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Six More Taoist Sales Lessons That Make Common Sense #492
This is the podcast where each week we apply an aspect of Taoism to sales. Last week we departed from this structure and surveyed six Taoist sales lessons instead of a single aspect. Each lesson contained common sense practical advice. This week we’re going to do six more and if you haven’t listened to last week’s episode, that’s OK. These lessons aren’t in any order There is no need to go back before listening to this episode. But I do urge you to listen to it, especially if you’ve found value in this episode.
As I said these lessons are solid advice that speaks to the art of sales, not just the science. This Taoist advice talks about mindset and intuition and how to approach selling at an instinctive level. Real life is filled with randomness and chaos. No one script or formula can address all possibilities. That’s why I’m a strong proponent of having a mindset that can address all challenges. Frankly, I’m fascinated by these concepts which is why I geek out on Taoism and why I’m excited to share them here on the pod. Listeners say this selling advice is applicable across many levels of life. Why not check out and see if this is true for you too!
Listen more than you talk
You’ve probably heard the old saying since God gave us two ears and only one mouth you need to listen more than talk. If everyone’s talking and no one’s listening, there is no communication. It’s no secret that the world is full of talkers and people trying to sell, convince, joke or even just hear their own voice. Lao Tzu’s advice is to take a break from the noise and control your desire to be heard.
You can’t qualify a prospect if you don’t know what they want. You have to give them space to talk which requires strong listening skills. The notion that great talkers make great salespeople is a myth. It’s just the opposite. Great listeners make great salespeople.
In the Tao Te Ching Lao Tzu said,
“Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.”
Be honest with your speech
The reality of a situation may not always be pleasant or attractive. Eloquent or attractive language doesn’t necessarily equate to truthfulness. Yet oftentimes salespeople are loosy goosey with their language and fail to represent their products fairly and honestly.
The truth can be harsh, uncomfortable, or even ugly. You may not have the best product on the market. But in the long run, you’re not fooling anyone. Buyers know flowery or beautiful language doesn’t guarantee what’s being said is true. Lao Tzu speaks at length about how wise men needn’t prove their point, and those who do are not wise. Buyers who’ve been wronged know this and so will the world given social media. Bad news and bad reviews travel fast.
As Lao Tzu says,
“The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.”
Avoid conflict. But if you need to fight, fight to win.
In the course of any life, there is going to be conflict despite all efforts to de-escalate and compromise. It’s a fact of society that people argue. But be careful who you consider your enemies and how fixed is your view of the argument. Sometimes sellers see closing a deal as a competition and the buyer is the enemy. Sometimes sellers see their competitors as enemies and sometimes they see their cllegues as enemies who erect barriers that stop their ability to sell. Too often we let our emotions control our actions and not the other way around.
But if a fight can’t be avoided, Lao Tzu encourages us to let our opponents exhaust themselves with their own hate and anger. Don’t reciprocate with anger. He recognizes that sometimes you do need to compete, fight for your basic rights and survive. But when it comes to such situations, Lao Tzu advises we temper our emotions,
“The best fighter is never angry.”
Stay humble
Life has its ups and downs. You’ll have wins and losses. This is especially true when it comes to sales. Very few of the prospects that enter your sales funnel will pop out the bottom as closed deals. But you will have your wins and whatever great things you do and however knowledgeable you become, Lao Tzu encourages humility. He says that the truly wise are people who realize how much of life will remain a mystery no matter how much knowledge we accumulate. We call these people lifelong learners. Lao Tzu said,
“The wise man is one who knows what he does not know.”
Remain patient
We live in a fast-paced world filled with expectations of instant instant gratification. Hungry? Order out for delivery. Achey? Take a pill for relief. Bored? Infinite scroll your latest favorite app. Prospect won’t reply to your email? Send 10 more. Impatience is the mother of mistakes and the father of stress.
Nature teaches us that everything is interconnected with everything. It’s folly to expect complex problems to be solved instantly with the flick of a switch. Business deals take time. Decision-makers have many competing issues to contend with. There is no need to rush. Everything will work out in the end. If the deal is meant to happen, it will.
Lat Tzu reminds us how given time, the oceans have milled the finest of sand. He says,
“Water is soft, but given time it can cut through the hardest of rock.”
Don’t fear endings
Taoism is a philosophy that seeks a balance of the yin and yang. It urges us to work together with nature and not against it. Nature is a constant cycle of births and deaths, beginnings and endings. We need to accept this.
Endings can be extremely sad and painful yet from another point of view, things may not be as bad as they seem. As sales professionals in a market economy, jobs come and go. Mergers and acquisitions are as common sunrises and sunsets. So too are firings and layoffs. These experiences can sadden us, but when we reframe the experience as an opportunity, new possibilities may arise.
Lao Tzu urges us to keep in mind,
“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.”
With that said if you’re enjoying your job don’t take it for granted. Practice gratitude and thank the heavens. Someday, and that day will come sooner than you think, that job will go away. You don’t own it. All you own is your profession.
And that’s our six lessons for today. As you can see, these are not prescriptive lessons, The Tao has no recipe or numbered steps that guarantee results. It is like when Louis Armstrong was asked: What is jazz? He said: “If you have to ask, you don’t know.” But I hope this week you’ve got a feel for it and you’ll be able to apply it to your life and your selling. Or maybe to be more precise, I hope you’re able to allow it to happen in your life and your selling. Good luck.
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Often these days I see a lack of mindfulness and confidence in the profession of sales. Despite possessing strengths, and skills, sellers often fail to acknowledge their weaknesses and gaps. Not all sellers. Take you, for instance! Here you are, actively listening to Sales Babble and committed to enhancing your sales skills. Contrast that with your peers, who dismiss the idea of continuous improvement. You stand out because you believe in your ability to become better. That kind of confidence is invaluable. Lao Tzu frequently speaks about acceptance and its empowering effects, making our discussion on confidence when selling timely.” 
