able to identify the underlying problem that was strangling his sales. Then, using the NLP skills he had learned in that short period, his sales results picked up significantly, and his manager was delighted.
James had also enrolled in my NLP Sales Mastery Academy which I designed to give people a chance to both learn and apply their NLP knowledge in a deep way. There are real advantages of immersing yourself in an intensive NLP training course (and I love delivering those and seeing the transformation), but so many people go home from their intensive and forget to use all the resources they gained!
As James learned the NLP communication (and self-mastery) tools and was challenged to apply them in new ways, he went from a successful salesperson to a master salesperson and superb communicator in just twelve months, and his career blossomed.
If you want to be like James and become an NLP Sales Master, contact us today.
“When I thought about building and training my team and all the hoops and processes I would have to follow I was overwhelmed. It wasn’t until I met someone who turned that nebulous list of ‘this is what you need’ into a structured system for doing it that my hiring and training became easy.”
`~ Chandell Labbozzetta
From Nebulous Goal to Clear Process
Several years ago my business was struggling. I was great at my sales metrics, but didn’t have a system for making my financials visible and between my book keeper, my admin staff, and my accountant, it was just too hard to track everything.
It wasn’t until I stepped into a program where I was guided to set up my bank accounts and buckets strategically, accountable for my reporting, and given/introduced to the tools for visualising everything in a systematic way that my results really changed.
It was a powerful lesson that changed the way that I implemented my own sales training programs.
Applying the Model to Sales Training
I took my learnings from that experience and applied it to the way I help clients build and implement their sales systems. Using the model of the financial accountability program to walk people through the process, I also added one key element: I included the training of an additional person (2IC or sales manager) into the program. You see, a business owner or founder needs to be on top of everything to do with sales, but they don’t necessarily want to do it all themselves forever… Or have to train their replacement.
- So my sales training program included:
- Theory of what, why, and how
- Clear steps and processes for every step of the sales system
- Tools for execution and measurement
- Language tools and personalised guidance on developing your system AND…
- Inclusion of a key team member in the program = Game Changer!
That last element means that while the owner knows everything that is going on, they aren’t responsible for execution or training (unless they want to be).
What About Training Your Team?
I loved this concept so much that it’s the kind of program I look for when it comes to refining and expanding every aspect of my business. So, when I thought about tools for recruiting and training my team, I knew I wanted something similar – a program that would waIk me through all the steps, help me build the systems, and allow someone else to attend alongside me – the person who would be responsible for implementing this. I knew that I needed to be aware of the whole process and able to support my team, but I really didn’t want to do it myself… And what I found was that such a program really doesn’t exist – so if you find one, let me know.
Sometimes Theory is NOT Enough!
The reason that group programs with synchronous trainings are so powerful is that they give you accountability and a forum for asking specific questions. A good trainer will answer individual questions fully, but also provide insights that help everyone else in the group apply the same information in their own context.
The ‘pressure’ of showing up live is also good for accountability, but really that level of motivation is only a tiny fraction of the story. A group program also gives space for every business to have more than one head in the room, which means you multiply the impact you bring back into your business without overloading your founder/CEO.
Think about it next time you sign up for any business development program and look for ones that actively encourage a second person to attend alongside as part of the package.
“When Marla stopped thinking that other people needed to change to fit in with her preferences and accepted that she was the only person whose transformation she could control, opportunities sprang out of nowhere and came rushing to her.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
You Are Getting the Results You Deserve!
Last week I was talking with a friend whose partner (let’s call him Adam) owns a transport business.
You probably know that there are some major issues within the logistics and transport business at the moment, especially in Australia where interstate border closures have made transporting goods a little complex.
Anyway, apparently Adam’s business is doing really, really well and he hasn’t been plagued by any of the driver strikes or difficulties that other companies are facing. When he talks to colleagues in the industry, they’re all complaining about their situation, and when he says he hasn’t experience any of it they ask, “So, what are you doing?”
It sounds as though they really, truly want to know the answer.
Until he tells them what he’s doing… And the disbelief and objections start to flow.
Adam isn’t hiding his secret, nor is he lying about his results. It’s just that his colleagues and competitors aren’t willing to do what he is doing.
They’d rather live with the results of their decision.
The reality is that they are getting the results they deserve.
I’m Really NOT Being Mean… Just Honest
Craig is a friend who runs a very successful manufacturing business. He’s the kind of person who wants others to succeed, and who believes that the economic pie is infinite, so he even coaches and advises his competitors.
Last year, one of his competitors called and asked Craig if he would buy his business because he was sick of struggling. They went for a drink at the pub and Craig asked some more questions about what was going on… when he heard the story he asked the guy if he really wanted to sell, or whether he would prefer to turn things around himself.
“Tell me more…” said the guy. So Craig sketched out a comprehensive plan to turn things around in 90 days, just by calling suppliers and existing clients, contacting the ATO, and some other really basic steps that were within his control.
“Is that what you’d do?” he asked Craig.
When Craig said, “Yes, that is what I’d do, and it’s what I’ll help you do if you want me to,” he replied, “It’s all yours, mate.”
Ninety days later, the failing deadweight was already profitable, and it has since become immensely profitable as it’s own entity.
Craig is one of those people who are willing to do what other business owners are not. I bet you know both these types of people – all of them getting what they deserve.
It Happens in Sales, Too.
The difference between a star sales representative and one who is just surviving (or ready to quit) has very little to do with talent or opportunity.
Time and time again, I’ve worked with people who complained about the area they’d been given, or the product they’d been assigned to, and blamed external factors for their results. There are two common transformations that happen:
They follow my input-focused, action-oriented sales strategy and start making sales;
Their area or product is assigned to another sales representative who turns their ‘sales desert’ into a ‘sales oasis’.
Maybe you’re selling a dud product or service that nobody wants and you don’t believe people should buy – if that’s your situation then you should quit because you won’t be happy selling things in which you don’t believe.
If that’s not your situation, then I am 100% confident that the real problem you’re facing stares back at you out of the mirror each day.
The GOOD thing about that is that… YOU have 100% CONTROL over that problem… IF you want to solve it.
Once again… You’re getting what you deserve.
Are You Willing to do what Other People are not willing to do to get Extraordinary Results?
Maybe you need to…
- Change your sales strategy;
- Master new sales and communication skills;
- Find new sales networks;
- Solve your sales problems in different ways;
- Work hard now, to create more choices in a few months;
- Change your sales team;
- Use different sales materials and approaches;
Many people are stuck in their problems because they aren’t willing to step out of their comfort zone in pursuit of different results.
What would change if you accepted that you are getting the results you deserve right now and that if you want different results, you need to change your thoughts and behaviours?
“Neediness kills sales faster than anything else. Find out why you feel needy and deal with it!”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
The Confidence Killer...
I was looking through some old presentation files the other day and came across a slide with the title, “The Confidence Killer” and an image of a vampire just about to bite a young man while he was in the middle of a sales presentation…
The notes on the slide reminded me that it was the story of Jake, a sales man I mentored during my corporate career. Everyone on the team had to make 100 appointment setting calls every second day, with the idea being that we’d get 10 appointments for the following day and Jake was constantly missing the target.
He’d start each day with his list of people to call and ease gently into the day, taking the time to get psyched up for each call. By early afternoon, he’d be burning through that list at speed hoping to get the appointments he needed for the following day. On average, he’d get about 5 appointments from his calls in the morning, and 0 in the afternoon.
On appointment day, he would make about 2 sales in the morning, 0 in the afternoon.
When you looked at his metrics, you’d see that his mornings delivered OK results, his afternoons delivered nothing.
Jake knew it. His manager knew it… And his job was on the line.
I’m not even sure why Jake wanted to stay in his role, but he did, and he came to me for help.
Never be Needy!
I listened to a few of his call recordings and it was fairly clear what was going on.
In the morning, he was relaxed (probably too relaxed) and friendly. By 1pm he’d realise that he was less than halfway through his 100 calls for the day and he’d be rushing to meet that quota and he’d also be desperate to book appointments for the next day.
The stress and neediness showed in his voice, in his abrupt responses, and in his inability to listen and really hear what prospects were saying.
During appointments, something similar would happen. I went along with him and it was clear that the prospect could sense his urgency and discomfort and wondered why he was being pushed into a sale.
It was a vicious cycle… The closer Jake got to a deadline, the more stressed and nervous he became, and the less likely it was that he would actually reach his goal. Neediness was killing his sales AND his career.
So… How Do I Stop Feeling Needy?
Jake had asked me for help, so I was able to ask him some questions and find out why he wanted to keep putting himself through this torture instead of looking for a job in something else. I quickly realised that he had powerful reasons for wanting to succeed, so we created an image that would remind him of his deep intrinsic motivation and put it beside his desk.
I taught him to look at that image, breathe deeply, and really focus on how a successful sale felt, then we worked on his call strategy.
The essence of what Jake discovered was that if he focused on his intrinsic motivation rather than his need to:
1. Make 100 calls;
2. Set 10 Appointments;
Then he was more relaxed and able to listen. He said it was as though his neediness just evaporated and he was focused on the person at the other end of the phone. As a result, he got through his calls in a timely fashion, and he started to book 15 or 20 calls each day.
When we applied a similar tactic to his appointments, his closing rate went through the roof and he become one of the most productive sales people in the company.
The Hydra of Neediness
Remember the hydra?
It was a horrendous monster and every time you cut off one head two more grew in its place.
Neediness is like that… You might feel pressured by:
- Performance goals
- Action goals
- Income goals
- Bonus goals
- Time goals
- Etc.
Whatever combination of these you face, as the time behind you gets longer and the time you have to complete the goal gets shorter your sense of neediness grows… And undermines the chance that you will achieve your outcome.
Neediness threatens your likelihood of achieving any goal, but it’s particularly dangerous when it comes to sales.
Do you have a strategy for leaving neediness behind you, even when you desperately need to achieve your income goal or results target?
“Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.”
~ Paulo Coelho
THEN… Your Energy and Confidence Will Drive Your Actions
As yet another challenging year draws to a close, it’s essential that we keep our focus on what we want so we don’t dissipate our energies in fighting things we can’t control.
I’m noticing that many Australian business owners are feeling discouraged by the constantly changing business landscape and are deliberately lowering their sights and settling for ‘second best’. This dissipates the energy and confidence they feel and project around their actions and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
In the same way that ‘confused prospects don’t buy’, it’s equally true that ‘uncertain business conditions don’t encourage the planning, investment, and action’ that lead to tangible results.
It Starts with Focus
Paulo Coelho, the great 21st Century philosopher talks about the danger of getting so absorbed in fighting our enemies that we forget to make progress toward our own goal.
One of the things that I’m seeing is that people are afraid to focus on exactly what they want… Too many people are focusing on the enemy they don’t want (whether that is business challenges, health struggles, separation from family and friends etc).
Yes, sometimes you do need to stop and slay the enemy that’s standing in front of you…
BUT most of the time, your best course is to keep forging ahead towards your highest goals, without deflection.
Are You Settling for Second Best?
Every day – week – month – year… is a new opportunity to muster your energy and confidence and start afresh.
As I publish this we’ve just started the final quarter of 2021, but it really doesn’t matter when you’re reading it: the Call to Action is just as clear:
What are YOU going to focus on today?
Will you focus on the things that are standing in your way, OR your…
- Goals & Dreams
- Plans & Actions
- Energy & Strategy
Only the latter will help you achieve, believe, and succeed so you make progress toward your target?
The Truth About Confidence…
I learned many years ago that often the only difference between a “Yes” and a “Maybe” when it comes to sales is the threefold confidence of the sales person.
When I talk to a business, sales team, or individual who struggles to make sales, it’s often a question of confidence. In fact, if your team is not exceeding their sales goals and projections, changing the sales tools is rarely the solution: while changing the energy and confidence of the sales person transforms their results.
Do You Lack Confidence in Your Ability to Sell Consistently?
If so, you’re not alone.
Even when people are convinced of the value their product or service delivers, they often fail to project confidence in themselves. In fact, this leads to a downward spiral of results that you can see in quarterly or monthly sales figures: lack of confidence leads to fewer sales and fewer sales lower your confidence even further.
There is a Solution to Your Sales Dilemma…
It’s called practice and success.
The solution isn’t complicated, but it does take some discipline and commitment which is why I created Ready Set Sell, my 30-day sales maximiser.
It’s designed for people who don’t consider themselves natural sales people, or for people in a ‘sales slump’ who recognise the need for a helping hand to boost their confidence so that they can boost their results.
I launched this course a couple of months ago and the customer feedback I’ve returned has reinforced my thoughts about the reasons why people don’t get the results they want.
I strongly believe that this course can prove to anyone who is willing to do the work that they are:
Far better at selling themselves and their services/products than they thought possible;
Elevating your ability to sell and influence others makes life infinitely more fun; and
Able to generate far more income than they thought possible.
Sadly, I’ve noticed that there are 2 types of participant:
Those who not only invest in Ready Set Sell, and invest the time, effort, and energy to generate results from it;
Those who purchase Ready Set Sell and hope that mere possession will magically transform their results even if they don’t follow the process – this also includes those who ‘know’ all about sales, but don’t ‘do’ anything systematically to turn their knowledge into results.
There is a Solution to Your Sales Dilemma…
It’s called practice and success.
The solution isn’t complicated, but it does take some discipline and commitment which is why I created Ready Set Sell, my 30-day sales maximiser.
It’s designed for people who don’t consider themselves natural sales people, or for people in a ‘sales slump’ who recognise the need for a helping hand to boost their confidence so that they can boost their results.
I launched this course a couple of months ago and the customer feedback I’ve returned has reinforced my thoughts about the reasons why people don’t get the results they want.
I strongly believe that this course can prove to anyone who is willing to do the work that they are:
- Far better at selling themselves and their services/products than they thought possible;
- Elevating your ability to sell and influence others makes life infinitely more fun; and
- Able to generate far more income than they thought possible.
Sadly, I’ve noticed that there are 2 types of participant:
- Those who not only invest in Ready Set Sell, and invest the time, effort, and energy to generate results from it;
- Those who purchase Ready Set Sell and hope that mere possession will magically transform their results even if they don’t follow the process – this also includes those who ‘know’ all about sales, but don’t ‘do’ anything systematically to turn their knowledge into results.
You Are Far More Successful at Sales than You Will Ever Know…
Unless you choose not to succeed and decide to just think about the future you’d like to experience.
The power of confidence is that one level of success in sales leads to more success following the snowball effect. That’s why Ready Set Sell doesn’t just lead to your best month every, but leads to steady growth in what you define as best.
When you use my technique for focusing on what you want…
AND back that focus with decisive action…
AND reflect on what is working and the progress you have made…
THEN…
You become unstoppable!
Would You Like to Discover the Secret of Skyrocketing Sales?
Learn more about Ready Set Sell, my 30-day intensive course designed to help you focus on the sales you want and adopting the behaviours and mindset of a super-sales star at https://lifepuzzle.com.au/ready-set-sell/ to improve your sales success.
“No-one can read your mind! Half the time you don’t even know what you are thinking, so how do you expect anyone else to do so!”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take
I was talking to Vera, one of my closest friends, the other day and she was complaining about how people who were younger and less experienced were getting promoted ahead of her. She has always put it down to the fact that they were men and getting favoured treatment, but this time it was another woman!
(And yes… That “!” at the end of the paragraph is deliberate)
“She knows she’s not qualified, but she applied anyway and got the role. Just like the men do!”
“Did you apply?” I asked – knowing the answer was no.”
“Of course not!” She snapped. “I didn’t have 5 of the criteria they put in the job description – and all these people who are getting promoted over me have even fewer than I do.”
As the heading says, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Your manager can’t read your mind and is probably too busy to go around thinking about trying to persuade you to apply for new roles anyway. Your prospects are just as busy. If you don’t ask for the sale, you’ll probably miss out… Unless you are important enough for people to seek you out.
How Was I Supposed to Know You Wanted That
Some years ago, Anna came out of a meeting with her boss absolutely fuming.
I asked what had happened, expecting to find out that she had been reprimanded, fired, or had her leave request rejected.
It turned out that she was mad because she was thirsty and her boss hadn’t offered her a drink of water, instead he had turned off the fan.
“Huh,” I said. “That seems odd. Did you ask for a drink?”
“Oh no! But I told him it was draughty.
“You told him it was draughty and you expected him to get you a drink?” I asked… Just to clarify that I hadn’t misheard.
“Yes. And he just ignored that and went on with the conversation.”
Look… People can be really tone deaf. They can miss things we communicate explicitly, but when you say it’s draughty, not many people realise you want a glass of water, so it’s your job to communicate what you want clearly and concisely.
Why I Say that "Sales is the #1 Life Skill"
Both of my friends in the stories above felt they’d received a raw deal. The reality was, neither of them had taken the time or action to prepare a sales pitch or say what they wanted.
Instead of considering how to present her abilities and pitch her readiness for a new position, Vera convinced herself that she wasn’t qualified and never applied for promotion, then she got mad about others who were prepared to put themselves forward.
Instead of telling her boss she was thirsty, Anna got mad because he couldn’t read between the lines and see that she was thirsty, not cold.
AND…
Instead of telling people about the transformation your product and service can make in their life or business for them then asking if they’d like to learn more…
There’s a strong likelihood that you are expecting the other person to take the initiative and getting upset when they don’t respond as you’d like them to.
Conversations, Sales, and Open Doors
Most people aren’t very observant… Or, if they are observant, they’re paranoid about being offensive so they don’t share their observations.
I like to think that’s the reason that networking events and business dinners can be so stressful and boring. It’s not that the people there aren’t interesting, it’s just that they are afraid of offending someone or prying. Zoom meetings, social media, and lockdowns haven’t helped at all! In fact, they’ve made it much worse.
What do you do when someone says something interesting?
Do you ask a follow-on question, or do you just continue with your planned script?
Most people are too busy to see or hear the open door, so they just plough onto the next question… And so they lose the chance to listen, learn, and create a relationship… Which may (or may not) lead to a future sales or other opportunity.
The archetypal pushy salesman of the 70s and 80s with a briefcase full of brochures and the goal of selling whatever they have available ‘no matter what’ learned scripts and stuck to them. They deserved the rejection and avoidance they received – BUT the truth is that those people were never the highest performers.
The most effective and highest-performing sales people have always been the ones who listened, asked appropriate questions to draw out their prospect, and then offered a tailor-made solution that met their needs. Once they had done that, they asked for the sale fully aware that their prospect wanted and needed the solution that was being offered.
Because… If you don’t ask for what you want, you probably won’t get it.
Do You Need to Learn to Ask for the Sale?
I work with a lot of people who tell me up-front, “I’m just not good at selling.” Many of them assume that sales people are born not made, when the truth is no-one is born a sales person. It’s a skill we learn (or choose not to learn).
I’m passionate about teaching people to sell because I believe that confidence in your ability to sell makes life much easier and more pleasant… And we all want our lives to be easier and more pleasant!
I’ve developed a 30-day course called Ready Set Sell that enables even the most reluctant sales person to prove to themselves that they can sell and that closing sales is fun. It’s great for sales-averse individuals who realise that they need to learn to sell because it’s non-threatening, can be applied in any industry or setting, and can even be practiced on your friends and colleagues.
If you’d like to learn more about discovering the hidden sales power within you go to https://lifepuzzle.com.au/ready-set-sell/. I hope to see you inside.
Through expert sales training, NLP coaching, and business development consulting, we’ve helped professionals refine their communications, accelerate their sales and supercharge their personal satisfaction and confidence. Do you want to be one of our success stories?
