It Isn’t That Complicated!

Credit: Tiffany Fox

If you follow me, you know that I think Selling Is Simple. It’s hard but it isn’t complicated. It takes persistence and discipline. It does not take an IQ of 160 or lots of tricks.

Reps get in their own way. Sales trainers suggest that selling is full of formulas and life changing phrases. Sales people, that already know how to sell, sign up for workshops and selling clubs because they’re convinced there has to be an easier way.

There isn’t. There are plenty of suggestions to the contrary but I call baloney. These solutions exist to make money for their inventor, not you.

There are so called sales tools that will write your messages and move you to the front of the line. If you buy this service, you can skip prospecting. If you’ll just set yourself aside and be someone else (do what we tell you) the skies will open and it will start raining purchase orders.

Once again, BALONEY.

Wanna sales shortcut? Be yourself. Think about what you would enjoy. What would get your attention? What would make you laugh? How do you choose friends, partners and suppliers? Do you pick fancy, phony people? I’ll wager you don’t. Neither will your prospect.

Let me share some examples of how simple selling is.

Example 1: The rep left voice mail after voice mail. The client greeting said, “leave your name and number. I’ll call you back.” She never did.

Finally, the rep called and sang into her voicemail. He sang, “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, trying to get ahold of Julie King” (not her real name).

His phone rang 2 minutes later and an appointment was earned.

Example 2: A sales lady bought anniversary cards. She sent them to prospects at different intervals. The cards read, “this is our 3-month anniversary of me trying to get an appointment.” The message fit the situation (1 year, 3 months, 2 months etc.).

Not every prospect responded but many did. She wasn’t offensive. She simply demonstrated that she really wanted a chance to do business and was persistent.

Example 3: A rep asked a prospect to lunch repeatedly. Again, and again the client suggested he would like to but was too busy. He was going to skip lunch.

Finally, the rep sent a catered lunch to the prospect. The note said, “I’ve been worried about you never getting to eat. Hopefully, this will get you through until dinner.”

The prospect called. He laughed and confessed the excuse. They met the following week and business ensued.

Each of these reps led with their personality and sincere wish to do business. They were themselves. They didn’t cloak why they were calling. They didn’t stop when they heard no or were ignored.

Let me share a language shortcut too. Write like you talk. If you send a letter, card or email, don’t go all AI on it. Be you. Let your personality show warts and all. People like genuine. They don’t like phony fancy. If you wouldn’t say it in conversation don’t write it in a message.

Photo? Best Christmas gift ever. A very clever and creative guy sent this to a CMO he knew and wanted to work for. The howls were instant. It got used, shown and obviously photographed.

He didn’t spend a fortune either. He let his personality show.

Selling is simple. Don’t screw it up!

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions.