Relying on outdated selling methods will have buyers viewing you like a sleazy car salesperson. Today, how you sell matters more than ever. I’m revisiting episode 1533 with Andy Paul to remind you why having a human approach to selling matters. He shares how you can sell effectively without selling out.

Great Selling Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

1. The push toward sales conformity is really for management, not the seller, because management wants predictability. However, the real world is more complicated.
2. You learn, take those lessons, and apply them to life. You become the sum of your experience and knowledge. We all end up doing things differently, even if those approaches lead to the same result.
3. Despite all the tools and technological advancements that benefit us, we aren’t getting better at selling. We have ready access to a world of information, creating a better and more efficient buying experience. However, our win rates are dropping.

Where Seller Education Goes Wrong

1. When asked, “What’s your job?” the answer often comes back, “To persuade someone to buy my product.”
2. In reality, your job is to listen to the prospective buyer’s challenges and help them find resources to overcome those problems.
3. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
4. The Catalyst by Jonah Berger explains that human beings resist being persuaded.
5. Instead of persuasion, think about it from an influential perspective. Persuasion is coercive, while influence affects others without force. It’s a change in mindset.

Four Pillars of Changing Sales

1. Connection: Some people conflate a relationship with friendship. While you don’t need to be friends with buyers, you do make connections in every interaction you have.
2. Curiosity: We understand the world through curiosity and asking questions. The commonly accepted sales process allows very little time for discovery, but in reality, discovery should happen in every conversation with a prospect or buyer.
3. Understanding: Your job is to listen to the buyer. What’s the context? A salesperson’s effort to understand the buyer is an ongoing process that should never stop. Fully understanding the buyer allows you to determine how you can help them overcome challenges.
4. Generosity: Humans are wired to give and collectively support one another. Generosity triggers reciprocity, and its purpose is to achieve what is essential for both parties.

“Value exists only in the eyes of the buyer. Every interaction you have with a buyer should bring them closer to making a decision.” - Andy Paul.

Resources

Visit Andy’s website to learn more about him and order a copy of his book. You can also learn more about him on LinkedIn.

Join my Sales Mastermind to get real-world feedback, accountability, and proven sales strategies.

Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers

1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

1. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

1. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.