Recently I asked my advanced sales group a provocative question.
What is the most troublesome pattern you’re noticing that sabotages your sales calls?
Their responses were absolute gold.
These people have been in a deep study of sales with me for several months now. Many of them have been working with me even longer. And it shows. Their awareness of patterns of sabotage is fine-tuned and brilliant.
I want to share their nuggets of wisdom with you – and some tips for each one – so you can watch for these patterns in your own calls, and within yourself.
- “Going into free coaching when I feel…” (bored, confused, uncertain…)
This is a normal phenomenon that most of us will experience at some point as we master sales.
We are loving, giving, service-minded people, that’s why we’re doing this.
So when their material or their resistance makes it hard to take them where we’re going, we shift into coaching, trying to prove our value, wanting to demonstrate how we can serve them.
The way I teach it, the sales process IS serving them. There’s no need to coach someone who hasn’t committed to your container, and in fact, it might be detrimental to do so. If this person is not clear on whether or not they want to work with you, why force them to? Why give it away?
You are offering immense value. It isn’t this person’s job to recognize that, or to hire you.
Your only job is to facilitate clarity; never to convince, coerce, or manipulate them into saying yes.
- “Not asking questions.”
When in doubt, just ask questions.
Is there something you want most in life?
Have you thought about why you want that?
Do you have a sense of what’s holding you back?
What if it never changes? What happens then?
How serious are you about this???
How will you know if this person needs what you have, if you don’t ask?
Challenge yourself to ask just one question at a time.
And listen deeply to what they say.
- “Talking more than listening.”
The sales call is FOR THEM.
And, you can let it be an absolute pleasure for you.
For this small window of time, you get to focus completely on the gorgeous, talented, shining soul you have in front of you. You get to hear about their visions and dreams for themselves and the world.
What a gift for both of you.
Maybe they’ve never been asked genuine questions about themselves before. Maybe they’ve never had permission to go deep and say the truth, to express their emotions.
Ask. Listen. Discern.
Can you help them?
If not, help them say no – and celebrate!
If you can, then it’s your job to sell them.
- “Being pulled into my potential client’s story.”
I can’t afford it.
The life I want is for other people, not for me.
Someone else won’t let me do it.
I’m not ____ enough.
I’m too ____.
There are all kinds of stories the subconscious tells to keep us from making changes.
So when you’re selling a service that will bring radical, earth-shattering changes to a person’s life, you can be sure their subconscious will fight and resist.
When we’re in the driver’s seat of the call, it’s so important that we do not fall into that with them. Instead we hold the truth of what we know. That they are worthy of taking up the space their vision calls for. That they have an internal truth that guides their decisions towards the fullness of their potential. That they can be successful, satisfied, delighted and at peace within themselves and their business.
This is where your belief in them comes into play.
You gotta be able to see their vision, to know the truth of who they are, and to welcome their full size and expression.
Then it will be easy to recognize the noise of the subconscious for exactly what it is, hold it with compassion, and remind the potential client of what’s true.
- “I’m in my head and not my body, therefore not able to facilitate clarity for the client.”
What are your spiritual practices?
Use them!
I define spiritual practice as anything that connects you to the truth of who you are.
There’s something really powerful about setting aside time for whatever practice lights you up – particularly before going into a sales conversation.
Give yourself a ritual that you can do before every call, or series of calls.
Even a reminder you can give yourself inside of the call, when you need to bring yourself back to your body.
It’s also helpful to have a post-call ritual that helps you get clean and clear so you’re ready to move on.
Whether it’s a yes or a no, (or a not yet,) celebrate.
Who’s next!?
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If you’re looking to take this a step further and want to understand what I can help you accomplish, book a call with one of our Clarity Coaches.