Sales is hard, and as someone who’s sold many different products and services in a variety of industries, I can tell you first-hand that it is even harder when you lack confidence because your messaging is weak.
Confidence is a very significant component of sales success, and when you are not confident in your messaging (YOUR SALES STORY), that’s a huge problem. If you don’t believe that what you’re saying or writing is compelling, how in the world can you pick up the phone, send a message, kickoff a discovery meeting, or deliver a presentation or proposal with any confidence?
I just looked up the word “Compelling” and absolutely love the very first definition listed:
How would your life as a professional seller or sales leader change if you (or your team) had a powerfully irresistible message? How much more confident would you (or they) be to initiate contact with prospective customers? How many more messages do you think would get returned and how many more meetings might be secured? How much better would you be avoiding getting commoditized and having to sell on price?
One of the keys to sharpening the sales story is ensuring that we lead into our message with what’s important to the customer. Instead of starting calls, voicemails, emails, and conversations with the typical self/company/product/solution-focused drivel that repels customers, how much more compelling (powerfully irresistible) would YOUR SALES STORY be if you/your team were leading with the issues your solution addresses and the outcomes your solution helps customers achieve?
If you’re ready to invest some energy sharpening your most important sales weapon and thereby significantly increasing both your confidence and your effectiveness, do two things:
First, spend time reviewing the messaging in your main sales weapons. Take a good look at call outlines, voicemails, LinkedIn messages, even your collateral materials and presentations. As you review these sales weapons, evaluate whether the first points and the main points are more about your company and what you sell, or more focused on how you help customers (address issues and achieve outcomes). To make your messaging more compelling, it must become more focused on the value you create instead of your company and your offerings!
Second, keep an eye out for more help from me on this critical topic next week. We’ve got something very exciting that I can guarantee will not only radically improve your messaging and your confidence, it will make your entire life as a salesperson or sales leader easier.
To those in the US, have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend. Let’s come back ready to hit it hard heading into the Fall Selling Season!
Mike
