That virtual mirror or even a real mirror, can tell a salesperson two things ...who they are and how others see them.
Is what they see real, or a front . Sales is about perception and empathy both of which can suffer if as a salesperson you try and look or act as something you really arent or try and convince others your are somebody you are not.
Power does not come from dress or looks but from what you , as a person convey. Power comes from strength and by and large strength comes from confidence , confidence comes from within. The best salespeople I have ever come across are those that have confidence in themselves , the worst salespeople are those that over compensate because they have less confidence in themselves or their abilities.
Imagine a sales meeting , do you really want to show your client "you have arrived" , you know, the severe look, the swept back hair the suit or dress that is so far removed from what they can afford, the newset most fashionable shoes ...automatically you are either saying you are better than them, do not care about them or worst of all, dont need them. Selling is about empathy , look in that mirror, is the look you have created a look to help you feel good or a look that others will engage with and open up to !!!!! Sales people , I have managed 100's ,are by and large egotistical , maintaining their ego, usually by appearance or cars they drive. They come and go, measured by their last sale. The minority, the really, truly successful do not need others to tell them how good they are , they dress to gain empathy with their clients , their personality engaging their ego hidden to all.
Once upon a time I met an executive, very very smart, latest fashions, hair back, very severe , very powerful , so much so , that even I , with the thickest of skins yet with a fair share of charm found it difficult to engage with them , to the point the conversation was nearly on a yes , no basis. Then by accident or coincidence the rain ensured the hair flowed freely and guess what , the features softened the conversation flowed ....still the same person , still the same wealth of money, intellect and looks but now somebody who I could engage with .....whatever you might say, indeed whatever ......but as a salesperson, in front of that mirror, what do you see ?????
Sunday, 7 October 2012
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Fifty Shades of Grey , assumptions and satisfaction
Probably you may think totally bizarre or at least a random thought but is it.
Mr Grey is neither cunning or charming although I think readers believe he and others like him are and they probably think that because it is safe to do so , they can read about it rather than experience what he offers and safety further is protected and unchallenged as he lives in a world far removed from them ......or does he.
If you read 50 Shades of Grey , personally I got bored after awhile , all Mr Grey does is challenge how contented and satisfied those he mentors are. They are supposed to be satisfied, they believe they are satisfied but he shows them a level of "service" that challenges, successfully, their assumption. It is easier for most to accept what they have as being satisfactory rather than experience any form of risk in testing whether what they have is actually the level of satisfaction they deserve.
Further Mr Grey has a demeanour / personality that engages , listens and shows command , he offers a specific service to selected ladies ,he does not believe them naive but does understand or can gauge those who are willing to test their present levels of satisfaction beyond what they consider acceptable.He adjusts their expectation of what satisfaction, really is, it appears , to a higher level.
Now I hope, that you can see the Mr Grey analogy is neither random or bizarre.
The analogy is thus , how many customers of your competitors do not consider your proposition because they are "satisfied" with what they are receiving from your competitor.Their satisfaction is what they believe is satisfying. So simply sitting in front of them talking, usually without listening, about this offer that offer , this discount or that discount is hardly a motivation of trying something new ....is it. This certainly is not the behaviour of someone in control or can understand that they are not there to sell but to offer something different or exciting !!!!!
The Mr or Mrs Grey of selling would select those potential customers from possibly tens , hundreds or thousands and offer something different. He or she would understand what could motivate them to move to a greater level of satisfaction , they would understand what was so unique about the service they offered eg personal account management , up to date information on breakthrough products, specific knowledge in specialist areas , new ideas , service delivery , guarantees etc etc notice I have not mentioned price once!!! Mr and Mrs Grey would articulate these meaningfully in a controlled and authorative way, not reel them off to get to next of 5 or 6 appointments they have that day, they would be in control.As Mr or Mrs Grey look for those that would benefit from having their levels of satisfactioned heightened , those that dont , if they have to , they offer them the same old, price, range, discount menu ......as boreing as it is , those customers are simply telling you that they are satisfied with what they have and it is not your or mine role to assume otherwise !!!!! Just move onto those that do !!!!! Menus are for the masses , unique and specific services are for those willing to test something new in the betterment of their (business) lives.
Remember Mr Grey only had a bed, a cane and himself albeit charming self , to convince others....... therefore the value he offered was he himself and his ability to allow others , I use the word "allow" appropriately , !!!!! to experience another level of satisfaction yet the recipient had the comfort that in experiencing it, the satisfaction was far greater than however minimal it was, the risk they thought attached.
The story of the mirror is for another day .................................... so important if delivering or receiving satisfaction (in selling) motivates you !!!!!!
PS
Please watch "SOMETHING DIFFERENT" video clip below, again and again
Mr Grey is neither cunning or charming although I think readers believe he and others like him are and they probably think that because it is safe to do so , they can read about it rather than experience what he offers and safety further is protected and unchallenged as he lives in a world far removed from them ......or does he.
If you read 50 Shades of Grey , personally I got bored after awhile , all Mr Grey does is challenge how contented and satisfied those he mentors are. They are supposed to be satisfied, they believe they are satisfied but he shows them a level of "service" that challenges, successfully, their assumption. It is easier for most to accept what they have as being satisfactory rather than experience any form of risk in testing whether what they have is actually the level of satisfaction they deserve.
Further Mr Grey has a demeanour / personality that engages , listens and shows command , he offers a specific service to selected ladies ,he does not believe them naive but does understand or can gauge those who are willing to test their present levels of satisfaction beyond what they consider acceptable.He adjusts their expectation of what satisfaction, really is, it appears , to a higher level.
Now I hope, that you can see the Mr Grey analogy is neither random or bizarre.
The analogy is thus , how many customers of your competitors do not consider your proposition because they are "satisfied" with what they are receiving from your competitor.Their satisfaction is what they believe is satisfying. So simply sitting in front of them talking, usually without listening, about this offer that offer , this discount or that discount is hardly a motivation of trying something new ....is it. This certainly is not the behaviour of someone in control or can understand that they are not there to sell but to offer something different or exciting !!!!!
The Mr or Mrs Grey of selling would select those potential customers from possibly tens , hundreds or thousands and offer something different. He or she would understand what could motivate them to move to a greater level of satisfaction , they would understand what was so unique about the service they offered eg personal account management , up to date information on breakthrough products, specific knowledge in specialist areas , new ideas , service delivery , guarantees etc etc notice I have not mentioned price once!!! Mr and Mrs Grey would articulate these meaningfully in a controlled and authorative way, not reel them off to get to next of 5 or 6 appointments they have that day, they would be in control.As Mr or Mrs Grey look for those that would benefit from having their levels of satisfactioned heightened , those that dont , if they have to , they offer them the same old, price, range, discount menu ......as boreing as it is , those customers are simply telling you that they are satisfied with what they have and it is not your or mine role to assume otherwise !!!!! Just move onto those that do !!!!! Menus are for the masses , unique and specific services are for those willing to test something new in the betterment of their (business) lives.
Remember Mr Grey only had a bed, a cane and himself albeit charming self , to convince others....... therefore the value he offered was he himself and his ability to allow others , I use the word "allow" appropriately , !!!!! to experience another level of satisfaction yet the recipient had the comfort that in experiencing it, the satisfaction was far greater than however minimal it was, the risk they thought attached.
The story of the mirror is for another day .................................... so important if delivering or receiving satisfaction (in selling) motivates you !!!!!!
PS
Please watch "SOMETHING DIFFERENT" video clip below, again and again
Friday, 1 August 2008
I want to start a career in sales but I can't sell - rubbish, you can
There is an absolute myth that you are either born a salesperson or you are not.
If asked what makes a good salesperson I do not think that there is a skill or attribute that cannot be provided from resources such as training, mentorship, experience etc.
But what differentiates in a person from being in a sales job as opposed to a gifted salesperson - who may not even be in a sales job - Is the personal desire to succeed
There are a lot of people with the desire to succeed , given the skills to sell, who are not in a sales role - As well as a lot of people in sales roles , who have been given the skills but have no desire to succeed !!!!!!!!!!!!
If you want to take that desire to succeed and are thinking about sales as a career, I will over the next posts, outline in varying degrees of depth, those skills required _ ALL YOU NEED IS THE ...............................DESIRE
If asked what makes a good salesperson I do not think that there is a skill or attribute that cannot be provided from resources such as training, mentorship, experience etc.
But what differentiates in a person from being in a sales job as opposed to a gifted salesperson - who may not even be in a sales job - Is the personal desire to succeed
There are a lot of people with the desire to succeed , given the skills to sell, who are not in a sales role - As well as a lot of people in sales roles , who have been given the skills but have no desire to succeed !!!!!!!!!!!!
If you want to take that desire to succeed and are thinking about sales as a career, I will over the next posts, outline in varying degrees of depth, those skills required _ ALL YOU NEED IS THE ...............................DESIRE
" I couldn't do sales" -begining a sales career
So often I come across what I consider great potential salespeople who have jobs or roles nothing - they believe - connected with sales.
So what makes a great salesperson ?
There is no , I believe, one single attribute or skill but there is a single personaity trait and that is determination to SUCCEED.
The desire to succeed enables success, and as such good sales people are born but they just do not necessarily end up in sales jobs.
There are however a lot of people, trust me, that are in sales jobs without any desire to succeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the next few posts I will outline, to varying degree's of depth , how YOU can become a great salesperson..................................
So what makes a great salesperson ?
There is no , I believe, one single attribute or skill but there is a single personaity trait and that is determination to SUCCEED.
The desire to succeed enables success, and as such good sales people are born but they just do not necessarily end up in sales jobs.
There are however a lot of people, trust me, that are in sales jobs without any desire to succeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over the next few posts I will outline, to varying degree's of depth , how YOU can become a great salesperson..................................
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Recession = success or failure ?
There is a great truism, if you say something often enough you will end up believing it.Factually there must be a recession, FTSE down to 5308, fuel prices rocketing and UK unemployment statistics now reaching the news. So if sales is your chosen profession does, that mean you and your sales are in recession ????? please read this great article from Nicki Weiss, founder and CEO of sales-coaching firm SalesWise.
So what is a slump? “A slump is any decrease in performance over time,” ................................ PLEASE CLICK HERE TO BE A RECESSION BEATER
The recession is an opportunity, you just have to recgonise it as such.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ?
So what is a slump? “A slump is any decrease in performance over time,” ................................ PLEASE CLICK HERE TO BE A RECESSION BEATER
The recession is an opportunity, you just have to recgonise it as such.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ?
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