Shut up! Stop Talking and Start Making Money is now in its production phase with a release date of early Fall.  The book will be designed for Professional Salespeople, Business Owners and people who want to get better at selling their ideas to their boss.  Here’s an excerpt from Chapter One:

 

The Stigma of Sales

Tell people at a dinner party that you’re a salesperson and one of two things happens. They either say “Oh yeah?” and start looking for a way to get away from you or they ask the famous question, “So, how would you sell ice to an Eskimo?”

Really? Is that what society thinks of our profession? Unfortunately, yes.

I once asked the following question on my weekly PROSALESGUY BLOG –

What is the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word “salesperson”?

The top three words that came back were:

like and follow us thumbs up red icon or button

 

1.      Pushy

2.       Persistent

3.       Peddler 

 

These were followed by Slick, Aggressive, Annoying, Arrogant, Avoided, Caution, Cheesy, Closer, Cost, Crafty, Dishonest, Evil, Greedy, Intrusive, Lying, Mover, No, Relentless, Scumbag, Shady, Snake-oil, Suspicious, Talker, Tricky and Unprepared.

Suddenly there’s little mystery why so many people avoid careers in sales. The entire profession carries a horrible stigma.

When I later sent the same request to select colleagues and associates within the sales industry, I received an entirely different set of words:

 

like and follow us thumbs up red icon or button

 

Advisor, Achiever, Awesome, Believer, Brilliant, Communicator, Confident, Consistent, Detailed, Diligent, Ethical, Facilitator, Firefighter, Flexible, Focused, Great, Hardworking, Helpful, Honest, Inquisitive, Listener, Passionate, Persevering, Personable, Resourceful, Service, Solvers, Trustworthy, Vibrant, Work Hard

 

Now, that’s more like it!

 

There is an elite group of Professional Salespeople within our industry who are proud of what they do and to whom the idea of selling ice to an Eskimo is a ridiculous test of sales ability. By working hard to offer their customers the very best in service and resourcefulness they have earned those capital letters in their title of “Professional Salesperson.”

 

So where’s the disconnect?

Salespeople spend far too much time trying to sell products and services to people who don’t want to buy them. Instead of chasing after people, Professional Salespeople invest their time sourcing out those future customers who are actively looking for their product or service. Then, rather than delivering a long-winded sales pitch, they provide education so that the prospect can make a genuinely beneficial decision. That’s how you get repeat business and that’s how you earn referrals.

 

Closing techniques are seldom required when you’re speaking with qualified prospects with a genuine interest in what you have to offer. Such prospects will exhibit the buying signs that make their intentions clear. “When can I start?” “How quick is delivery?” “What form of down payment is required?” “What payment methods do you offer?” These all indicate a high interest in making a purchase.

 

The ABCs of sales is NOT Always Be Closing!

like and follow us thumbs up red icon or button

 

In the movie Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin plays an overbearing sales manager who is so obnoxious and vile that he doesn’t even have a name. The Salespeople at his real estate company are browbeaten and abused in the hope that such humiliation will sufficiently motivate them to sell people regardless of their needs or desires.

 

Baldwin’s character subscribes to the sales mantra of “Always Be Closing.” “Get them to sign on the line that is dotted” is just one of the often-quoted lines from the film. While the movie fell shy of expectations with the general public, it’s a cult classic within the sales industry and is a shining example of what not to do and how not to act.

 

The real ABCs of sales

The true ABCs of sales is Always Be Connecting. Smart salespeople are always connecting with their current customers and reaching out to establish new relationships. They don’t take their clients’ business for granted and they’re always looking for new opportunities.


If you enjoyed reading this except of Chapter One of  Shut up! Stop Talking and Start Making Money subscribe to this blog for the release date later this summer.

 

Dave Warawa PROSALESGUY

Pro Sales GuyPro Sales Guy

 

PROSALESGUY TRAINING offers Group and Individual Sales Training, Sales Management Mentoring and Consultation,  and Business Consulting Services in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.  Training can be done on site or via web conferencing.