Sales. I feel like this word terrifies a lot of people…especially when it comes to opening their own business. The one thing I hear all the time? “I don’t know how to sell myself.”
In today’s world we are seeing on average 5000 ads a day. 5000! Isn’t that crazy? The beauty and the curse of social media and the internet means that we are more accessible than ever before…meaning so is everyone else.
So here’s the thing. Sales isn’t about selling. I mean, we all know that the ultimate goal is to get clients, but it isn’t just about asking for the deal. If we are going to keep up with the changing market, we have to adapt to a different setting and I would argue that instead, sales is a mindset.
Here are the 3 things I think are really important when it comes to selling yourself…
- You have to be seen.
I used to hate social media. I’ll be honest about that. When I first started in the business, I wanted to stay away from it. I was a private person and I didn’t want everyone seeing my life. And going on video? Hell no! That wasn’t me. Then I realized just how much marketing had changed and how much my ideal client was using social media, and being seen became one of the most important factors in my business. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn…people want to see that you’re a human being. You’re someone they can relate to. So that’s first.
- Give value.
When I say being seen, I’m not just talking about you posting your wins and selfies everywhere. I’m talking about giving value. How can you educate your clients? Give them something that they would really benefit from. Coming from the mindset of “how can I help”, changes your perspective. See what the gaps are in the market and figure out how you can plug them. Being scared to give too much is telling the universe that you don’t want to create those connections. The more you give, the more you get. I truly believe that.
- Listen.
For me, this one is one of the most important aspects of sales. When you’re taking to someone, you have to be truly listening to what they have to say. I know it sounds obvious, doesn’t it? And yet, when we’re talking to someone about what we do, most of us tend to stay in out own heads and think more about ourselves. How am I going to ask for the deal? How are they going to respond if I ask them to sign today?
But when we’re focusing on ourselves, it’s impossible for us to be truly authentic. It’s impossible for us to seem genuine. But if you listen, thats where the gifts are. Thats where you’re going to find things in common. That’s when you’re going to learn what people are ASKING for in your industry. That’s when you’re going to learn and grow. That’s when you’re going to develop rapport and in some cases…they may even ask YOU.
What are your insights into the sales industry? How do you think the world of sales has changed? Comment below!
