Choosing a Service over Sales- Perspective is the Key to Success on Many Levels
Many of the leaders I coach have to sell as part of their roles, even if they are not in a direct sales position. Being able to sell your product, business or even your own ideas is a crucial part of creating success. But, it is not easy for a lot of people to do.
Why? Well, it can feel vulnerable. What if that person doesn’t buy what I am selling? What does that say about me? Or, “I don’t want to bug people.”
I get it. But, changing your perspective to one of helping and serving others can help change everything for you. Whenever I talk to anyone about working with me as their Executive Coach, I now think about what they need. What is going to help them? What would serve them best? And, is there a role for me to play in helping move them forward along their development journey? I go to the truest place in my heart to really unselfishly want to make a difference for someone else and then I speak about what I think would help them.
If you are able to take the pressure off (and maybe even a feeling of desperation) to hit your target numbers and focus more on the people, ironically, it often leads to better business results, too. You are less clouded by the outcome of the dollars and cents and more motivated to make a difference for someone else. This opens up your mind to think more creatively about the solutions you can offer, too.
When you believe you are helping people with the work you do, it leads to a feeling that your work has a greater purpose.
Even if you feel like the product you are selling may not be changing the world (i.e. vacuums. No offense to any vacuum salespeople out there. I love my Dyson!). The way you treat others through your interactions with them can make a profound impact.
I believe the way we connect with others has a domino effect. If someone is a bully towards you, you will either keep that bottled up inside and may feel more irritable with others. Or you will talk to others about how you are feeling, which is great, but likely are letting off a lot of negative energy. Whereas, if we treat each other with kindness with even simple gestures, chances are the next interaction you have with someone else will be on more positive terms.
These are all basic principles we learned back in kindergarten, yet sometimes, I think we could all benefit from going back to the basics. As we become adults, we tend to overthink things and make them more complicated then they need to be.
So as you re-focus on your plans to make this market-intensive time or last quarter of the fiscal year or whatever it is within your organization, a strong one, don’t forget to operate from a space of asking yourself ‘How can I best serve this customer?’ Then really listen so you hear what they need to allow you to fully understand what you can do to help. And that is the space where good business and good relationships are built!
