“Tales of an Impatient Sales Lady!"

Vulnerability - Even when its costs you a tooth

When picking topics for this newsletter Angie, why would Vulnerability be your first pick to focus on when there are so many other topics? Laughing. The funny thing about vulnerability is some do this exceptionally well, and well others, really need to work on this to become that amazing, phenomenal salesperson they have always wanted to be. Vulnerability to make it super simple, is just where it allows your audience, prospect, customer, etc.… to view you as relatable, trustworthy, and a “real dude” or “dudette”! Smiling, for my cooler younger audience! Ha! It certainly though can be uncomfortable and a lot of us just don’t like that feeling.

Ironically, I had the most vulnerable sales call of my career just recently. Even when it happened, I laughed and said, “Well this will definitely be a good story!” and once finished, you will go ahead and be the judge of that. Our company had an amazing opportunity that a great partner introduced us to in Knoxville, TN. As we were engaging in the sales process, they asked if I would like to come and join the team for dinner and a meeting the next day. I thought, finally my move to Nashville is paying off, I only have a 2 ? hour drive and its beautiful one on top of that. So, on my way I went on a gorgeous Wednesday and was scheduled to meet our main sponsor early for a beverage at a popular local restaurant. The night before I left, I had grabbed a chocolate chip cookie out of the freezer (yes, I freeze my cookies to keep them fresh!) and noticed my front crown moved a bit when I bit down. I wasn’t super worried, and thought yes, I will take care of this as soon as I get back home. Now on my drive about 30 minutes out, I grab a piece of gum and shortly after I start chewing it, absolute disaster happens, my front tooth (crown) falls out! I am like in a bit of shock and furiously trying to drive but see if it will just pop back in, but nope, that is not happening. Yikes, I am in total shock at this point and like, what am I going to do?? This is a new one for me, normally calm and thoughtful about how to get myself out of a predicament but this one was stumping me. I realized I had 2 choices, one, turnaround and go home and find some kind of illness or flat tire scenario to get me out of this meeting. Or the 2nd choice was to go and meet our sponsor and just be incredibly vulnerable to what happened. This was such a great opportunity to meet our sponsor and the team, and I just could not, not go, even being incredibly self-conscious, this was important! Laughing.

So, I feel like I am at a bit of a cliffhanger here for you, like okay Angie what did you?? Walk in toothless? Laughing. I would be lying if I didn’t admit it still gives me chills thinking on this. I finally did walk in, doing my best holding my tooth in place by gritting my teeth and met the nicest, kindest lady and admitted to her what had happened. She was wonderful and understanding and offered to call her dentist to see if could get me in first thing in the morning before our meeting…. I was thankful for the offer and at this point, very hopeful that was my best next step before the meeting. I let her know for tonight, a good option for me would be to go to the local Walgreen’s and grab something to try and create a temporary solution. ?I would then meet up with the team for dinner. Off I went and somehow figured out that poligrip (Anyone with crowns should keep a tube in your travel bag! Laughing.) was my temporary solution. It worked well, and I met the team at dinner, tooth in place, enjoying soft food and the most wonderful group of people, who I shared the story, and by the end of the night my nickname was “Toothless” Barnes. We created a connection that was real and funny but also allowed them to see, I am like all people, just one less tooth. Ha!

There were two choices here in this scenario, and I always suggest you opt for the second option showing vulnerability. It’s not easy sometimes, but never forget people buy from people. They also like to buy from people who are real and relatable. Being perfect in presentation, or in persona, may look amazing but may sometimes come off unapproachable or even possibly arrogant. Be real always, that really could be on a sales billboard somewhere.

Now will you always get the response I did when being vulnerable? You may not and it still involves risk when doing it. I could have been met with, wow this person really is a bit of a mess, or hey the last thing I need to deal with is salesperson drama. You never know, but being in the south, I have found my odds of finding incredibly nice people, went up about 200 percent, laughing! Another reason I moved to Nashville.

Remember today to use that vulnerability muscle somewhere, a colleague, a boss, a customer etc. and you will be surprised at what comes out in building that relationship bridge I always say one brick at a time. Ironically, you must tear down a wall sometimes to build a bridge. ?Always choose the thing that helps you build the bridge, even when it means being uncomfortable doing that.