The Importance of Being Imperfect
Hamish Knox
Helping entrepreneurs sustainably scale their sales so they can exit for their number, not the number they're told to take
Buried in the middle of David Sandler's Salesperson's Bill of Rights is Right #6, "you have the right to be imperfect."
Salespeople have a lot of head trash about being perfect with prospects and clients. I've seen salespeople spend hours on making a presentation or proposal "perfect" only to learn five minutes into their meeting that they aren't getting the business or their client is leaving.
The desire to be perfect causes us to say and do things that aren't in our best interest like defend our product when a client asks about a feature that we don't have or a prospect challenges us on our pricing.
A more effective way to interact with prospects and clients, especially in terms of mental and emotional energy burned, is to be human. Humans are imperfect.
Addressing our imperfections up front to make them non-issues or owning them and respectfully declining to work with a prospect who would end up as a PITA client elevates our confidence and enhances our credibility. Alternatively we could put on a fa?ade with our prospects and clients that takes a lot of energy to maintain and, when it eventually crumbles, we lose all of the credibility and trust we worked on building.
The right to be imperfect does *not* give us the right to have poor quality, bad service, terrible delivery or a horrid safety record. Weaponizing our imperfections creates zero rapport.
Be imperfect. Be human. Own that and we'll be more successful.
Until next time... go sell something.
Client Success Manager @ Opptly | Certified Personnel Consultant
3 年Thank you for this timely reminder to clear out the unrealistic perfection head trash Hamish!
Hydraulics, Automation Technical Business Solutions Specialist at CBVL Robotics
3 年Thanks Hamish this rolls right along with being “painfully honest”. Especially in today’s climate of mental health issues. It truly does “pay” to show your imperfections. We are all in it together. Great read Hamish! Thank you!
Great leaders come from great cultures. I help companies create cultures that generate great leaders. | Values Vixen ?? | Neuro Change Method?, Master Practitioner ?? | Listening Facilitator & Ongoing Student??
3 年We often forget that humans start businesses to serve…other humans. So…being a human in a business - a beautifully imperfect one at that - is the best way to serve. Great article, Hamish!
Helping people access the right services to enhance their lives through questions, stories, and action!
3 年Wonderful article! Be a human dealing with a human! Thanks for being authentic!!
History tells us we can't "belong" unless we're the SAME. But what if we could create Togetherness based on our uniqueness instead?
3 年This is so important Hamish Knox! There is, in fact, no way for us to BE perfect, and so accepting our imperfections and understanding that they are a strength in building relationships really lifts a weight off our shoulders...in Sales, other work, AND life in general ??