Are you in sales? You may not think you sell for a living, yet the answer to the question is probably, Yes. Whether your business success revolves around bringing in more clients, receiving quality referrals, or actually closing more deals you're in sales, and just like the rest of us, youre selling all the time. Nothing happens in the world of commerce until something gets sold. The fact that you're in sales means you face a dilemma. You have to sell to live... and virtually no one likes to be sold to. Youre probably proud of the product, service, or expertise you market and sell, yet most of the people that work with me in my Language of Success programs tell me that theyre not really comfortable with the whole sales thing. I tell them that theyre not alone in the way they feel. That may not give them much comfort, but its true. Heres a little game I play with my speaking audiences that shines a glaring spotlight on our discomfort with selling. I give them a familiar word and ask them to respond with the first word that comes to mind. You can play along right now. Heres the word. Remember to respond with the first word that comes to mind. Ready? The word Id like you to respond to is, salesman. The audience members start shouting out words like, sleazy, liar, run away, slick and manipulator. What did you come up with? Whatever the word, Ill bet you it isnt flattering. Listen to the internal dialogue we have about selling and sales. Its amazing we sell anything at all. In order to sell more... you need to make a shift in the language you use when talking to others about what you do. In order to sell more... you need to make a shift in the language you use when talking to yourself about what you do. The Language of Success provides you with a new way to think about your business and a new way to talk about your business. Heres the tip Pay close attention to your internal dialogue about selling and sales. Do the words you use motivate you, or depress you, when it comes to your business development efforts? In the next installment of these Language of Success articles I will provide you with a different way to look at what you do so you can get in front of more quality contacts, and then Turn those contacts into contracts, or clients, more easily and more often. Copyright 2006 Ike Krieger |
