It’s interesting to me how some business owners don’t think they’re in business. Even if you run a health-based business, you cannot help people and do what you love unless you have the clients to do it. You are a business owner, and therefore, you are in sales.
The sooner you can change your viewpoint around “sales” the faster you can get out of your own way and start making a profit – while doing what you love. Sales isn’t something you do “to” people, it’s something you do “for” them. You have a solution that will fix a problem they have, meaning you have a service that people need and will therefore pay for. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and it’s all in how you present it.
The process does take some time to master. I have been lucky to come across a script that is not only empowering, but works! I am now giving it to all of my clients because I believe in it so much. However, the type of language and the way you present it is very important. You will also need experience in handling people’s objections. Just the other day, I found myself entering into “convince” mode instead of sticking to the script. I was caught off guard and this led me down a slippery slope…because what comes with convincing is being defensive and angry. Not great energy for closing a sale. BUT this is okay, it’s a work in progress and don’t get discouraged.
Your job during a sales call is to hold the truth for your prospective client and not get caught-up in their story. You’ve probably heard these stories before – I don’t have any money, my spouse won’t let me – and if you have been doing this for a while,you know the story isn’t as simple as one sentence. It’s a long, drawn-out rehashing of events that feels real to them. It’s best to stay out of their story and hold the truth for them, meaning you bring them back to what they want to accomplish and how you can help them do it. It’s amazing how people “find” the money to do something they really want to do. Now, all of this only applies if you can really help them of course. If not, it’s okay to let them go or even refer them to someone else. If you are an abundant thinker, you know there are plenty of people you can work with that need your help. There are a billion people in the world and if one says no, move on to the next.
It’s also important to track your sales calls. You need to know how many calls you have to make in order to close a sale. This can be figured out by tracking how many people you call and how many sign-up for your services. You will then be able to plan out how many calls you need to make each day in order to reach your financial goals. This was the missing ingredient for my business when I first started out. I can’t convey just how important this is.
While it’s important to have your financial goals in mind and know what you need to do to meet them, this is where the financial focus ends. Once you are on the phone or in a meeting, you must be focused on how you can help. This creates a wonderful energy that the other person can feel. You know yourself that you don’t want to work with someone that is “selling” to you. You want to work with someone who is truly listening to you and who can in turn help you.
My mentor teaches that it’s important to be the person you need to be in order to make the sale. Do you need to be confident, courageous, understanding, etc.? I totally agree with this and I will add in something further. It’s also important to act like the person you would be if you had met your own financial goals already. How would that person behave during a sales call? I bet they wouldn’t be so attached to the financial portion of it all and would be very focused on actually helping the person. This is key. This will shift your energy and you will behave in a different way. Not only will you be growing your business financially, you will be doing what you love, which is helping people 🙂 The world needs you and your gifts!