#956 My Plaid Suit is at the Cleaners

I heard a guy on a podcast last week talking about how he built his business. At one point, while talking about business development, he said,

 "I stay away from selling in the beginning. I don't want to scare folks off. Instead, I ask a lot of questions about what they need and what a successful outcome would look like."

I almost threw my iPhone on the ground and smashed it to pieces! 

SERIOUSLY??!! THAT IS SELLING YOU DOLT!

What the hell does he think selling is; the Ben Franklin close from 1949? Does he believe selling is Danny DeVito in Tin Men or Chris Farley in Tommy Boy? 

In my world, selling means:

· First, I gain rapport. 

· Next, I gain an understanding of the client's needs. 

· After that, I try to understand what's happened before and what the pain points were for her. 

· Finally, I learn about how I may be able to help.

My entire selling process is about asking questions and listening.

I have to tell you, if I hear one more person say, "I do consultative selling," I think my head will explode!

What other kind of selling is there?

Wait, I know. Let me grab my plaid suit, slick my hair back, grow a seventies mustache, falsely flatter everyone I encounter, and try to trick them into giving me their money for a non-existent or inferior product. Now that's selling!

Own Your Sales Gene…