Most people would agree that the more present you are at a meeting (i.e. less distracted, more available to the other person, etc.), the more likely you are to make a sale. The converse is true; i.e. the less present or available you are, the less likely your sale will complete.
What does it feel like to be present?
It is to be happy and relaxed. What are the keys to this state?
Give up being distracted to make more sales
Remember: Your prospective customer does not really care about your distractions: only you do.
There are two stages to giving up being distracted
- Notice the distractions
- Focus on what will further the conversation and mutual benefit (see below)
Plenty of neuroscience research points to a connection between being undistracted and being happy and relaxed. The more distracted you get, the more likely you are to be stressing out your brain functions unnecessarily.
The distractions include but are not limited to the following
Your Agenda / Stress
Easier said than done to let these go; but if you practice focusing on other things (distracting you from the distraction), then you have a fighting chance. Be sure to see the practices below to help strengthen this skill over time.
If you are under stress, do the following:
- Schedule actions that will handle the sources of stress: e.g. due financial issues etc. You are essentially scheduling times in the future to focus or worry about these issues. For now, ignore them.
- Take steps to increase self-care (e.g. a massage, treat, lunch, hot tub, etc.) especially right before the sales calls or appointment: This is counter to what most people do – but if you think about it, it makes sense – what’s the point of sabotaging your sales efforts by becoming more stressed. The state of mind that you have is the most important thing to handle so you can be present with your prospective customer.
Debating Right and Wrong
Easier for some; harder for others. Avoid debating conversations; focus on the mutual win.
Perfectionism: Your need to avoid embarrassment to make more sales
We all want to dot every single “i” and cross every single “t.” Your client may not care as much; as long as she gets what she wants and needs.
Focus on what will further the conversation and mutual benefit
So, what do you focus on instead?
Creating a mutual win-win partnership with the client
Keep a notepad and keep writing down answers to the questions that are of primary interest to the client: a. what are her challenges and b. what are her objectives. Focus your thoughts on these points.
Listening
Keep noticing if you are listening to the customer or your opinions about the meeting. On your notepad, have the words “Listen to them not you” in bold letters written to remind you.
Questions
Keep asking questions designed to help you serve them: what do you need to know that will help you give them a solution. On your notepad, have “Ask Questions – what questions to ask that will clarify or move them forward?” written to remind you to do so.
Practices to Make More Sales
Preparation
Plan and schedule times to take care of yourself before your appointment or call. Take care of your mind and body, and it will be a sound vehicle for success with your clients.
Be sure to be clear about your intended outcomes for the time you have with them: write these in a way that you can share with them so that they are clear about your intentions. Make sure that your points are short and succinct and build up to the fulfillment of the intentions.
Be ready for a sale and be ready for a failure. Be ready for both – if you have a sale, be sure to have all that you need to fulfill on the sale as best as you can. If you fail, be sure to schedule time after the session to write down what you learned from the experience.
Frame
Declare your intentions at the start and let them know your main agenda points and how they will add up to the intentions.
Questions
List out your questions beforehand so that you are not digging for questions mid-conversation. Anticipate as much as you can, what other questions to ask based on possible responses.
Breathing
Practice taking slow breaths from time to time before the appointment. This will help reduce the stress and increase the focus.
Since 1991, I’ve been reflecting on, designing, and implementing methodologies and systems for bringing a transcendent, creative and innovative approach to critical aspects of entrepreneurship.
