As a professional in business, you’re likely not to think of yourself as a salesperson. But the truth is: You are! It’s not a bad thing. And it doesn’t mean you’re going door to door hawking your wares. No! What you are doing though, is selling your ideas. And to convince someone of those ideas, you need to be good at selling.
Best-selling author, Daniel Pink, has a great book titled, To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others. In the book, he explains that every day we are “selling.” Whether it’s a parent trying to convince her/his child that the sugar-free drink is better, or it’s a financial planner trying to convince a client of the best plan for her/him, we’re selling!
Every day, there are people who are trying to sell something to us. It could be a service or a product. Often, I receive sales pitches from people who want my business. I am sure you do too. If the pitch is well-crafted and delivered smoothly, it interests me. But, if the pitch is really awful or annoying, or if the person tries to pressure or hard sell me, I get my back up.
This situation occurred recently. Someone contacted me trying to sell her service. It was a “special offer,” with a discount. It was only available if I made my mind up right then. Of course, I said, “No.” I wasn’t convinced at that moment that what she was selling was worth buying. She just made me feel pressured and rushed. She turned me off! Successful selling is about effective communication and relationship building. That usually takes time. Generally, it takes eight touchpoints with another person to make a sale or a deal.
There are two keys to selling your ideas in business.
1. Tell Stories
People are drawn in by stories, whether spoken or written. We tell stories every day. For example, someone asks you how your vacation was. You don’t list every roadside stop. You share the highlights. The same is true of selling ideas in business. You need to draw someone in, not waste their time with unnecessary details.
2. Be Expressive
In order to engage the other person, you need to bring some emotion to your story. One of the bigger challenges some of my non-native English- speaking clients have is the ability to enunciate their words with energy, rather than in a monotone voice. If you feel uncomfortable or awkward speaking a language you’re not used to, it’s harder to be expressive. Even if English is your first language, you still need to modulate your voice. Selling an idea requires animating your voice and sharing your enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, “selling” sometimes gets a bad rap. It’s as if people think you’re trying to trick them into buying something or doing something they really don’t want to do. It’s more about you believing in what it is you have to sell and sharing that belief. I hope you believe me! If you do, then I’ve sold you on the idea of the art of selling!
Schedule a 30 minute complimentary phone or video meeting to meet Dr. Sandra Folk. She’ll be happy to talk to you about your business communications challenges.