Probably more “selling,” happens outside the sales profession than within the profession. That “selling,” isn’t measured by revenue or quote, but it happens every minute of every hour of every day.
Think about it—it’s getting buy-in to your idea in the company. It’s getting people on your team to want to be on your team, share your vision, help you achieve the goal. It’s listening to someone rave about a movie or restaurant, and putting it on your list to do. We see examples of people doing this in our business and professional lives all the time.
They don’t know anything about their questioning technique, they haven’t been schooled in objection handling, they aren’t trying a cool closing technique. They don’t know anything about the things we sales professionals tend to obsess about, yet they are enormously effective in getting what they want, and in helping the people they are “selling,” get what they want.
Watch someone who’s really good! It may be the engineering project manager who always is leading the hottest project with the hottest team. Or it could be the entrepreneur, recruiting people for her company, sharing their vision for transforming the world. Or a manufacturing manager looking to change the manufacturing process. First, they focus on people who they think are really interested in the project, they don’t waste their time on people who aren’t. Then they get the individual excited about the vision of the project and what “they” could accomplish. Then they get the person to see themselves as part of the project and what it does for them. At the end, the person is so excited and captivated by being part of the team, they tell the “seller,” “Wow, that’s awesome, can I be a part of the team.”
Watch enough people doing this, particularly those that do it really well, you start noticing some patterns.
First, is their passion. They know it’s the “right” thing to do. They know it’s the “right” thing for the person to do. They BELIEVE.
Second, and closely on the heels of the first is they believe so strongly, it becomes who they are. People know that Trish is driven by the vision of the project and what it can achieve. These great “sales people,” simply don’t give up. They keep trying they keep pushing, prodding, coercing, cajoling; they try every approach they can to “sell” their idea.
Third, they find people who are interested and focus on the person’s self interest in convincing them. If they see the person just doesn’t care and would never see themselves as part of what it is they are trying to achieve, they don’t waste their time on people who don’t share their vision and passion.
I think we “sales professionals,” can learn a lot by watching people who “sell” but aren’t sales professionals. They aren’t encumbered by all the stuff sales professionals are supposed to do, but they sell—they accomplish a huge amount.
I think we can learn a lot from them. I think we can learn a lot from their passion, from what they believe, from their persistence, from their focus on the people they are trying to sell.
Perhaps learning from them helps us sell better.
I agree completely. The most effective sales people find Champions and provide them insight, information, and anything else they need to achieve the positive business outcomes they are aligned with in the organization.
Steve: Thanks for the comment. Expanding on it–leveraging the Champions idea–Champions aren’t sales people but know how to sell. We can learn a lot from them. Thanks for adding this to the discussion. (By the way, owe you a call/follow up). Regards, Dave
Your very welcome. I always find your blog posts insightful and practical.
A follow up conversation would be great.
I have always sold the way I want to be sold..
Thanks Norman!