Whether you realize it or not, everyone is selling
something. Of course, none of us like being sold to, but the fact of the matter
is, we’re always either buying or selling from each other.
Robert Stevenson said, “Anyone who sells a product, services or an idea is a salesperson.”
For example, a mother sells her values to a child. The rewards are emotional
and not monetary. As a minister, I “sell”
the idea of Christianity to people who have not yet experienced Christ as their
Lord and Savior. As a professional, when a person sells a solution, it is
called a win-win because both parties end up gaining. The bigger the problem
you solve the more profit you make!
Sales people often make the mistake of pushing their
product. They’re eager for a quick gain but it’s not very effective in the long
run. Always remember that people don’t
buy products and services; they buy the experience of you. This is why it
is so important to focus on building relationships
and not so much on hard sales.
Be a better listener. You’ve heard the phrase, “If you’re telling, you’re not selling.”
If you’re always dominating the conversation, you’re losing. It is far superior
to learn the art of asking open-ended questions. I spent a lot of money and
hundreds of hours watching interviews by Larry
King on multiple DVDs because he could talk to anybody — presidents, film
stars, celebrities, drunks, and crazy politicians! More accurately, he puts
everyone at ease and they’re willing to share with him. Today, people compliment
me as being a good listener. Why? It is because I take genuine interest in the
person I’m in front of. This is what Jesus did. He took time to talk to ONE
Samaritan woman by the well and the whole city came to know Him! Ask about the
person, their family, values, and their lifestyle. The more they talk, the
better educated you’ll be to provide a solution to their need. My banker friend
Gale Wagner always says, “We’re
interested in YOU and not just your money.” What a great way to add value
to people!
Believe in yourself and your product. As a doctor, if
you’re not going to give that medicine to your child, then it’s unethical to
prescribe it to others. If you’re going to sell anything, you must believe in
it. Recently, I was talking to a friend who needed to sell certain services to
his constituency. He had been working hard but something was missing. I told
him to share his passion with the people he was contacting and ask, with
boldness, if they wanted to provide a solution to his cause. Within three days
he had raised thousands of dollars for his mission. What was the difference? He
added conviction to his cause. People see you as you see yourself. If they
don’t see your faith, enthusiasm, and
desire to help others, people won’t buy from you.
Don’t focus on the price, focus
on value. You have no competition because there’s no one like you! Certainly,
consumers want to buy the best and pay the least. But any sensible person knows
that you get what you pay for. You have to find creative ways to add value to
your customers. I know business owners who have full-time employees to answer
the phone. Why is that? It is because human nature is to feel important. Nobody
likes to talk to a machine. If you’re providing value, your customers will pay
for your product.
Always do what is right for the customer. Once, my
suitcase was lost during international travel. It was not a pleasant experience
because the airline didn’t even know where my luggage was. Finally, the airline
sent me a settlement check compensating me for my lost luggage. Only a couple
of days after that, I got a phone call from a different airline in Mexico City
(it was not my destination) saying they had found my lost suitcase. A few things were missing but I got my luggage back.
Since I got most of my belongings back, I called the airline and asked them
where I could send a check because they’d now overpaid for my lost items. They
said, “Mr. Anderson, you can keep the
whole check. We’re sorry for your inconvenience. We hope you will travel with
us again.” Yes, I will. Why? It is because they did me right as a customer.
Friend, this week go out and believe that you can sell. Internally, you must see yourself
closing a sale long before you talk to a customer. Talk less, listen more.
People don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you care. Believe
in yourself, believe in your product,and most of all, believe in the favor of
God. He wants to bless you so that you can be a blessing to the world. I’m
praying for you!
"The LORD
your God will then make you successful in everything you do. He will give you
many children and numerous livestock, and he will cause your fields to produce
abundant harvests, for the LORD will again delight in being good to you as he
was to your ancestors” (Deuteronomy 30:9 NLT).
