Sales Professionals Turn Transactional Conversations Into Transformational Experiences, Are You?
Larry Levine
In a world of empty suits, I’m leading a movement of authenticity, integrity, and trust inside the sales profession
"I think for any relationship to be successful, there needs to be loving communication, appreciation, and understanding."
Miranda Kerr
In my opinion, conversations are one of the strongest sales tools you have in order to effectively build meaningful relationships with your clients.
Unfortunately, many in sales believe their customers enjoy working with them because they have the best products and best customer service. Are you freaking kidding me?
The way sales reps open up conversations directly impacts what happens next. It's the direction they take these conversations along with the strategy behind all of it, which determines this... a customer relationship or a client relationship.
You may think I'm full of B.S. but I just have to ask you... With your conversations...
Are you building customers or are you building clients?
Why, because you never know when one conversation will lead to exponential sales growth.
Conversations build relationships, and relationships build businesses.
Now, answer me this...
Are you creating transactional customers or transformational clients?
CREATE THE EXPERIENCE
Are you going the extra mile to create a first class experience for your clients?
How many of you are providing the hot towel and champagne experience with your clients?
In an ever-changing and highly competitive landscape, you must look for smart answers to an extremely urgent question:
How can you protect your client base from erosion as competition intensifies?
It doesn't matter what you sell, as we all know fierce competition exists. Your products are similar, your service is similar and quite frankly what you spew out of your mouth is quite similar.
Here's the deal... Stop imitating and start innovating! When it comes to delivering an outstanding client experience, far too many in sales are content and complacent; delivering HO-HUM experiences!
There's so much talk and chest puffing around the outstanding level of service you'll provide but you ride off into the sunset once you get your commission check? Shame on you!
Where's the white glove transformational experience?
TRANSACTIONAL OR TRANSFORMATIONAL
Are your conversations building transactional customers or transformational clients? If you're scratching your head with this one and you don’t know then I encourage you to ask your customers.
Why? It's the way you treat them that directly impacts their answer.
They smell and tell whether you think of them as relationships or transactions by how you serve them.
Those who lead with the heart seek out authentic conversations and genuine ways to continually serve those that mean the most to them, their clients!
A Servant Mindset Is Rocket Fuel For Sales Growth
Transactional experiences and conversations yield customers. Transformational experiences and conversations yield clients.
TRANSACTIONS OR CONNECTIONS
When you think of your customers as mere transactions and dollar signs then you get what you get... a shallow and meaningless relationship.
I know what some of you may be thinking... "Well, Larry I see nothing wrong with this" and that's OK but I'm here to inform you there's harm with this empty thinking.
Deep conversations with meaning and heart are priceless
What's the likelihood you'll provide the highest level of service with a transactional type mindset? With transactional thinking and behavior please tell me how you can build a deep relationship? This becomes difficult because in order to build a relationship you must care.
I know there are some of you right now saying, "I provide good customer service" but are you providing memorable service and experiences?
Sales professionals turn transactional conversations into transformational experiences, are you?
Sales professionals seek out ways to additional serve their clients by making their lives better. Are you? They just do make a sale and leave. They just don't love them and leave them. Are you?
A TRANSACTIONAL MINDSET
A transactional mindset and set of behaviors are felt by your customers. I guarantee that at some point you'll be replaced by a better transactional conversation. Why do I say this? Because you're just one sales ship within the sea of competitive sameness.
You’ve provided them no reason to remain loyal to you and rightfully so. How likely will your customers use you again if you continue to deliver a transactional type of experience?
Do you want a slew of transactions or a slew of clients?
I sincerely believe you're missing a massive opportunity to become a part of your clients’ lives and find true meaning to your work, by operating with a transactional mindset.
TRANSFORMATIONAL CONVERSATIONS
I believe we do need some transactional type conversations in our daily sales lives, however; there are more opportunities to transition those conversations to transformational.
Quality over quantity! I believe deep and meaningful transformational conversations are more powerful and effective than transactional ones.
Authentic transformation happens outside your comfort zone.
Transformational conversations require you to be open to engaging with another individual without knowing where the conversation will go. There's no hidden agenda or deception.
Sales professionals with a transformational mindset:
- Do not seek out predetermined outcomes
- They ask powerful questions
- They listen deeply
- They acknowledge and are supportive
With transformational type conversations you must open up your heart, share your wisdom, and your purpose. You must be willing to give in order to receive.
Transformational Conversations
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Transformational Relationships
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Transformational Experiences
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Selling From The Heart
IT'S YOUR DECISION
We all have choices in our lives. A transactional mindset along with conversations may work for you and provide you with a sense of sales fulfillment but I will promise you that a transformational mindset and conversations will change the trajectory of your sales career.
What's your sales purpose? What's the meaning behind what you do and why you do it?
Sales transformation may just revive your sales career.
I understand, I get where you all are coming from. Every day, I walk in your shoes. I am fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects and modern strategies into your current sales process to grow new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way, the genuine way, the authentic way! It's about understanding value before visibility.
Selling From the Heart is making a difference! I poured my heart into every page of this book and I think you're going to love it. You can find it on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. You can click on the book image below and this will take you to Amazon.
You can find more material inside Selling From The Heart.
In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market.
I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my stories. Integrating the use of social and sharing my story on LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive office technology world. With great pride I transform, challenge, coach and inspire sales teams to grow new business by helping them share their story and how they communicate it out by integrating the use of social inside the sales process. You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter and on my podcast by clicking on Selling from the Heart.
Owner at JenX Enterprises, LLC
5 年“A servant mindset is rocket fuel for sales growth” absolute gold Larry Levine - Selling From The Heart!
In a world of empty suits, I’m leading a movement of authenticity, integrity, and trust inside the sales profession
5 年Thanks Tanya Pluckrose the BS and fake sincerity must stop. Clients deserve the utmost of an outstanding experience and the bar is constantly being raised.
Coaching CEOs to DITCH Logic, SHIFT Their Paradigm & Self-Image, to CREATE Massive Quantum Leap Results ?? Mindset Coach ?? Bob Proctor Mentee ??Author ?? Keynote Speaker??YouTuber
5 年Another fantastic article with some golden 'gems' to reflect on. I loved your opening quote by Miranda Kerr.? A lovely way to start your article. (She, by the way, is an Australian icon).You made my heart sing with your strong opinion about the importance of retention (loyalty) as opposed to acquisition. I loved how you lifted the 'veil of denial' of what salespeople think is excellent service.? I have experienced poor service in car dealerships. Today many salespeople start the sales cycle as doormen. They believe a welcome party at the door is enough to get them over the line to buying the car. They can't wait to get you in that car for a test drive because they think it will make you all emotional and buy. Consumers, especially women, can see right through salespeople with their agendas. Female consumers are like greyhounds. They can sniff a Fox a mile away. They want better service than a warm welcome, glass of water, and test drive. They want to be seen, heard, and valued during the whole customer journey they have with the salesperson.
Helping Executives & Teams belong for optimal performance & well-being. Belonging the #1 Influence on wellbeing & performance! Belonging & Performance Coach, Speaker & Instructor #belonging #executivecoach #wellbeing
5 年Larry?right on. It's only in the conversations that come from and connect with the heart, that we can take ownership of each other's story It's where we enter each other's world, transforming it into an "our story." Having each other's back is a basic human need.?