How To Sell Without Being "Salesy"

You know those awful sales experiences? The ones where you leave just feeling gross? They certainly didn’t get your business, and you definitely won’t be in a hurry to return.

Yup...we’ve all been there.

 If you’re in sales in any regard:

??selling is your full time job

??you run your own MLM

??you are a leader or CEO

??you’re trying to sell your thoughts or ideas as a thought-leader

Then you’re going to want to listen to keep reading...because it’s time we step away from those slimy, sleazy sales tactics.

 If you’re NOT in a traditional “sales” role, you’re going to want to listen too. Because truth is, we are ALL selling something...everyday you are trying to influence someone, persuade someone or try to share your information or point of view with someone. Whether it’s convincing your spouse that going ahead with that kitchen reno is a great decision or trying to sell your children on the importance of doing their homework each night - we are constantly in a place of trying to “sell” and sometimes, we fall into methods and habits that just don’t work.

 It’s time we start to explore what it means to nurture and develop strong relationships. Because if you really want long term wins and long term success….it’s going to come from developing those relationships and acting with integrity and in congruence with your best self.

I break it all down for you in this week’s episode: Episode 55: How to Sell Without Being Salesy. You can listen in on itunes, podcast addict or spotify.

Think back to those past sales experiences that have made you cringe...whether it be a phone call, an email or a face to face interaction...you left that interaction feeling less than pleasant. Why is that? What was it about that interaction that left you feeling that way?

I’m willing to bet it was because:

1. You didn’t feel valued, heard or cared about
2. You felt pressured into making a choice that wasn’t in alignment with your goals or your choices
3. As soon as you said “no”, you were either disrespected, dropped completely and made to feel as though that “relationship” meant nothing

I will keep coming back to this because of how important it is and how strongly I feel…people are your greatest asset! (Check out last week’s blog if you missed it).

The biggest part about running a strong team? Making sure your people are your greatest asset and making sure they feel valued and cared for.

The biggest part about selling (regardless of the specific realm you are in)? Making sure the people feel like they are valued and cared for.

It’s really about how you are choosing to nurture those relationships; and I will constantly keep coming back to this because this step is constantly being MISSED. Why? Because nurturing relationships takes time. It takes genuine effort and commitment. People are way too impatient in this process; if you are too focused on the short-term wins and just making those sales, you are missing out on an opportunity to gain that long term client or customer. Your level of patience in this process is a reflection of how you view your people. If you treat people like they are disposable and only good for that one sale...you’ll only ever get short term wins. And you’ll keep spinning in that hamster wheel, playing the same games over and over again.

Shift the sales approach to a place where it’s no longer about selling anything. Instead, make it about relationships. Make it about getting to know your potential customers, about providing them value (whether they buy from you or not), about giving them information and knowledge about what you’re selling and make it about giving people an overall positive experience when they interact with you.

Prepare yourself for these interactions; be prepared with knowledge of your business, your products and your experience with it. Be prepared to ask the right questions and have the answers to their questions. Practice beforehand how you’re going to speak, how you’re going to act, what your body language is going to look like to make sure the other person feels as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

Then give them some space; ask them those right questions and see what might be missing for them. Look at their body language and listen to those gaps of silence. Start to tune in and stop focusing on what’s going on with YOU; your job is to serve them. 

If you’re taking time to build and nurture those relationships, you need to protect them. If they say no, you need to HONOR that. Honor the journey that each person is on. A no right now doesn’t mean a no forever, but if you react in a negative way and stop taking care of that relationship, then chances are that no WILL become a no forever.

Give people space. Ask them questions. Don’t take things personally. Because as soon as you start throwing into those dirty sales tactics of guilt, anger or strong-arming people, that trust is broken and it takes a really long time to build that relationship back up. It’s not about you; it’s about them. Show them that you really feel it, but in a genuine way.

If we come at this from a place of truly wanting our communities, our businesses and our relationships to thrive, we have to start doing things differently. Don’t take for granted the people that enter your lives; they are all there for a reason and for a lesson.

Nurture the relationships you have in your life; protect them and honor them. Look at the long-term successes as opposed to the short term wins. Have patience in the process.

Watch. Observe. Pick up on the cues of other people. Give them space when they need it and answer their questions when they need it.

Have genuine care and excitement for other people, regardless of the decisions they make towards you and what you are selling.

Not only will doing this shift your financial results, but you will shift within your life. You will develop stronger, deeper, more connected relationships and you will feel better about the results you are getting because they are from a place of integrity and alignment with your best self.

 Reach out to me at www.charlotteferreux.com if you need help with this; it all comes down to communication to get the results you want in full alignment and connection with yourself. And I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic - head over to my Facebook page and share what your worst sales experience was or your biggest takeaway from this blog! More to come on this topic so stay tuned. 

 We are also tackling this topic (and so many more) in The EDGE Insider, click the link to learn more:

https://charlotte-ferreux.mykajabi.com/p/theedgeinsider