'Clean' Selling: See the light!

Are you up for an entirely new way to sell? New, as 90% of Sellers aren't doing it.

First, a quick background...

I'm a sales coach, so I have a lot of conversations about selling.

And, increasingly, they're not about the regular topics of strategy and tactics. They are more philosophical and about the nature of selling.

They reflect a concern about the state of selling, which, for example, prompted me and some colleagues to create The Seller Code a few months back.

Most people have a love/hate relationship with selling. On the one hand, it is essential to driving business growth, and it is enjoyable and rewarding for Sellers when it goes right. On the other hand, a pervasive stereotype paints Sellers as untrustworthy, biased, self-interested, and manipulative.

That they don't enjoy.

The 'I hate selling' thing.

Unsurprisingly, business professionals I speak with, especially those selling their own services, founders, and others for whom selling is not their day job, feel uncomfortable with the whole prospect of selling. Some even hate it.

They have a host of reasons for why.

Even worse, I feel ill-equipped to counter their negative perceptions. I don't have the language. Precisely because I am countering. I come across as defensive, promoting what selling is not, as opposed to what it is or could be

That’s a backfoot strategy. Never a good position.

Instead, I should focus on the positive. All the good things that selling can be.

How should I do that though?

I understand those folk don't want to be ‘typical’ (the negative stereotype) Sellers. But what should they be instead?

Can you describe it?

Me neither, until now that is.

Welcome to 'Clean Selling'

What thoughts and images does 'Clean Selling' conjure up for you?

Hopefully the antithesis of the stereotype. It sounds like a good thing, right? Clean Sallers have a compass that points firmly to their North Star of integrity. They don't see selling as simply transactional but rather as an opportunity to be of genuine value in serving Buyers.

I am not inventing a new sales process here. I am simply labeling what, in my experience, the top 10% of Sellers already do.

I confess that Clean Selling wasn’t an entirely original thought. The inspiration was ‘Clean Language,’ a technique created by NZ Therapist David Grove in the 80’s and defined as:

Clean language is a technique primarily used in counseling, psychotherapy, and coaching but is now also used in education, business, organizational change, and health. It aims to support clients in discovering and developing their own symbols and metaphors, rather than the therapist/coach/interviewer suggesting or contributing their own framing of a topic.

Translation: conversations to understand what people really think/feel without influencing.

That sounds like an appropriate frame for Sellers too, don’t you think?

Clean Sellers are like a breath of fresh air dispelling the fug of self-interest that characterizes how most people view selling. Their focus isn’t their products, their companies, or themselves. It is to thoroughly understand the Buyer's world—their aspirations and challenges.

OK, so that’s what’s in it for Buyers. That’s not my topic, though. Instead, I will focus on why Clean Selling makes good business sense for Sellers.

The Magic of Trust

A notable trait of Clean Sellers is their ability to establish trust rapidly. They do that by putting Buyer needs and interests first. Ahead of their own to sell a product/service. While Sellers traditionally come across as self-serving, Clean Sellers genuinely care about Buyers.

Self-interest is the greatest killer of trust. And even the most well-intentioned Sellers unwittingly undermine their efforts whenever they mention themselves i.e., their product/service and ‘the sale.’

I acknowledge that not talking about your product seems counterintuitive, let alone hard to do; however, that's what you must do to grow trust.

When you eliminate self-interest and focus entirely on Buyers, you encourage them to open up in ways that traditional Sellers don’t experience. Buyers feel safe to share insights, confidences, and critical information when they realize you won't jump in with 'your solution'. When you just listen, you gain insights that less adept Sellers seldom receive. Insights that enable Clean Sellers to swiftly learn what Buyers truly value.

Benefit: Conversations are more enjoyable and productive. You gain a roadmap of how Buyers want to buy you.

Smarter, Not Harder

Clean Sellers are not just effective; they’re efficient, too. They don't waste time pitching to every potential client that crosses their path. Instead, they focus their efforts on the prospects who align with their Ideal Customer Profile. And so, they have a very clear sense of what that is and can quickly confirm a match because Buyers reciprocate their honesty.

By zeroing in on the right opportunities with the right Prospects, Clean Sellers significantly boost their chances of success. They recognize that chasing poorly qualified prospects drains time and resources. Instead, they concentrate their energy where it genuinely counts.

Benefit: Sell smarter, not harder.

Conversational Mastery

Think about your best conversations—the ones where you felt honestly heard and understood. Why? The other person focused on you and really listened, didn’t they? Clean Sellers are masters of those kinds of conversations. They engage with Buyers much like friends do. There is genuine mutual interest. There is an authenticity that is impossible to achieve in the traditional need-driven (what might I sell you?) sales conversation.

Clean Sellers are naturally curious and exceptional listeners. They don't rely on the typical needs assessment that, for Buyers, feels more like an interrogation to be endured than a conversation to be enjoyed. Instead, they engage with Buyers to foster trust and a genuine desire to understand their professional and personal aspirations.

Benefit: Buyers enjoy engaging with you and want to share what you need to know.

The Language of Value

Clean Sellers use 'clean' language. They avoid jargon and product speak that Buyers can’t relate to, which can confuse and alienate them. Instead, they speak the Buyer’s own language, focusing not just on needs but, more importantly, on value. They don't verbal Buyers. They ask open questions.

Clean Selling is free of manipulation and coercion. It's about collaborating with buyers, empowering them to make choices that benefit them, and an approach that minimizes objections and eliminates the need for protracted negotiations.

Clean Sellers understand that Buyers don't want products; they want outcomes. They regard them as individual humans (not as 'contacts'), each with their own perspective, wants, and desires. They co-create solutions with Buyers to ensure their offerings align seamlessly with individual Buyer perceptions of what a solution should be.

Objections evaporate when Buyers see that Sellers are speaking their language and offering what they want. Clean Sellers don't need to engage in the tiresome back-and-forth bargaining that's become synonymous with traditional sales. Their offering aligns seamlessly with the Buyer's vision.

Benefit: Feel effective, productive, and good about what you're doing.

Mutual Respect

Lest there is any confusion, putting Buyers is not about being a pushover. Clean Sellers respect Buyers and challenge them when necessary. They clarify the practicality of desired outcomes, functionality, implementation processes, and timelines. They inform Buyers of potential risks and suggest mitigation strategies. They stand by Buyers in their efforts to gain internal support from stakeholders.

Clean Sellers respect Buyer timelines. They don't pressure them to make decisions that serve the Seller's quarterly sales targets. While Clean Sellers naturally favor their own products and services, they engage with Buyers transparently, free of bias. They provide objective advice and counsel, always with the Buyer's best interests in mind.

Benefit: Lack of self-interest and bias fosters credibility. When you’re believed, you have influence.

Clean Sellers don't just make Buyers feel understood; they make them feel safe. And what they do is not an act. Buyers see who they are, not what they are, and genuinely enjoy dealing with them and want to buy from them.

Benefit: Clean Sellers quickly qualify opportunities to focus on sales they know they can win. They maximize their productivity and enjoy two to three times greater win rates than traditional Sellers.

Conclusion: Sell Better. Feel Better. Win More.

Clean Selling is not a magic trick or a sales gimmick. It’s common sense. Your commitment to ethical conduct and doing the right thing will give Buyers what they want. Do that, and as the Seller, you will get what you want: their business.

You will stand out in a field defined by mediocrity. 50% of B2B sales pursuits currently result in no decision. Why? Because Buyers aren’t confident enough to buy from any Seller. Or, more accurately, there was no Seller they trusted enough to feel safe. That’s an indictment of Sellers, not Buyers.

And so, what an opportunity that is for differentiation!

The moral? Don’t be a typical Seller; be a Clean Seller, the one Buyers want to buy from. That’s the ultimate benefit!

Join the conversation, have your say on the Sellers Code, and help reshape the perception of Sellers in the?Implementing the Seller Code?Group.

?? ?? ??????????

My focus is value-focused sales approaches; you will find plenty of free material in the?Resources page of my website.

And if you would like some insight into how Buyer and value-focused your sales processes are, try this FREE self-assessment. There are two versions.

Individuals or Sales Teams?and one?especially for MSP's

If you got value from this article, please like or share so others might get value too.

?

?