Are people born with a Midas touch in sales or are great sales people made?
In almost every facet of life, human connection and social interaction determine the level of success we experience. The world of sales is no different.
The truth of the matter is that everybody is a born salesperson, because everybody has the capacity to form connections, to endear themselves to others, and to interact positively with those around them.
But before you cry out “I hate selling, that’s just not me” – I know; you think it’s not in your nature, but just hear me out.
Being a born salesperson has nothing to do with your willingness to peddle miracle tonics or extol the virtues of snake oil. That couldn’t actually be further from the truth.
Selling is not about tricking or bullying someone into buying; it’s about having a serious conversation with someone and adopting an advisory role.
Susan Cain discusses exactly this in her book “Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking”. If you haven’t read it yet, you should. Susan talks about Jon Berghoff, a thoughtful, bespectacled man who just happened to be one of the top salespeople in the United States. Jon’s sales success stemmed from his natural tendency to ask questions and to listen to the answers.
“We have two ears and one mouth and we should use them proportionally. I believe that’s what makes someone really good at selling or consulting… they’ve got to listen really well.” – Jon Berghoff
Being a successful salesperson has nothing to with business school attendance, sales skills training or a naturally extroverted personality. Successful salespeople become successful because they understand the reality behind selling:
It’s personal, it’s about the connection you establish, and anyone can do it.
People enjoy being comfortable, both in a private and a public setting, and if you’re a good listener you probably make people feel comfortable. When people feel comfortable they tend to open up, to connect and to, ultimately, buy.
Take for example these five simple sales tips to get you started:
- Name – Use their name; it’s personal, endearing and demonstrates you’re paying attention to them specifically.
- Tone – talk naturally, be yourself and don’t try to put on a ‘sales voice’.
- Involve – ask questions to be sure what they’re looking for and let them describe to you what they want and why they need it.
- Qualify – chat with your customer, listen and find out the important details.
- Expert – confidently put forward your opinion; tell them relevant facts about the product, after all they expect you to advise them.
It’s not about tricky phrases, obscured details or subliminal messaging. Sales is about human connection, and in that regard we all have bountiful experience.
In fact, Susan Cain also notes in “Quiet” that despite what most people think, extroverts do not actually perform better in sales. Nor do introverts. Rather it is the ambivert, the person who has “the flexibility to adapt to the demands of the situation”, who actually manages to soar in sales.
Everyone is born with the potential to be a salesperson; it’s just a question of whether you invest in yourself and your own abilities, to make you into a great one!
So don’t just think about what you’re selling, think about how you’re selling it. Are you being yourself and using your natural appeal? Be confident in yourself and let the salesperson in you come out and shine!
