Somewhere along the line salespeople and small business owners were taught to focus on selling. We were told to look for customers when we network; to pitch people wherever we go. And that didn’t work. We didn’t gain the sales we were seeking. We didn’t endear ourselves to the people we came in contact with.
The economic landscape gets more and more competitive every day. Consumers have options – lots of them. Salespeople need to adopt different behaviors if they are going to succeed in today’s economy.
Throughout the chapters of Succeed Without Selling, I share what I believe are better behaviors. Our mindset should shift from trying to sell to a mindset of trying to learn. Being curious is the best way to proceed. When we are curious, we are present. We can intentionally learn about the people and companies we encounter. We can identify how they fit, or don’t fit, into our world. And the bonus? We are more attractive to others. People actually want us around – because we aren’t trying to sell them!
The truth is that no one likes to be sold. People will buy when they have a need and trust the person/company with the solution. One of the best ways to build trust is to listen and focus on problem solving.
This is why I wrote Succeed Without Selling: The More You Think About Selling, The Less You Will Sell. We have to own what hasn’t been working and embrace a different mindset, philosophy, and strategy. I find it tragic that so many people struggle to gain the business they are seeking. The book was written for all of those people who are uncomfortable engaging in sales tactics from the 1980s, for those people who find pitching, persuading, and selling just don’t work, and for those small business owners who have to engage in sales whether they want to or not.
Success is possible. And success includes knowing when to walk away from a prospect. It includes resisting the temptation to sell to family and friends. And it includes sales managers allowing their team to build relationships.
My goal is that anyone looking for sales strategies that actually work will pick up a copy of Succeed Without Selling. That they will read through it – probably more than once. That they will download the resources shared in the back of the book. And that they will intentionally implement the ideas within the book. It’s my strong belief they will be happier, more successful, and they will enjoy the sales process.