We could spend hours discussing the importance of honing your craft. But, whether it’s perfecting your golf swing, mixing the perfect cocktail, and of course, making sales, practice is what leads to a better result. Today’s episode of The Sales Evangelist features NYT bestselling author Seth Godin. He and Donald discuss elements of his most recent book “The Practice” and how salespeople can use these principles to connect with prospects.
There is a disconnect between what selling used to be and what selling is now.
- A salesperson is no longer responsible for informing prospects or conducting a sale- the internet does that.
- A salesperson is responsible, however, for the transference of emotion. And that is the skill most salespeople need to cultivate.
How can the idea of trusting yourself from “The Practice” help an individual sales rep?
- Most people are their own worst boss. They’re never satisfied with their work and undermine their future potential.
- The challenge that comes with trusting yourself is acknowledging two voices in your head - the scared one that needs reassurance and the generous, connected voice. Silence the first voice a little bit and listen to the other one.
- In a B2B setting, we don’t need a replaceable salesperson lined up to argue about some RPF; we need people with creativity and confidence. Remember, the client isn’t just buying the product; they’re buying the story.
Instead of saying “I need to be the expert,” say “ I know all the questions.”
- Young BDRs don’t position themselves to be seen as the expert. View yourself as a consultant to be more confident in conducting meaningful conversations.
- If you know the ten questions that change everything for a client, that’s useful.
- You aren’t pushing people to buy your answer, but it’s about being present for someone to find their own.
- Look at Fred Wilson’s blog (one of the most successful venture capitalists of all time.)
Be like Jackson Pollock.
- Both Jackson and his brother Charles took painting classes from Thomas Hart Benton.
- Charles’s work looked like Benton’s, and he went unknown. On the other hand, Jackson’s work was creative. However, everyone hated it.
- But when the right collectors saw his work, Jackson found success. The moral of the story: Don’t look for gimmicks or stunts. Just be unique.
- The desire to be liked and fit in drives many salespeople to the role. But great salespeople are willing to bring friction to the table to get people out of their rut.
Be a Purple Cow and look for ways to stand out.
- Being a purple cow isn’t talking about yourself. What it means to be remarkable is that people make remarks about you.
- They're not going to talk about you because you need to make a sale. They're going to talk about you because you're generous, see status roles, understand affiliation, have insight, and make their life better.
Seth’s takeaway for people new to the sales industry? You don’t need to learn all the tactics yet. First, decide if you want to be a professional, look to the future, and fail along the way. For more content from Seth, check out his blog for daily articles, and purchase his new book The Practice or his previous book