I’ve done a fair amount of selling in my life in various different jobs. I’ve sold PCs and printers, IT projects, insurances, loans and other financial services, villa style accommodation, and venture capital funds. Despite all that experience, I’m not a stellar salesperson and when it comes to closing a deal, I could improve a lot. I know this because I’ve had the privilege of working with several exceptional salespersons and thus I’ve seen first-hand what kind of magic they can do.
Don’t worry, this post is not going to turn into a self-centred contemplation over how I could become a better salesperson. Instead, I will briefly discuss one of the top business tips from author and marketing guru Seth Godin. On the Tim Ferriss Podcast (episode #138) Godin said:
I would say the first one which is useful to everybody, is sell something that people want to buy [and] if you think about how hard it is to push a business uphill, particularly when you’re just getting started, one answer is to say why don't you just start a different business, a business you can push downhill?
I think this simple piece of advice is brilliant. In fact, its power comes from the simplicity. And the best part is that anybody with a little bit of sales experience can testify that it’s true.
When you’re selling something that your customers actually want to buy (or even desire), we’re talking about a completely different game. Your behavior as a salesperson will be different. You will be engaged, motivated – even excited – and your customers will naturally also behave and react in a much more positive way.
In the same podcast episode Godin talks about his mentor Zig Ziglar, the grand old man of sales and marketing, who inspired tons of people. Godin describes him like this: “Zig is your grandfather and my grandfather. He’s Tony Robbins’ grandfather. None of us would be here if it weren’t for Zig.”
I distinctly remember Ziglar talking about this exact same topic in his legendary book Secrets of Closing the Sale, which I read a while ago. He claims that every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust – and he goes on to explain in detail how a good salesperson can overcome all of these obstacles. If you think about it, two of the obstacles (no need and no desire) are directly related to Godin’s advice of selling something that people want to buy.
Even a mediocre salesperson can produce good sales results when selling something that people want to buy. Excellent salespersons will naturally be able to produce amazing results.
If you’re working with sales and feel stuck, not getting the results you’re hoping for, I would recommend two exercises. First, take a long hard look at yourself and your skills and then ask yourself: do I enjoy being a salesperson and am I on top of my game? Second, analyse the product or service your selling and ask yourself: am I selling something that people want to buy?
Finally, If you answered no to either of the two questions above, then you’re faced with some tough decisions, because it’s very likely that some part of the sales equation needs to be changed. That is, if you want to achieve better results and feel happier about what you’re doing.