"As a sales manager, I saw that salespeople
always wanted to learn more ways to close the sale.
They thought there was some kind of magic
that could be wielded to bring the prospect
to do as they desired, which was to buy.
I always taught that the close of the sale
is the most natural thing and very easy
when the beginning of the sale is done with
respect, dignity, kindness, and love."
-- Terry Minion
[Classic post from 10-23-17]
The last two posts in particular, as well as so many of my posts, are often seen as spiritually-based, or more spirit than practicality. People love practicality. So do I. I think that we all would like to be a better person, to be better at making choices, and live a more fulfilling life.
Many people see spiritual teachings and enjoy them as causing them to think a bit, and maybe a bit differently, but I think that they, as I used to, accept their message intellectually, but not seeing the practical application of that new insight or point of view.
Since I turned 22, 46 years ago now, I've been in sales and became a sales manager at 25. I've written two books on sales, and have studied it more than almost anyone I know. Sales is something I know a little about. So, I'll take sales, which is something we all do though we may not do it as a job or career, and tie it together with the last two posts, and most of the spiritual teachings that I've studied.
Many of the sales strategies and teachings that I've experienced and read over the years try to create systems that are intended to take a prospect from the greeting to the close in the least time, with applied methodologies, scripts, tricks, manipulations, and more. I've even tried some to experience them for myself. Many of them are ineffective at best, and sale killing at worst. It's not really that complicated, but if you're going to sell a program strategy to people eager for magic, you use magic yourself to serve their needs and desires.
What works best? Love works best. I've never seen anything that works better.
I've seen a handful of really good salespeople in my travels, and they were successful because they were so good with people, and they were so good with people because they liked people, enjoyed learning about them, determining what they wanted and what they liked best. In other words, they loved people, loved what they did, fully enjoyed the people they met, built strong relationships, often they were relationships that would last a lifetime. They were good at this because the salesperson is operating from love and as love, they loved others.
Prospects are people like you and me. They have needs, desires, beliefs, prejudices, and history. We all respond best when we are met in love with another human being. We enjoy learning about them. We appreciate the kind attention and loving interaction. We can see through the thin veneer of insincerity. We can see through the veil of a selfish agenda. We can sense the hurry to move us from point to point without giving us the attention that we crave. We can tell when we aren't being heard or understood. We know because we can feel the vibration is aligned our misaligned. It feels off, or it feels right.
You may not say it this way, but the word Namaste works perfectly in sales. Not the word itself, but the meaning of the word. It means that I honor myself and as I honor myself, I honor you. I honor the Divine in you and I honor the Divine in myself. We are now on the level ground of mutual respect and appreciation. From there, the door to a relationship is open wide, whether it be to guide them to something you have to sell that they want and will benefit from or you guide them elsewhere to something or someone that you know will benefit them more.
I have used love as a basis of sales management for over 40 years and it serves today as well in my own business. Nothing works better in my opinion. And, my study of spiritually-oriented texts serves to expand my joy and my loving application of those truths in all that I do physically.
As we understand better that we are so much more than we seem to be, and see that in others too, we can just be real with one another rather than trying to trip one another up. In some ways it reminds me of that famous Vince Lombardi quote, "Gentlemen, this is a football." The basic truths are always going to be truth. Jesus said to "love one another." It applies in everything that we ever will do as much as it ever did.
Everything That Begins In Love Stays In Love.
Spread Some Joy Today--by letting your own Divine truth rule your world.
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