How you present yourself
OMG! I was in a TERRIBLE sales presentation the other day. TERRIBLE.
The presenter was Hooked On Pronouns.
“We, you, they, it, he, she, their” … it went on and on. (Example: So, I said this to him about it, and he said he was interested in their results.) WHAT?
PRONOUNS ARE MEAN
When you use pronouns, you make your audience feel like idiots!
From the Traveling Elixir Fixer, a brilliant quote: 
“I don’t care what you believe, just behave yourself!”
(via And yes, you should become her fan! https://www.facebook.com/TravelingElixirFixer)
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
Love ’em ALL UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
Just because you are not the one talking, does not mean you are not guiding the sale!
In fact, it is USUALLY just the OPPOSITE! 
Today a magical and truly wonderful thing happened!
I was in a meeting with an SVP of a Fortune 100 company…and MAN was HE talking. He was so enthusiastic about his company… he was so proud of the work they were doing an new opportunities on the horizon. He loves the brand. He told me everything from the way the founders started out in the Depression…all the way up to the new (and – shall we say – controversial?) CEO they have.
He talked. And he talked. And he talked.
And I ATE IT UP!
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
I listened to every word as if it were gold — which it turns out — every word was.
When he finally got around to asking me details about what I do and what my company offers, I had everything I needed to know to tell him how we could help. And he had said everything he needed to say, so there wasn’t anything in the background distracting him.
I told (short) stories back about how are companies’ philosophies and directions were aligned.
And HE ATE IT UP!
Know what he said next?
“Send me the contract. We need to get this going right away.”
Guess what I did! I STOPPED SELLING!
I said, “GREAT! Will you be signing it?”
– yes –
Then, I thanked him for his business. Asked him if there was anything else he needed. Said our pleasantries and ske-daddled.
He did the talking. I drove the train. I won the business. FUN!
Love the talkers UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
Wanna send a powerful email? As a follow up? Or as a first-contact? Or an initial call?
Leave the “I’s” aside!
We often want to send messages (or phone messages) that start with “I” or “MY”
EXAMPLES:
“I enjoyed our time together”
“I thought of something interesting after we met…”
“I wanted to thank you!”
“My experience shows that…”
NO!
Your emails that start with “I” or “My” are not ENGAGING to your customer who cares about…wait for it….THEM! HA!
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
So, let’s design communications that deal with THEM (which is who they care about).
Examples:
“YOUR insights today were compelling…let’s set aside time so I can learn more about them”
“YOU have clearly thought your options through, and I want to learn more”.
“YOUR time is valuable and I am grateful for the time we spent together. YOUR insights on our next steps are appreciated! What’s next?”
Look at all of your emails and phone messages. Eliminate as many sentences that you can that begin with “I”. (This includes “It” and “If”. )
“I’s” turn people OFF.
Engage THEM!
Love your peeps UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
I was in a sales training and the sales trainer LAMENTED that times have changed.
It USED to be that the salesperson had the inside scoop
NOW, the buyer can find everything they really need to know on-line.
WAIT! He was LAMENTING this?
Is that really who we’ve become as salespeople? The ones who can sell if our buyer doesn’t have enough information? UGH!
It reminded me of a keynote I heard from the CEO of Seventh Generation.
He said that his company POSTED a list of the DEFICIENCIES of their products.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
Which, initially, had their salespeople shaking in their boots.
Sure enough, the competitors would come in with the printed list of Seventh Generation’s Self-Admitted deficiencies…..
But, you know what happened? The customer would turn to them and say….”where is YOUR list?”
HA!
Your customer is smart and informed. If you can’t deal with it, go sell something that can stand up to scrutiny. You’ll have more fun!
Love ’em UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
Even the BEST salespe
rson in the world can’t sell just ANYTHING.
Take for example, my very good friend. He loves the product he sells and there are some add-ons that make sense for the right buyer.
But, there is one service his company offers that he thinks just ISN’T worth the price. Now, his fellow salespeople can sell this service with ease. AND the support team recommends it as a way to guarantee success.
He just can’t seem to spit the words out of his mouth. “This service is important AND it costs THIS much!”
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
So, guess what! He never sells that service. At a huge cost to his company, himself, and sometimes a dis-service to his client.
What did he do?
He started talking with people who USE this service and started to see the value for himself.
Now, he can sell that service to the right people with ease.
And the house, can I tell you about the house?
A wealthy friend of mine has an absolutely beautiful and unique property to sell. It is in the millions. It is spectacular.
it has been on the market for FOUR YEARS.
Turns out that the house just “isn’t his agent’s style”. She can’t sell it. Why? She doesn’t “buy” it.
The owners are re-listing with an agent who “gets it”, AND raising the price to match the special nature of this property.
Guess what!
I bet it gets snatched right up!
Moral of the story
If you can’t “see” it selling, you won’t be able to sell it.
Either stop pretending that you can or will OR get interested in WHY someone can or will.
Love it UP!
The irreverent Sales Girl
When I was first getting started building my Investment Management business, I was terrified of meeting with clients. I had the education. I felt confident that I could help, but I was afraid to ask for the business. I was afraid I could not connect with the customers.
What to do about my insecurities?
So, I came up with this great idea. I was a big fan of Law & Order at the time. It was when Angie Harmon was on the show playing a no-nonsense, beautiful, composed attorney. She always kept her cool and she always had it together. And, she looked great doing it!
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
I decided I would “be” Angie Harmon in every meeting. I dressed the part and I acted just like she would in all of the conversations.
It worked like a charm.
Every meeting I walked in with the confidence and poise of Angie Harmon. I listened like she did. I spoke calmly and clearly just like she always did.
I constituted myself as someone successful. And people responded.
People opened up to me and I found it easy to take my time to hear what they wanted and make solid recommendations. Then, I confidently opened the conversation to ask for the business. I calmly pulled out the paperwork at the right time. And the prospects became clients over 80% of the time – in the first meeting.
Find the person who you can “be” to take your business to the next level. Maybe it’s James Bond, or Cat Woman, or a mentor. Put yourself aside and act the part.
Soon, it will start to come naturally! And you will be who you wanted to be and enjoy the same success!
Love your icons UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
When you take yourself away, you hurt yourself
Sitting in a sales meeting with a VIP at a company I would love to have as a client.
You know the one. The pretty big deal who would make a great addition to your core set of clients? A nice and pretty feather in your cap?
I was INVESTED in this deal
I had been working this deal like a good job.
I had traveled for hours to meet in person.
I looked my best, and I was prepared.
Things looked good
As we started to talk about how we could work together, this lovely VIP laid out the landscape. She shared with me how her systems weren’t working – how she wasn’t meeting her goals. (A-ha! I could help!)
THEN…Two really bad things happened.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
Things took a turn for the worst
First, she said to me: “We don’t have budget for another solution AND I don’t have buy-in from my senior management to make any changes. It’s just not important to them.” (In other words, I CAN’T BUY ANYTHING FROM YOU)
The second thing she said was even worse. Next she said, “OK. Pitch me.”
(HUH?)
For a moment I could barely see straight
I was SO annoyed.
When she said “PITCH ME” – I was just floored. Here she was, completely wasting my time AND forcing me to be some small person who was going to give her a spiel. UGH!
Somehow, I regained POISE and PROFESSIONALISM
I remembered what a very successful friend of mine once told me, “Sometimes you will have to take the OFFER off of the table, but NEVER take yourself away.”
So, I paused and put myself on HER side of the table. She was in pain and wanted some help. I had nothing to offer. Not her fault.
I told her. “I have nothing to sell you. If you don’t have the budget and your managers won’t agree, then we don’t really have anything to talk about just yet.”
Then I laid out the plan
“I would love to have another conversation when you have more support from your execs and they see the value in putting money behind your efforts. Is there anything I can do to help you get that?”
She agreed that there wasn’t.
I stayed with her
When all of me wanted to storm out of her office and make her realize what a waste of time our meeting was and how badly she had insulted me, instead… we talked about other things.
We spent the next 15 minutes talking about personal stuff. The sales conversation was closed, but our relationship wasn’t.
Now, I’ve never sold to this company
And neither have any of my competition, but she speaks well of me in our circles and we are friendly, and – who knows – Well, you just never know.
The moral of the story
Bring dignity to the sale.
Stand up for yourself. You are not a trained monkey with a canned approach. It would have been ridiculous and demeaning if I had given my well-prepared presentation.
Yet, love that other person UP! This VIP would NEVER have wasted her time with me if she didn’t need some help. I couldn’t help, but I could be her friend.
Take your offer away, but never take YOU away!
Love ’em UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl
A good friend of mine emailed me a FANTASTIC sales training video today. It sparked my imagination and I have added THREE things to my sales process – that I have learned about great networking.
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
I started using these last week and I’ve gotten FIVE really strong leads from this new approach!
1) EVERY TIME I am talking with a prospect or a client, I am looking to see who I can connect them with in their industry or their town. Somone who I know and would make a difference for the person on the other end of the phone. I become a connector, a thought leader, and a valuable resource.
2) EVERY TIME I am talking with a prospect or a client I am reminding myself: I AM ON A MISSION TO SERVE OTHERS.
3) EVERY TIME I am talking with a prospect or client, I ask “Who do you know that I should be talking to?” “Who do you know who can use my help?” (And then I be quiet. I wait for their response).
Magical!
Thanks, Lynne, for the video!
OK, I very rarely invite untoward language…
But, here it is…
On a call with Gary Hart today (http://www.salesdujour.com) I spoke with a man who has BEEN selling his whole life.
(HINT: you may be listening to sales “experts”, but check it out – Have they sold ANYTHING beyond themselves?)
YOUR CURRENT REALIZATION: “NO WONDER I FEEL LIKE SUCH A FAILURE”
Yes! You haven’t been listening to people who have DONE sales, you have been listening to people who have “studied” sales. You have been listening for people who need YOU to succeed, so that THEY can succeed.
That is why it doesn’t work. NOT FOR YOU.
At any rate, I was talking with Gary (and we can arrange a joint conversation, if you have the courage to ask)…and we boiled it down. If you want to be a top salesperson there are two things to do: (AGAIN, I post the opportunity…IF YOU WANT TO BE A TOP SALESPERSON … ASK US FOR A N INTERVIEW (free, sad thing is, you won’t.)
Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/
Back to the topic, if you want to be a top salesperson:
1) Decide that you will be a top salesperson (and do whatever it takes to get there)
2) Have the confidence to do it
That’s pretty much it.
Sorry to disappoint you. It’s not complicated.
Love your life UP!
The Irreverent Sales Girl