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!