Buyers want to be inspired not sold to. Here’s why you need to stop selling and start leading. Find out why selling more always starts with good questions. Deb Calvert shares her top tips.
Deb Calvert, is the author of “DISCOVER Questions® Get You Connected” …..Top 50 Sales Influencer, is President of People First Productivity Solutions, a UC Berkeley instructor, and a former Sales/Training Director of a Fortune 500 media company. She speaks and writes about the Stop Selling & Start Leading movement and offers sales training, coaching and consulting as well as leadership development programs. She is certified as an executive and sales coach by the ICF and is a Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge®. Deb has worked in every sector and in 14 countries to build leadership capacity, team effectiveness and sales productivity with a “people first” approach.
Icebreaker:
I’ve worked with over 300 media companies but never once put my journalism degree into practice. Most people don’t even know my background as an aspiring journalist!
Think Like A Journalist Quote
I like to think of sales as the ability to gracefully persuade, not manipulate, a person or persons into a win-win situation. –Bo Bennett
Success Quote
What was is not what is. Don’t be bound by what’s comfortable or familiar.
Career Highlight
Deb had a client that was an RV Dealership. She helped them so much and made a difference that mattered. Hear exactly what she did and why it impacted her so much.
When It Didn’t Work!
Deb was working at Knight Ridder. She became too emotionally close to this one client. When new leadership came in, Deb’s consulting role was significantly diminished. She learned to stay nimble, attached but also detached.
Stop Selling & Start Leading Top Tips
- Modern buyers demand something different from sellers. But what?
- What sellers can do to create this unique “customer experience” that buyers respond to.
- How this changes the sales process.
- Why this changes the nature of the job from selling to leading.
- The ONE thing that makes it happen (it’s easier than you think!)
- A human-to-human connection.
- Give buyers the opportunity to participate.
- Consumers want to be hands-on
- Buyers process trumps sales process.
- Buyers want to avoid seller until its time to negotiate about price.
- But sellers should create a value product.
- The value must be on the front-end. Aim to break new ground… be consistent and reliable.
- Lead by being inspiring and challenging.
- Don’t make the mistake of asking for comments and not responding to your community.
- Ask quality questions.
Multimedia Resource
SMS Polling
Book
Authenticity, James Gilmore and Joesph Pine
The experience economy by James Gilmore and Joesph Pine
Contact
People First Productivity Solutions website
DISCOVER Questions® Get You Connected
Thanks For Listening
I know that you have many choices when it comes to listening to podcasts. So, I want to say THANK YOU for choosing The Brand Journalism Advantage.
If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page.
Also, I would love a review…it just takes a minute to share your opinion and rating for the The Brand Journalism Advantage podcast on iTunes. Your review means a lot to me and helps others find my show. The reviews also help with ranking of this show and they reviews are always read by me.
Please remember to subscribe to The Brand Journalism Advantage on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live!
