Back to Sales

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back to sales

When the smell of pumpkin spice and freshly sharpened pencils fills the air – you know what that means. 1. A break from the summer heat and 2. It’s back to school! Around here, we are big fans of learning (check out last September’s blog about lifelong learning). But this year, we’d like to invite you to join us in going Back to Sales. There’s B2B and B2C, but we’re talking B2S. Here is our crash course to get our brains back to selling this season. And not the old school version of ABC selling, the Orange Leaf version – where we put PEOPLE, not product first.  

We believe that sales is not just a business skill but a life skill. And, we realize that there is a certain ‘ick factor’ associated with selling for a lot of folks. So that is why we want you to go Back to Sales with us.  

Let’s examine sales through a new lens. We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you do what you love, you never work a day in your life.” Well, the same thing goes for selling. If you do sales right, you never sell anyone anything. So, how do you sell the “right” way? First, you need to know how to sell the “wrong” way, and chances are, you’ve been on the receiving end of some of these.   

Right and Wrong Sales 

Here are a few “don’ts” to keep in mind as you’re getting back to sales: 

  1. Don’t use the hard sell approach: This puts unnecessary pressure on the client. From pushing products or services, to using high-pressure techniques to quickly close, this often leaves clients feeling stressed and badgered.  
  1. Don’t just list all the wonderful things your product/service offers. In this case, you learn nothing about the client and are only highlighting the benefits of the product/service, despite whether the client needs it or not. Spoiler alert: our zeal about the product should come later.  
  1. Don’t talk about “closing a deal.” Not only does this focus on short-term gains instead of long-term client satisfaction, but it also goes back to putting too much pressure on them. That’s a surefire way to lead to distrust when they realize you only care about the money (also, it’s just plain tacky!)  
  1. Don’t bad mouth the competition. When it’s time to talk product, yours should speak for itself without having to rely on where others fall short. This is unprofessional and creates a negative impression of not only your product, but YOU.  
  1. Don’t give up too soon. There is a fine line between being pushy and persistent. If you get a “no,” that doesn’t mean to completely leave that prospect alone. Without bugging them weekly via calls and emails, reach out from time to time just to check in and see how they’re doing. 

So, how do you get back to sales the ‘right’ way?  

We believe that you should treat your customers as people, not just prospects. We believe that you gain trusted fans by focusing on building relationships with your client’s needs at the forefront. An easy way to remember this is “seeking first, selling second.” What are we seeking? We’re seeking to understand our clients. Not to get too psychology 101 on you, but at the end of the day, that’s what we all want, right? To be heard and understood. We’re seeking by asking questions and actively listening. What problems of theirs need solving? What other solutions have they tried in the past, and why didn’t they work? Are they looking for benefits in a new solution? Learning the answers to these questions first will help you determine if you’re a good fit for each other. It also tells the client you care about their needs.  

Getting back-to-back-to-back sales 

Clients don’t care about what you’re selling until they know you care about them. Instead of ABC meaning “always be closing,” we like to say “always be curious.” If you lead with curiosity, then you will never really SELL…but you will discover what they need and how you can help. That’s when you get to “sell second.” You can tell them how your product/service will be able to help them or satisfy a need/want.  

Here are what curious client questions (say that 5 times really fast!) look like: 

  • What exciting projects/goals are you working on right now? 
  • What are your top priorities this year? 
  • If you could wave a magic wand, what would make a big difference for you in your business right now? 
  • How do you see things changing in the next few months? 
  • How do you track your progress through the year? 

Or… maybe you’ve come to discover you’re actually not a good fit for each other. And that’s okay, too! Just because you’re doing sales the “right” way doesn’t mean your sale itself is the right one or the right time (how many times can we fit “right’ into a sentence, right?) Walking away is tough, because we tend to fall in love with the potential of the client, so check out this advice from a past blog.  

Instead of saying no, we often advise our client to refer their customer to something or someone else. Being transparent builds trust and credibility. And let’s face it, through this conversation with you, they could still become advocates for you and your company.  

So, this Fall, while the kids are going Back to School, let’s all get Back to Sales – the right way. Let’s put people first. That is really how you will school the competition.  As we like to say around here, Grow Big or Go Home!®