To Change Your Sales Approach May Require Courage

Your sales approach may be your obstacle tomarketing does not involve selling. The goal of
sales success. Of course, you may not know thismarketing is to attract attention, create an
because how you sell is still working. Yet, as theinterest, build desire and include a call to action.
old expression goes there may be a way to buildWithin the sales process that I use with my sales
a better mousetrap.training, marketing has two goals:
A proven sales process should dictate your selling- To make a friend
behaviors. Some in sales use what I call a- To be asked back
"spraying and praying" strategy. These folks areFar too many salespersons begin their approach
attending business networking events, luncheonsby infecting their potential customers with what I
to seminars in the hope to meet a lot of potentialhave dubbed the 3Ps virus. They spew product,
customers (a.k.a. prospects) and hope thatprice or proposal way before a mutual relationship
several turn into clients.has been established. As Jeff Gitomer has often
After working with my sales coaching clients andbeen quoted: People buy from people they know
being involved in formal business networkingand trust. Sales Coaching Tip: Relationship selling
groups, attending many business before and afterwill deliver far more results when you engaged in
hours events along with numerous sales seminarseducation based marketing.
and workshop, I have witnessed first hand theTo change your current sales approach will require
number of small business owners who are totallycourage because only 1 out of 10 people will
clueless about having a specific (note the wordactually change even when confronted with facts,
specific) target market. At a recent event, Ifear or force. This has been documented through
heard one business owner stated that she wasthe work of Alan Deutschman in his book Change
looking for a health care practitioner with a largeor Die.
database. Upon asking for clarification regardingEven after you begin to change, you will still need
the type of health care provider and what doescourage to stay the course because it is much
large mean, she finally said a chiropractor with 250easier to do what you have always done. Human
clients was an ideal potential customer.beings are creatures of conditioning and this
Within a proven sales process, there are specificworks against them when they are engaged in
marketing and selling skills necessary to secureany change process.
the desired result of an actual, delighted, referralThe choice is always yours. You can be one of
generating customer. Many who sell professionallythe few who secures sales success or one of the
confuse marketing, selling and productivity.many who is still trying.
Marketing does not involve selling. Let me repeat,