| Getting someone to like you is not going to close | | | | want better than other alternatives. It's not about |
| sales - especially during a business recession. It is | | | | being cordial, good looking, funny, etc. It's about |
| amazing that this misconception is embraced by | | | | helping the other person get done what s/he has |
| so many sales people as the essence of | | | | to do with less effort and risk, and/or with the |
| relationship selling. Hopefully this will clear up why | | | | assurance of bigger rewards. |
| liking doesn't make a relationship nor put money in | | | | It's not to say that charming, dressed attractively, |
| your pocket. | | | | etc. doesn't help. But it's not enough. There has to |
| As I'm wondering among the people at a | | | | be the promise of providing success to the buyer |
| networking event, I bump into a person without a | | | | with minimum risk of failure, or stated another |
| company name on his name tag - red flag! Well, | | | | way, the assurance that you will protect or |
| I'm there and I don't have one on either so I ask | | | | enhance the buyers career / job position. So |
| him who he's with, and via a long explanation he | | | | inside that pretty smile and spiffy suit there has |
| says he's not employed and looking to network | | | | to be the substance that the buyer is willing to |
| into this industry. So we start talking about his job | | | | take a chance with. Otherwise, you're pleasant to |
| search and I mention he should read an article I | | | | be around, but not one to invest in. |
| wrote titled, Getting a Job Is a Full Time Selling | | | | So the moral of this story is to focus on the |
| Job. | | | | results people want for themselves. Don't assume |
| Then he says, "I learned long ago selling is getting | | | | you know what they want. Let people tell you in |
| people to like you." Well, I've certainly heard this | | | | their own explicit language. In this way you may |
| enough in my 15 years of sales coaching and | | | | learn something you don't know, and they will |
| training. Unfortunately, this concept has lost its | | | | know for certain that you do know. It's nice to be |
| essence over time. | | | | liked, but without the results, it doesn't buy much. |
| In the professional arena, as well as in personal | | | | Think of it this way, people will buy from |
| situations, "people liking you means" they get | | | | someone they don't like if they get what they |
| from you something they want. In a selling | | | | want. The opposite is not true. |
| situation, if you want someone to buy from you | | | | And now I invite you to learn more. |
| (like you), give them or deliver the results they | | | | |