3% of all business owners make 84% of all private biz income. Why? They’re not covering for unknown weaknesseses.
Make more money – stop selling and let people buy.
Serve, don’t sell.
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This article was published on August 24, 2008. So far, 9 people have left their thoughts. Share your own thoughts.
The stereotypical used car guy focuses quickly on what he could say or do to make the sale. What emotional string can he pull? What weakness can he exploit? Do they hate confrontation? Are they easy to confuse? Do they have big egos? Do they fear losing out on the car to somebody else? Most importantly, how are they perceiving me, the salesperson?
Problem – We all want to buy things, but nobody really wants to be sold anything. I might actually enjoy buying furniture if I didn’t have someone in my face as soon as I walk in trying to “answer my questions” (translated, figure out what they can start selling me).
Here’s a simple concept; serve, don’t sell. Don’t ever sell anybody anything. Ever. Just serve them where they are in what they need, even if their need has absolutely nothing to do with what you sell. If you were disciplined enough to stop selling your product or service and simply figure out how to serve the people you meet, your sales would increase exponentially.
Why? First, the old sales saw is true – people buy from people (not companies), and they buy the most from people they like the most. Do I get people to like me by being clever or reading body language? No, people like me because I do something that actually helps them move forward in whatever it is that is standing in their way.
Second, if we serve people in what THEY need, not in what advances our agenda, it builds trust, credibility, and motivation all at once. And the result is ironically indebtedness. You’ve helped me so much, if there is anything I can ever do for you… The used car salesman would die to get that kind of loyalty out of a customer. He just wouldn’t serve the customer to get there.
You’ll read this, but it’s not likely you’ll actually apply it. We all “believe” it, but because the benefit is many times delayed (no quick sale), we have trouble actually doing it. You may make a few less quick sales, but you’ll make a lot more long term ones.
Oh, and be prepared for this. “My friend said you took care of him in a way that didn’t even relate to your business. That’s why I’m here to buy from you.”
I dare you to not even bring up your business. Just serve them where they are, not where you want them to be. You’ll make more money in less time.
Add Your Own
Thoughts
Scot Duke
08/24/08
Good point. Too many times businesses figure in such a small margin of profit in their products they are forced into a Must Sale environment. Meaning that out of every 10 people they meet or walks into their business they have to sell 8 of them, and out of the 8 they have to sale 6 more than they came into get or can afford. Thus, the furniture, car dealers and about a dozen other industries will always be making this issue ongoing.
Just adding a larger profit margin to the product will not solve the problem. Quality is what customers buy. So produce a quality product and the customers will buy without anyone selling them anything.
Syage
08/24/08
Great post.
I have experience this quite a bit in my commercial real estate career. Some of my greatest clients have been those whom I have helped in other ways, aside from business. Either, I have given them books, made them audio CD programs, etc that can help them with their business or a phase they are experience in life.
Some of my clients are to this day, great friends with whom I enjoy spending time with.
It is truly rewarding.
David Wilkinson
08/25/08
EXCELLENT post Chuck. When did you say the next one was due to be published? ;)
- David
Patrick Johnson
08/25/08
Great post,
Too often sales gets focused on the numbers game; if you sell to x amount of prospects you will get y in sales. The formula will always work, but it has changed over the years as more and more people refuse to be sold.
Chuck is absolutely right, simply finding a solution to the problem and not just selling your solution will generate longer relationships, easier sales, higher profit, but at the cost of a much longer sales cycle. I say big flipn deal. I need new business six months from now just as much as I need it today.
Sales Karma
Robb Lejuwaan
08/25/08
Funny thing; right before I read your post I was tempted to try to sell someone. Someone commented on my blog asking what I thought of a competitor. I did not know much about them so I didn’t have much to write. Then came the temptation, “how could I get them to become my client?” I thought to myself. But I resisted and just commented on this person’s Twitter account to let me know how I could be of service.
Your blog post just re-confirmed I made the best choice. Thanks.
John Nelson
08/26/08
Great article and the devil is in the details. I train people to “sell” better for a living—helping individuals take more control of their “selling” process and companies create a much more successful “selling” culture. That said, I do not teach people to sellI teach them how to have people buy. Rule: People love to buy—they hate to be sold.
The devil in the details of the selling-by not selling philosophy is it is easier said than done. All people in sales have hidden, self-limiting beliefs that predetermine their communication, their behavior and thus their results in sales. Even if they are consciously selling with the “I don’t sell” mindset, their subconscious programming gives them away.
Subconscious programming determines over 95% of people’s results in life. In my experience, it determines 99% of the results they get in sales no matter what they attempt to do consciously. If you want to get better at “selling” (or anything else for that matter) it is always an inside job.
Arnel Tanyag
08/27/08
Chuck:
You are right! I want to buy from people versus being sold. I am looking forward to your next blog.
Neal Hattier
09/01/08
Chuck-
Thank you for your honest thoughts.
I have been in the medical business since 1985, and owned my business since 1996. If you would please take a moment and review my site I would really appreciate it. Your philosophies are so beautifully timeless, all I can say is thank you. My ‘widget’ has helped thousands of patients with back pain. I am just establishing my on-line presence, and can use any help that I can get.
I will implement the subtleties of your wisdom to my business as soon as I return home I am currently an evacuee from Hurricane Gustav, originally from New Orleans.
You are welcome to visit my site
I welcome your critique, and would love to hear from you
Peace
Chuck
09/26/08
Neal,
See the emails I sent you on this. In general – good results-oriented text, good videos, good offer, but too many conflicting fonts, colors, design elements, and text placements. If you want great design assistance, write Grant Blakeman at gb Studio – he is the design genius for everything I do.
Best,
Chuck