The Week's Big Idea: First, Sales

Hiking...is just walking.

The credit today’s topic to Libby Bush, CEO and Founder of Tandem Entertainment. Libby is challenging major entertainment agencies and winning talent and product placement deals. How does she do it?

At a panel this winter, I sat up straighter in my moderator's chair when Libby told our audience, “I never thought I would be in sales. I was a marketer. But my boss pushed me to try it. And what I learned was sales is really just listening.”

Sales is really just listening. Listening? It turns out, if you’re good at listening to people and ask thoughtful questions, they will tell you what’s bothering them and what they want. And that gives you an opening to help them solve a valuable problem.

But sales? Ick.

Women tend to shy away from sales roles. They think sales means manipulating the customer and forcing them to buy things they don't want. And that is how a lot of sales people operate. (I sold insurance and advertising. I have many cocktails' worth of terrible sales stories.) But you can do it differently. And you have an advantage. 

People who feel manipulated may buy once, but they won't buy from you again if they have a choice. Being sold is being told. And as we talked about last week, people don't like it when we tell.

The best sales people listen. They build trust. They solve problems based on wants and needs. They collaborate with people to make them better. 

Does that sound like the kind of person that you would want to be? Do you think of yourself as a collaborative problem solver? Can you listen and respond, instead of tell? That's your advantage. This is the disruption that you can bring to sales.

Believe in what you're doing. Listen and respond with respect. Do what you say you will do. Be the un-icky salesperson that makes other people want to be you. 

Today's Assignment: focus on the good ones

There's an adage that you tell one person about a good experience and ten about a bad one. Bad sales experiences really stick with you.

Let's reward the good ones. If you have a great service or sales experience today, tell that person. Think about what made the experience a positive one.

Coming: Prospecting and pipelines

Bonus for freelancers: Come to my Freedom to FREELANCE workshop with Jaclyn Mullen on June 9!