- Mary Foley
[7 Critical Mindset Shifts] Selling Is Serving
How much of your day is spent on getting someone to say “Yes!” to your idea, to buy your product or service, or to clean up their room?
According to Daniel Pink, author of To Sell is Human, you spend 40% or more of your time doing just that.
In short, you’re in sales. But that doesn’t mean desperate, pushy, used car kind of sales.
What if you realized that, as a woman, you have what it takes to be exceptionally good at selling – for all the right reasons?
You already are if you...
Ask questions for understanding
Listen more than talk
Think about how you can help
Share useful resources
Are positive and upbeat
THAT is sales as service.
You are truly helping another person get clarity on their problem and then offering possible solutions, one of which may be yours.
This is the kind of selling that people desperately need as they search for new solutions in a brave, new world.
Want to get better at selling as service? Even make it something you look forward to? Do this:
ASK good questions…about how are they doing right now? What are their biggest challenges? What has worked or not worked to find solutions?
LISTEN for not only what they say but how they say it. Take lots of notes, which helps you stay quiet and not rely on your memory. By simply being quiet and listening, you are helping the other person process what’s going on inside.
SHARE. Once you sense they have said all they want, share how you can help them. Explain your product or service that meets their need. Check their understanding with “Does this make sense?” If you don’t have the expertise or solution they need, share a recommended resource.
INVITE them to take the next step to hire you or buy from you. Keep it simple. You’ve been walking together down a path so it’s just the natural next thing. “Would you like me to help you with this challenge? The next step would be....” Then shut up. Give them a moment to think about it. Trust me, they already have, but they needed an invite to go from considering it to an actual yes or no. If it’s a yes, terrific! If it’s a no, that’s ok, too. Often, it’s not now or not yet. You can check back with them later.
That’s the kind of selling you can get excited about, right? Cool. Now, get out there and serve!