Categories: Speaking BusinessStorytelling

If You Think SALES is a Dirty Word…

Do you think sales is a dirty word?

Many of us think that way … and given all the tacky messages we have to sort through and delete every day, it’s no wonder.

For some, the word “sales” conjures up images of the sleazy used car salesman lurking behind a vehicle that’s ready to fall apart the moment you drive it off the lot.

Too many of us have the sales story wrong. We’re caught in a cycle of circular imitation, wasting billions of dollars on messages that don’t engage. “It’s a numbers game,” we say. “If I can reach a million people, there’s got to be a few suckers in there who will buy my s%#@!”

And that’s the message we hear over and over:

BUY MY S%#@!

But sales has nothing to do with talking people into parting with their money.

Think about it: When was the last time you saw begging do anything constructive for a relationship?

The transaction—the exchange—comes about after the sale is successful—and the medium does not have to be money. Any time you attempt to influence another person’s behavior, you’re selling.

Want someone to like you enough to go out with you?

You’re selling.

Want to get hired?

You’re selling!

Want a raise or promotion?

You’re selling!

Want Junior to quit whining and go to bed?

Sell. Sell. Sell!

We’re all selling all the time!

We sell ideas. We sell advice. We sell solutions. We sell information. We sell expertise. We sell the merits of taking action. We sell products and services. We sell people on the notion that we’re worth trusting and engaging with. And to do that successfully, we must sell our prospects on the VALUE we offer.

What’s value?

Value is connected to the idea that stories are always about people—because only people are capable of judging value. And though value may be related to prices, processes, ingredients, or data, it is not any of those things. Value is connected to the things that make a story authentic—to the things people really care about—and these are tied to survival: food, love, shelter, sex, status, family, and safety.

We’d all love to have more money, but money only offers value when we spend it on something meaningful.

The old adage says, “Sell the benefits, not the features.”

We all like to get the best price, the highest quality, the secret ingredient, and the fastest delivery but these are features. What we pay for is benefits—results—outcomes—whatever will empower or protect us or make us feel more secure—whatever will help us survive.

And this is where most sales strategies fail. “BUY MY S%#@!” messages don’t address anyone’s needs apart from those of the person asking for a transaction. The bigger, brighter, and more colorful the A$K, the more likely the message is to fail!

And yet we are bombarded by thousands of tasteless ads every day, as if thousands of children were screaming “Pick me!” in unison.

Do any of these ads reach you? Motivate you? Inspire you to pull out your wallet?

I don’t get it, either!

A high percentage of the $300 Billion dollars spent on advertising in the US every year is wasted because it’s off-putting and ineffective.

How can we change the “sales is a dirty word” story to something more palatable?

Sales is the process of changing the conversation from price to value.

“What’s this going to cost me?”

“Fair question. What results do you want to achieve?”

“Hmm … that sounds expensive.”

“Maybe in the short run but these batteries will last ten years; the conventional ones only last two. Twice the price is actually five times the savings.”

“I don’t know about the price of this house.”

“You’ll be walking distance from work and a great school, plus property values are climbing. It’s everything you were looking for plus it’s a solid investment.”

“I could find someone to do this for half the price!”

“I’m sure you could, but if you want the project to be guaranteed, done right, on-time, and on-budget by someone experienced who has an excellent reputation…”

“Sorry, I just don’t have that kind of money.”

“I understand. Not everyone can afford bail. You can wait here in jail until your trial comes up. We’ll make sure you’re fed until you can prove you’re innocent.”

“I don’t want to go to sleep yet!”

“You have a test tomorrow and school starts early. If you flunk this one, you’ll be looking at summer school.”

“I think it’s a bit early to ask for a raise.”

“Well, I’ve run the numbers and profits are already up 20% because of my initiatives. That’s over $500K for the company. Doesn’t a well-earned performance bonus make sense?”

Professional development programs are expensive!

“Only if they don’t produce results. If you can build stronger relationships with customers, close more sales, and take some pressure off your customer service team, what would that be worth to you in terms of savings and earnings?”

“Okay…,” I hear you say. “But don’t we have to talk about price sooner or later?”

Yes, but as long as you deliver value in excess of your fee, the cost is unimportant.

A friend asked me, “How do I find coaching clients who will pay $10,000/month? She went on to propose a complex marketing funnel with various levels of engagement at various prices tiers.”

“The answer is simpler than that,” I interrupted. “You just have to deliver at least $10,001 in value for that $10,000 fee!”

So how does sales work?

You don’t have to be the cheapest.

You don’t have to be the fastest.

You don’t even have to be the best.

Offer value in excess of your fee and create a way to explain that value to your prospects. Once you work out how to change the conversation from price to value, you’ll get past the negative feelings you used to associate with sales.

When you know you’re offering value to the people you serve, sales becomes synonymous with service, excellence, care, compassion, relationship-building, and being recognized and rewarded for your skill, expertise, and the positive impact you have on the lives of others.

Do you still think sales is a dirty word? Think again!

Dave Bricker