Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
How To Unmask Authentic Selling #508
When I was new to selling I read a number of books on closing techniques and objection handling. I took their advice to craft scripts to memorize them like an actor in the theatre. It was a weak approach. The buyers never said the lines I expected and often I was dumbfounded about what to say. In this week’s Tao of Sales Babble we cast off the scripts and unmask to discover our authentic you, the person buyers want to meet, trust, and do business with. Authentic selling is the topic for today.
Today’s Chapter: Authentic Selling
Give up memorizing closing techniques and sales scripts
and your skills will multiply a hundredfold.
Give up professional handshakes and business etiquette
and you will rediscover connecting with buyers.
Give up number crunching and counting commission pennies
and your fears and concerns will disappear.
These tactics are masks of
outward form and conventional business practice.
They are not sufficient in and of themselves.
Instead, seek selling simplicity.
Realize the authentic seller.
Cast off the fake and step from the shadows.
Today’s Story
This was Chris’s first attempt at cold calling and Chris was struggling to remember the product features, benefits, pain points, and voicemail scripts. Selling felt forced and wooden and no matter how hard Chris tried, it wasn’t getting easier. It all felt like pretending.
Sensing Chris’s frustration, Pat sat in on a few calls. It was clear the issue wasn’t a memorization problem, but a complexity problem. “Try this,” Pat said. “ Let’s say by dumb luck, the next person you called just happened to be an old friend. What would you say differently to them?”
Chris thought for a moment. “Well, I probably would ask them if they had quality issues like the ones our customers face. If they say yes, I’d probably share some of the benefits of the product. If they were still interested, I’d move on and talk about the features.”
“Wow,” said Pat, “that sounds like a good plan. Why not do that next time.”
Take Action Quote
In The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale said, “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”
Canned scripts with objection handling are all well and good but only go so far. It’s the authentic seller that buyers want to meet. Set aside false myths that you need to assert dominance and swagger when prospecting. Buyers are quick to discern arrogant behavior and do so at a moment’s notice. Be yourself. Keep it simple. Stay committed to helping your customers.
How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble
Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers. Masterful selling is understanding what buyers want, discerning if you can help, showing what you have, and helping them to make a decision that is good for their business and yours. See https://salesbabble.com
I’ve interviewed 100s of sales experts and discussed all things sales: prospecting, qualifying, value propositions, presentations, demos, closing, generating referrals, earning references, upselling, marketing, lead generation, copywriting, and most importantly the right selling mindset. Stop fearing sales and embrace it.
This is a production of Habanero Media https://habaneromedia.net
Got a Question?
Something about today’s episode got you thinking? Do you have a question or a comment you’d like share?
If so “babble me” an email here, or if you can’t wait chat Pat now.
Maybe you’d like to share your musings on the podcast? Leave a voice message here. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Don’t worry about babbling, we prefer it.
Listening Options
You can find us on: