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The Bottom Line
Pub. Monthly - ISSN 1552-9630 - Vol. 7, Iss. 11 30 Nov. 2009

In this issue:

Food for Thought

Selling - A Necessary Part of Every Career

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Food for Thought

"Everyone lives by selling something."

Rober Louis Stevenson

Greetings!

Many a client has told me that he or she hates to sell, has rarely done it, and is simply not good at it.

However, the fact of the matter is that - be it in our personal lives or our work, we've been selling since the moment we were first able to communicate!

In this issue of The Bottom Line, we'll take a look at how to frame your approach to the selling that is necessary to get a job, close a business deal, or simply function effectively in the workplace!

Best,

Peter


  • Selling - A Necessary Part of Every Career
  • Robert Louis Stevenson is quoted as saying that "everybody lives by selling something." For those of us who consider ourselves to be "terrible at sales," this may seem to be alarming news. But, the fact is, as human beings - whether in our personal lives our or at work, we've been selling since the moment were were first able to communicate!

    What - then - is selling? In simplest terms, it is the act of persuading or inducing others to take some kind of action - whether it was buying you that toy you HAD TO have at the age of 3, hiring you (as opposed to some other candidate) for that "perfect job", or giving you money in return for goods and services.

    According to Dave Lakhani in his book Persuasion - the Art of Getting What You Want, there are certain things all "buyers" desire:

    • To be made aware that they have a need or to have their need validated
    • A relevant solution
    • Answers to their questions
    • Detailed information leading to a good decision
    • To be reassured they are getting what they need and are making the best decision (value)
    • For you to give them "permission" to make a decision right now

    He goes on to suggest a process for selling called "I SELL," consisting of the following elements:

    • I - Identify qualified prospects - people or organizations who have a need and are a good fit for your product or service.
    • S - Start your story - a case study and/or testimonial that reinforces your value proposition.
    • E - Educate, answer and encourage - use your story to build curiosity and prompt your customer or interviewer to ask questions that draw them into the story and educate them as to why you and your solution(s) are best for them.
    • L - Lead them to their best decision - as you continue telling your story, get your "audience" to make small decisions that lead them closer to the major decision to hire or buy from you.
    • L - Let them buy - when your prospects are ready to buy, sell! In the case of a job interview, ask for the job. In the case of a sale of goods or services, get the customer involved in the process or the mechanics of buying right away (drawing up a sales order or contract, committing to time lines, etc.).

    At the heart of this whole process is the art of storytelling. Whether it's PAAR (Problem- Analysis-Action-Results) stories to answer behavioral questions in job interviews or case studies to sell goods or services, a good story enrolls listeners and enables them to envision a similar outcome for themselves. And what constitutes a good story?

    According to Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman in The Elements of Persuasion, every good story contains 5 elements: Passion (energy that makes you want, or even need, to tell it); Hero (the character in the story [often yourself] who gives the audience a point of view); Antagonist (the obstacles the hero must overcome); Awareness (the insight that allows the hero to see the problem for what it is and take action); and Transformation (the changes that result for the hero and the world around her as a result of the action she takes to overcome her problems).

    As you prepare for your next job interview or sales pitch, think about what stories you can tell to enroll your listener and help him or her see that you and the goods or services you provide are the answer to his or her needs!

  • Want to know more?
  • Interested in finding out more about what may become possible for you through coaching? Feel free to call me at 415-285- 0826 to set up a free 30 minute consultation by phone or SKYPE.

    And, as always, I very much appreciate any feedback you would like to give as to how I can make this newsletter more useful to you.

    Please pass on this e-zine to your friends and associates! Just keep the entire issue intact and unaltered.

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