Recently, while delivering a keynote speech to a large sales team, I shared with them the ultimate sales pro secret. What is it? I promise, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. Keep reading to find out all about my secret sauce!
My Ultimate Sales Pro Secret
Be the best employee your customer’s never had on their official payroll
Yep, that’s it. I promise it’s as simple as it sounds, approaching all sales like this works wonders. Here’s why, when I think back on my years in senior corporate leadership and even now, as a business owner of several small businesses, it’s hard finding top level applicants to hire. In my experience, and quite a few other senior leaders in the middle that I coach, it’s a persistent challenge we all face. I can tell without a shadow of a doubt that that it’s one of the hardest but necessary things I need to resolve as a leader. Why? Great employees under good leadership creates a #winningculture AND a successful business.
HOW to Apply the Ultimate Sales Pro Secret
Great people to hire are hard to find
My solution is for you to turn a prevalent thorn in the side issue into a strategic sales win. Here’s how I recommend you approach it:
“Mr. or Mrs. Boss, my number one goal as your Sales Executive is to become the best employee you have that you never have to pay. My company and I are here to get the job done and make life easier for you.”
Now, you need to realize this statement calls for a great deal of follow through. It’s a big commitment for a great level of responsibility. Do not take it lightly, your word must be as good as gold. To honor this promise to your client, it requires conviction, competence, compassion, and a true overall servant mindset.
You have a huge competitive advantage when you approach sales this way. Who doesn’t want a great employee, much less one they don’t have to pay?! Not one soul!
Get it Done- Always
So now you’ve got my sales pro recipe:
- 1 cup commitment
- 1 cup conviction
- 1 cup compassion
- 1 cup competency
- 1 ½ cups servant mindset
- 2 cups follow through
However, you’ll still need to do a little bit of research to find out what each client sees as a great employee. Why? Everyone’s business needs are unique, and you’ll need to research their specific wants to fill that gap. If instead you choose to make assumptions, well you know the saying, you make an ass of you and…Trust me, adding even a dash of assumption will turn this recipe sour; gross!
Ok, so you’re demonstrating why you’re capable or willing to do the work they see as valuable. Let me warn you, this goes beyond pitching why you’re better than the competition statements. Every single sales team says that, so you’ve got to stand out and apart. In fact, here a few more common pitches to sidestep:
We careWe have 1000 years of experience and knowledgeWe will be there for youWe are a high value organization
Please know I am not telling you these things don’t matter. To borrow from my daughter, duh, they totally do! But because every Jack of the trade repeats these sentences, including those that suck, it will go through one ear and fall out the other. This is the unfortunate reason so many people say all salespeople are the same. We are not. You and I, we know we’re different, we can’t just say and promise any ole’ thing, we must deliver on it.
Final Thought
The secret ingredient is to be our client’s best employee. We need to be so good that they want us on their payroll.
See? I told you it was easy. Now go get ’em! You’ve already got it in the bag, carry it all the way to the goal post.
Earlier I mentioned I do Keynotes. Well, I also do workshops, executive retreats and seminars, in-person or online. I’m pretty darn passionate about sales, so shoot me a quick email and let me see how I can help you transform your sales team.
