Have you ever come across a sleazy salesperson? I am going to say yes because we all have! I want to talk about how not to be sleazy when we sell because we don’t want to be like all of those salespeople we do not like.
Sales are so much more than volume, although not many people are aware of that. I believe that sales is more about building relationships and serving, not about how many people you can get to sign on the dotted line in a day.
When you take the time to build relationships, you get the know, like, and trust factors your clients are looking for. Yes, it is a much slower pace, but it is a more lucrative outcome.
Once you shift your mindset, you will realize that sales aren’t that bad. So, instead of thinking of selling to everyone you meet, think about being there to serve those people. Everyone you meet will become part of your circle. That circle is full of prospects and they all need help from an expert.
You are always having conversations that are ultimately sales. The people you meet at the grocery store when you are out to dinner, and even at a networking event are all going to be potential clients. Or they will know people who could be potential clients. The conversations you have will allow your circle to continue to grow.
When you are talking to people, you never want to start conversations about what you do and how good you are at your job. Instead, you must listen to what the other person is saying. This is the time to open up communication, build relationships, and build trust.
When you are talking to anyone, and you hear them say they are struggling with something, don’t tell them how you can help for a small fee. Instead, always relate the topic back to them. You must talk to them like you are their best friend. Ask what is going on and offer little tidbits of information they can use.
When you are building relationships, you must remember that sales are not instant. The sales may not happen for months or even years from now. You are simply nurturing your prospect pool over time. And this is exactly how you promote yourself to potential clients without being sleazy!
During any discovery call I have, or any networking event I go to, I never try to sell to people. Whenever people ask what I do, I give the simplest answer possible. I then talk to them and get to know them better as a person.
Remember, just like on your website and social media, everything is about your clients. You want people to see a message that allows them to see themselves benefitting from what you have to offer.
If you walked into a party and didn’t know anyone there, would you instantly tell everyone who you were, what you do for a living, and how good you are at it? I am going to guess you wouldn’t because no one would go near you for the rest of the day or night.
The better option would be to walk in and engage with the people you meet. Listen to what they have to say and make it all about them. They will remember the conversations you had when they, or someone they know, need your expertise.
The same thing holds true if you are scoping out leads in a Facebook group. You can’t go selling your services to everyone in the group unless you want to get kicked out quickly. Instead, start joining in on conversations. Once you have been talking to people for a while, when they need a little assistance, you can always ask to private message them the details.
I know you need to generate sales for your business, but you don’t need to do it in a sleazy way. You only need to nurture people you come into contact with and share your knowledge. These people will remember you being genuine with them and will either turn into a client themselves or will know someone who could use your expertise in the future.
Educating, helping, and serving are always going to be better than constantly selling. So, shift your mindset from making a sale to educating a person and see how many non-sleazy sales you make well into the future.