Authentic ‘Sales’ Convo Without Being ‘Salesy’

So you started your business because you LOVE sales, right? Probably not! If you’re like most solpreneur women I meet, you have a deep passion to make a big impact in the world through helping others. But to stay in business you obviously need money and to get money, you must sell your products and/or services.

Enter: the sales conversation. Uggg.

I remember sitting in my home office when I first started health coaching, prepping for a call with a prospective client by reviewing a ‘sales script’ I got from a business coach. I was really wound up, nervous and just felt ‘icky’ about the whole thing. Have you ever felt that way?

If this was how sales works, I thought, I’m screwed. Not because I wasn’t up for the challenge. Because it didn’t feel genuine, honest or authentic. It just felt icky…

There had to be a better way to have this conversation.

So after years of learning, working with more business coaches and practicing, I finally found a better way. A way that I want to share with you today. A way that makes me feel happy, ethical and loving throughout the entire conversations. A way that I hope will do the same for you and your business.

And the best part? There’s no secrets, fancy formulas or strategies.

Here’s what I did: I completely got rid of my split personality voices. You know, the difference in how you talk in ‘business’ v. your ‘personal’ life? So instead of forcing a sales script in my ‘business voice’ I did the opposite. I ditched the script, consolidated my voices to one (which was just me being ME), and treated everyone I met as a dear friend (yes, tough love and all).

The results were profound.

First, I found a stronger version of my voice which brought more confidence in my coaching and results with my clients. Second, my sales steadily increased.

I promise you there’s no magic to what I did. So if you’re looking for that magic ‘sales’ wand, this is sure to disappoint.

But if you’re looking for an authentic way to approach the ‘icky’ sales conversation, attract clients, and increase profits – then try this on for size.

How To Have An Authentic ‘Sales’ Convo Without Being ‘Salesy’:

• Simply serve.

  • Authentic sales conversations start with YOU shifting your mindset from ‘convincing’ someone to ‘simply serving’ the needs they have right now. When you are in service to someone, you are genuinely providing an answer (aka: solution) to their problem(s) they most want solved. You are not hard selling a product or service that will not be useful. You’re just helping them move forward by sharing what you believe will be useful for them (even if it means NOT working with you or buying your product).

• Get curious.

  • In an era where computers, social media and smartphones rule our levels of engagement, talking to someone on the phone or in-person is refreshing and energizing. People today want to talk to a person, not a machine. And more importantly, we want to be heard. Ask questions to get to know your prospective client, be curious about their answers, explore other possible areas where you could help them, and listen very carefully.

• Let your brilliance shine.

  • This is about sharing your product/service as the problem-solver. The simple act of someone scheduling a time to talk with you means they are ready to change; they do not like where things are at today. Your job is simply to create trust with this person (simply serve), ascertain what they want (get curious), and then match what they want with your product or service (let your brilliance shine). Voila! No hard selling. No trying to figure out how to ‘con’ the person into buying what you have to offer. Just genuinely sharing with them a possible solution to their problem.

  • BONUS TIP:

    Letting your brilliance shine works best when you connect the conversation dots for the client. The way you do that is by simply telling them (IN THEIR WORDS) that you understand their challenges/goals and that you have a resource to help solve their problem. Using their words v. clever sales lingo keeps the conversation real and helps establish a deeper sense of trust.

Authentic sales conversations with prospective clients = you will always win. You’ll either get the sale on the spot, a strong lead for a future sale, or positive ‘sales’ mojo that is guaranteed to circle back your way ten fold.

The next time you go into a ‘sales’ conversation, ask yourself: how can I simply serve this client through my curiosity and brilliance to help them be more awesome in the world?

Post a comment below and tell me how you approach ‘sales’ convos without being ‘salesy’.