Friday, January 26, 2007

LNB #034: Stop Selling Like a Man (Be Yourself)

This episode is NOT about women. What it's about is selling in such a way that bringing you're A-Game means you bring yourselves. Toni Nell of Springboard Consulting is a player. She's worked with A-List clients (like Morgan Stanley) and been the go-to-gal for such business luminaries as Jim Horan (One Page Business Plan) and Michael Gerber (The E-Myth Revisited). In her own right, she's seen and done about everything in a sales context. What she's learned is that selling is truly about understanding and moving into the world of your prospect or client - lock, stock and teardrop. Your PowerPoint presentations and glossy brochures be damned.

Key steps to being your ever-so-wonderful, authentic selling self include:
1. Relaxing
At a sales call, there may be nothing for you to DO, except be fully
competent and ask, "So why am I here?" Your curiosity makes you powerful.
2. Show up
3. Listen without agenda
4. Tell the truth
5. Let go of the outcome

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
New Date: Stop Selling Like a Man Teleclass: Tuesday, 27 February, 9 Pacific/12 Central. Conference Call Information: (218) 862-6100, pin 4040#

Call Toni to RSVP (or just show up): 831 464 7776

Check back here or at Toni's website for more details.
Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends

HOW TO REACH TONI NELL
http://www.springboardconsulting.biz/

Listen Now: 32 minutes 0 seconds

2 comments:

  1. I listened to your most recent pod cast this morning and I found myself thinking about other sales things that I do. One of the things that I started doing about 3 weeks was taking all of my questions into my sales call. I realized that I was skipping important questions that lead my to pain and discovery for a prospect. I do use one the questions that Toni uses except I reword it when bringing someone to my office by asking “Why are you here?” that lets the prospect get everything they want to get out on the table right away. I can then tailor my questions around that answer. I have 20+ questions on this sheet and have never gotten to use more the 8 of them. It is just a cheat sheet for me so I follow my process in a sales call. The sheet is still a work in progress, but at least it gives me a foundation to work from in my sales call.

    Christopher Thomas
    Office and Sales Manager
    Intelligent Office
    2005 APICS Supplier of the Year

    View my video business card:
    http://www.videosalesrep.com/intelligentoffice/indy/cthomas.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just finished listening to this week’s podcast; great stuff.

    Don’t know if you’ve ever heard Tim Roberts speak, but that’s exactly the approach he takes to sales. I remember him telling folks at a Chamber function once not to even take any of their material with them on their first call to a prospective client. Just ask questions and listen! It’s all about the other person at that point.

    Jim Patton
    J. Patton Consulting

    ReplyDelete

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