Although we all know that the bottom line for sales is all about ‘closing the deal’, working in sales is not merely a job, but something you (should) love to do. You need to be passionate about it.
Of course, it’s also about connecting with your prospects, finding their pains and implications, and creating a proposition to ‘heal their headache’.
Passion:
… an intense, compelling feeling,
a lively or eager interest,
and great enthusiasm for
a purpose, an activity or a cause. You have to have a burning desire to really connect with and to serve customers. To go the extra mile and not stop when you’ve gotten the sale, but work on steadily building a fan club (Godin) of loyal ambassadors. They spread the word about you and your business. No, it’s not a strategy, but a way of life.
Most sales people have a vast variety of sales techniques to build rapport with their prospective customer, finding his pains and needs, drawing up and pitching a proposal. Then they negotiate and get the sale.
Knowing that most sales people can do this, it’s very difficult to compete with them and their companies.
Passion gives you that extra competitive edge. It’s the drive to give your best, by first demonstrating you want to serve and help, and in the process, sell.
It’s about the entrepreneurial spirit (even if you are on a pay-roll) of ‘making things happen’ for your customer.
It’s about knowing deep in your heart you have to build long-term profitable relationships, for both your customer and yourself. You can’t settle for less. Not because your boss wants you to do this, but because you choose to do so. It just won’t feel right if you do a ‘good’ job, when you can do a Great one.
Passion in Sales is not about the techniques; it’s not about what you do. It’s really about who You are. You can’t fake emotions, authenticity, empathy and inner drive (for a long time).
How do you (re-)ignite your passion? Ask yourself the following questions:
- What really makes you happy in your relationship with customers?
- What drives you to follow through in your follow-up when the deal is done?
- What makes you so excited about your (sales) job that you can hardly wait to get to work in the morning?
- How do (prospective) customers talk about you when you’re not around?
- How do your customers feel about you after a meeting with you? Do they have a positive feeling? Did you contribute to them having a great day?
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“I define Love as the selfless promotion of the growth of the other*.
So to me if you selflessly promote the growth of your customers and your colleagues, that’s true Love.
I don’t know what more you could do for someone.”
Tim Sanders, Chief Solutions Officer Yahoo!How many referrals, recommendations and leads do you get from existing customers? And how much repeat business?
If you don’t feel good after answering these questions, think about what you can do right now, this week, to (re-)ignite your passion with customers.
If you do feel good after answering these questions, define three actions that will make you feel Great about your passion in your (sales) work.
Drs. J. Marvin Sutherland
Marvin heeft zich gespecialiseerd in de menselijke factor van succes: de psychologie van de ondernemer, directeur of (sales) manager. Zijn passie is mensen te laten ontdekken dat zij veel meer kunnen dan dat zij vermoeden. Door hun unieke talenten en hun passie samen te brengen met een unieke meerwaarde voor hun klanten. Zijn motto is: Denkkracht + Voelkracht = creatiekracht en daadkracht.
Essential Business Improvement www.essentialbi.nl
