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In sales focus first on understanding your customers, not on being adorable
I can appreciate how someone might think that soft sell means personality. In fact, from over 30 years in sales and marketing, mostly in soft sell despite extensive hard sell training, I believe this problem is common to newbies in the field. Most people want to be liked. Unfortunately, regardless of your approach, whether traditional, hard sell or the rising in popularity heart-centered, soft sell one, sales success takes proactive work.
I’m not going to tell you that having a good personality has no impact on how easily likable you are any more than I’ll tell you that an attractive woman can’t get most men’s attention just by entering a room. In both cases, though, the initial appeal may undermine their ability to be taken seriously. In my experience, true heart-centered, soft sell sales success has little or nothing to do with having a likable personality.
That may sound contrary to the Internet marketing mantra that even I espouse about wanting to help people come to know, like and trust you. The misunderstanding is due to a superficial idea about being liked. Remember that in soft sell sales, the goal is to get to know and understand your prospects’ concerns before you sell.
You need to care enough about their interests to ask questions first. It’s essential you understand their viewpoints so be thorough. Once they confirm that you really grasp what they need and want, then you can “help customers buy.”
The idea that soft sell sales is all about personality is wrong. Don’t be misled because we say you want prospects to know, like and trust you. There are degrees to being liked. Customers trust and like people who respect them and care about them first. When they agree that your solution fixes their problem or delivers their desires – and when they are ready, they will buy. Focus on what’s in it for them. Even if you have a marginally pleasant personality, they will buy from you because you satisfied their deeper wants and needs.
If you would like to read the inspiration for this blog post, check out Judith & Jim’s “Soft Sell Marketing Misconceptions – A Dime a Dozen.”
How to Ask a Closing Question
Gratitude Sets the Right Attitude
Heart Centered Selling’s not for Wimps
Have You Heard the MLM Lies?
Sales Motivation – Remember, There’s more to Life than Money
Trusting a Salesperson Is Tough; Liking Is Easy
If No One Cares, It’s Not a Unique Selling Proposition
If Sales Calls to You Are Win-Lose Battles, Read No Further
