So, What is "selling" anyway?

Who’d think one little word could get people so worked up? And, what is "selling" anyway? Well, according to http://www.dictionary.com/, if we look up the word "selling" and scroll down to the verb definitions…Yep. There it is, not once but twice, definitions 4 and 5…"to persuade or INDUCE someone to buy something."

Ouch. No wonder people who get into sales like to say they aren’t in sales…

I’m going to be the first to tell you, after having two children via induction, it’s not a great thing to experience. Okay, different inducement. But the point is, inducing or even persuading…not such a great way to go about things anymore. Truthfully, it hasn’t been for years. But there are lots of "salespeople" out there who, IF formally trained at all, haven’t been trained any other way than the "persuade, induce, manipulate" school of selling. And they’ve given an honorable profession a terrible reputation.

So, then, what is "Better Selling?" Well, if I have it my way, better selling is finding a need and filling THAT need. It is NOT aggressive, pushy, manipulative, OR inductive.

It’s paid PROBLEM SOLVING.

And it IS "selling."

It’s all about listening. When I teach, the very first thing I teach a new consultant to do is to be quiet and listen. The second skill is to learn to ask questions. Then listen some more. Why? It’s all about finding out IF this prospect, customer, or guest has a need for the product. Does the product solve a problem? If not, LET THEM GO! Teaching salespeople to qualify effectively is an absolute essential of Better Selling. If I can’t fix a problem in your life, I have nothing to sell to you…right now.

So, for many salespeople and new direct sales consultants, the challenge lies in getting started. In filling their well with potential customers, hostesses, and maybe fellow consultants. I believe the best place to begin to find people with needs is to look for people who have the same need the product filled for you. This technique is explained in great detail in Kim Klaver’s book "If My Product’s So Great, How Come I Can’t Sell It?" http://budurl.com/findingprospects I definitely recommend the read. Twitter @kimklaver

And that, my friends, is what I mean when I talk about Better Selling. Find a need and fill it. Expose a problem and solve it. Listen and Help. But, it is SELLING. Okay, call it what you want. I just can’t see the national convention of any company giving an award to the Queen of Offering.

...I’m just saying.

SALES…The Life of the Party Plan

Kimberly Bates, the Better Seller Coach
http://www.beabetterseller.net/ Twitter @thebetterseller