The majority of Independent Professionals look at selling as a necessary evil. All kinds of thoughts and emotions come up regarding selling - and most of them are not so positive.
Our feeling, images, body sensations and actions are all congruent with what we think about selling. So if you think negative thoughts, you'll have a negative experience and negative results.
Why not create a completely different selling experience? Imagine sitting in front of a prospect, for instance, thinking, feeling, picturing, sensing and acting very much like you do when you're involved in your favorite activity. Really recreate that experience. Make it fun, exciting, engaging and fulfilling.
Create a new metaphor for selling. For instance: "Selling is like boating where I'm easily gliding through the water and steering where I want to go with virtually no effort."
Complete More Clients eZine - Transforming the Selling Experience
This week, please share the following with us.
What is your current negative experience of selling (thoughts, feelings, images, body sensations and actions) and what new positive experience and metaphor are you going to create?
This is the first time I have posted a comment even though I have been on board for a while. I'm a Professional Organizer and I am trying to find out how to best market myself. I do not sell a product yet - just myself and what I can do for my customer. One thing I have thought of is to send a discount coupon (20% off 3 hours of organizing) on their birthday along with a birthday card. Other than that, I'm still brainstorming for ideas. Any ideas out there. When I have my website I will be selling organizing products but right now I'm selling me. It seems harder to offer something to your clients when you are offering something that is not tangible until they see you work. If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them. I have a degree in Home Economics and I absolutly love to organize. It doesn't seem like work to me. I've been in business for a year. I want my second year in business to really take off.
Posted by: Betsy Frazier | April 04, 2006 at 02:28 PM
Alright Robert, here's my physical reaction when I even think about "selling". My stomach, along with my back muscles gets tight and unyielding. I automaticly breath faster and more shallow. My thoughts do not come off my tongue as they were formulated just split seconds earlier. Why? Because I have this connection in mind of selling as lying. (and I could never lie convincingly either) HOWEVER, using your exercise of creating a metaphor........I will now focus on the high that I feel after a really great workout. I feel the most centered and able to come from a place of balance, rather than trying to manipulate someone else towards doing what I want them to do. This rings true for me especially since I am in the business of selling health and fitness.
Thank you for helping rearrange my thoughts about the process.
Posted by: Regina | January 30, 2006 at 05:25 PM
Robert - good 0ne!
For me selling used to bring on a sense of blowing your own trumpet, bragging and blatant self promotion.
When thinking it through properly, by not selling we don't explain the great, unique benefits we have to offer our prospects leaving them much worse off or having to buy inferior services / product.
Cheers for now
Posted by: Doug Jardine | January 29, 2006 at 12:15 PM
I love this exercise. I think there is another way to look at it, in addition to the visceral experience. By comparing selling to another activity, we can also use the creative power of the metaphor.
For example, I enjoy crossword puzzles. Using them as a metaphor for selling, I can think of selling, like a crossword, as (1) a puzzle to figure out, (2) a good challenge for my verbal skills, (3) something that may require several visits to complete, (4) a puzzle whose theme will become clear with each client, and so on. The simple juxtaposition of the two activities inspires creative thinking.
Thanks, Robert. Valuable stuff, as always.
Posted by: Lynn Gaertner-Johnston | January 24, 2006 at 12:37 PM
Robert, I love you, but did you borrow the thoughts, feelings, body sensations, behaviors model from my Dreaded Conversations ebook at kryder.org?
Posted by: Suzanne | January 24, 2006 at 07:13 AM
Geez! I wish I'd had The Work 20 years ago...
It took a long time to get over the 'fear' of selling, which in the end really was 'disgust' with it. Self images and beliefs created by bad experiences.
Changing how we think IS one way of changing the outcome.
I'm looking forward to UnSelling!
Posted by: Lyle | January 24, 2006 at 06:07 AM
You sure have me pegged! Thanks for the very practical, common sense approach to improving.
Charles
Posted by: Charles | January 23, 2006 at 11:23 PM