Book Review “Effortless Yes” by Julie Steelman

Let’s face it – businesses succeed on the age-old notion of exchanging products and services for money.  Bottom Line.  Sales matter. Just thinking about “selling” can produce anxiety, sweaty palms, fear.

Most people have a distaste for selling because it is grossly misunderstood.  We have all been exposed to negative buying experiences…either personally or through others (even in movies) and have concluded that selling, or the act of selling, is undignified, insincere and should be avoided.  Just one problem – businesses can’t survive without sales.  This strong distaste for sales is why there is such a high rate of businesses failing in today’s world.

Add to that the aggressive, saturated world of internet marketers of today.  What many of these businesses and individuals fail to realize is that this form of “selling” many times is just undignified peddling of goods…no heart.  Unfortunately, this perpetuates the distaste and skepticism that has run amuck in our society making it even more difficult for those of us that really sell with heart and integrity.  There is a lot of noise and confusion in the marketplace, many self-proclaimed “experts” and hype-based promises…less concrete, firm foundation, high integrity testimonials of products, services and results.

But what if we define sales differently?  What if we change our mindset and how we think about it?  Would this increase our sales and thus our bottom line?  Let’s define it as this:

“Selling is the ability to convert customer interest into an opportunity to serve, help, or enhance another’s life by offering expertise and talent – in the form of products and services – in exchange for payment.”

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OTHERS

WOW!  Selling is really an opportunity to serve others – hallelujah.  To do your job well you simply have to create relevancy with your customers and align your products and services with their needs.  Simply focusing on the customer, listening intuitively, leading them to a solution and genuinely caring about enhancing their life – that is the “secret sauce” to making your business grow.  The good news is – the more you concentrate on your customer and their needs the less time you must worry about your own confidence and worries or closing the deal.  Shift the focus off yourself and listen to them – it will build trust and respect and help you to know how best to guide them through the decision-making process.  Remember, the decision-making process is not about you – it is about them and their needs.  A “yes” is effortless at this point.

Many of us loathe the idea of “selling” yet when we began our business it was with an Ah-Ha moment…a moment of wanting to help others.  But realize that a lack of sales is a lack of opportunity to help others. 

If you avoid “selling” or telling others about your products and services then you have abandoned your goal of having a successful business.

You must enthusiastically embrace the idea of serving others through letting them know about your products and services.  You need to move wholeheartedly into the act of caring for others and wanting to really enhance their lives by providing your products and services to them.

If you are serious about gaining freedom and starting to generate funds to attain that freedom, then you need to make a choice.  From now on when you hear or think “sales” or “selling” change it to “the opportunity to help someone else get what they want – to help them enhance their life.”

They will stop worrying about how much it costs and will start focusing on how they can attain what you have.

Remember, the interactions between you and your customers is precious.  It should be nurtured and held in high regard.  Leading and guiding with your heart by acting with honor and respect and never forcing another to do anything.  Remember, customers buy more from people they like AND respect. Acting with honor is not being manipulative, it is not desperate or pushy, it is never confrontational, and it is never aggressive.

The buyer/seller relationship is much like a dating relationship.  We want it to end in marriage, but it feels risky and takes time for respect and trust to develop.

BUYERS MIND

The act of selling and of building your business is not about you and your goals, it is about meeting other people’s goals by using your resources.    It’s about providing solutions to their needs.  All products ever made since the beginning of time have either provided a benefit, solved a problem or filled an emotional need.  Listen to your customer’s goals, objectives and needs – then you will be poised to fill those with tremendous value.  Let your customers know that you are with them and that is much more important to you than what money will be sent your way.

“People don’t buy for logical reasons.  They buy for emotional reasons.”

– Zig Ziglar

Focus on the customer’s “pain” or the problem they are trying to solve.  Don’t focus on the details – focus on the emotions and the relief and pleasure that will come with using your product or service.  Don’t describe the process but rather the emotional payoff.  Don’t get bogged down in the details of the features, processes, packaging and distribution or logistics, but rather the solutions it provides. Customers can’t relate to the process or production details – they haven’t experienced results yet – but they can relate to the relief it may bring.  Stick to results, benefits and outcomes.

Let them go – if there is no match, no connection, let them go.  Neither of you will enjoy the process or relationship, and things will break down and end poorly.  In the end you will be relieved that you passed on working with them and that you avoided a negative situation.  Simply move on to a more positive and therefore potentially lucrative relationship.  The idea is to minimize your efforts to the wrong clients and maximize your ability to help those who would be served best. There isn’t enough time in the day to help everyone, so why not focus on assisting your ideal clients.

IT’S NOT PERSONAL

One reason why we take rejections personally is because we may not have enough belief in our products or services.   Ask yourself –  am I in love with what I am offering, does it help people, will anyone get hurt?

Another reason people take it personally is because you believe it so much that you just don’t get why others don’t.  If it reflects your personal passions and someone rejects it this may feel like a rejection to you personally – it is not. When they question your product or service, it is not questioning you as a person.  They are just asking for more information to gain clarity.  The sales process is not about you or what you need – it is about them and what they need. 

You can’t be looking for emotional, personal validation and be successful.  It will put you in the center of it and not them.  This results in not focusing on the customer and their needs.  Listen to your customers instead of the paranoid dialog inside your head and get out of your own way!

Be motivated to help others end their struggles and gain their freedom.  Confidence lives inside of you – not outside of you.  What they think, feel and do has nothing to do with you.  Just provide value and solutions and benefits.    Don’t hope to make it work – decide to make it work.  Hoping is like having your fingers crossed and then taking a big exhale if you succeed.  This elicits no confidence or responsibility for the outcome on your part.

Decide to deem your product or service worthy of the price you determine – then get paid what it’s worth. You need to decide that your desired payoff is worthy of your enthusiasm and become unwilling to listen to your own excuses.

Thinking and wishing is very different than being intentional.

Intention is the key to realizing our financial desires instead of pining for them.

Remember, selling is providing value in exchange for desired payment.

We ask ourselves sometimes, ”who am I to tell them what value they will get from this?”  But the better question is “who am I to stand in the way of them receiving the information that they deserve?” Give them information – and let them decide for themselves.

DECISION PROCESS

Understanding the decision-making process is half the battle.  Once you understand how people make decisions and how you can help them through that process then you will feel more like you are helping than selling.  So, what are the stages:

• Awareness – they notice they need less/more of something. Identify a problem exists.  When this becomes big enough and they need help with a solution they look for advice and guidance.
• Education – they are gathering information – be aware and available and relevant
• Interest – engage them in meaningful dialog, build solid relationship, trust
• Ready – sense of urgency
• Close – 😊

BE A LEADER

One reason for disliking selling is that most people don’t like to be the initiator or the leader.  When you start to tell others about your products or services they start to look at you as a leader and then self-doubt creeps in.  You might start to question your ability to lead or your knowledge on the subject, then you start fumbling.  Then you decide it stinks to feel that way, so you avoid it.

Develop your posture, and move from hoping and wishing to deciding and being intentional:

Be honest – have you been hoping for sales? Waiting for something to happen?  Believing your own excuses?

Write down why you want to help people solve their problems, issue and concerns.

Write down how your products/services help them solve those challenges.

Which step of the process gives you the most excitement when working with people? How can you create more of those moments?

With your servants ears, listen intuitively to people (instead of having an internal dialog in your head).  Use your heart as your ears – focus all your attention on them.  Graciously engage them in conversation.

LEAD THEM AND THE ASK THEM

A non-decision is a decision, and most customers won’t give you an answer unless you ask.  They want you to lead them into the decision.  Most people shy away from this because it feels “salesy”, dirty, manipulative, or arrogant.  A major difference between those who succeed vs fail is simple – they ask for the business.

If you never ask they can never receive the benefits of what you are offering.

Selling is a conversation between two people who want to work together.  The longer the conversation continues the better odds of closing the deal.  But wait too long to ask for the sale and you might be missing out as well.  Find that happy spot of just enough conversation before it goes stale.

Objections are a good indication that they want to buy from you, use your services or join you.  Otherwise they would just say no.  Conversations and objections are an opportunity to provide more information.  Ask what the hesitation is, then address their concerns.

It’s rarely about the money.  That excuse is their way of saying no.  But, there is usually something beneath their objection to price – find out what it is.  Ask them, “If money wasn’t an issue – would you do it?”

The CLOSE:

• I hear your concerns, my experience is this, (stress the benefits to them), and the sooner we get started the better for you.
• You said you wanted a solution, we can show you how, if you don’t try with us you’ll have to find another source, so knowing we can start now…doesn’t it make sense?
• Love getting to know you and connecting, love chatting with you, how can I help with your decision to move forward?
• I have told you all the pertinent info, you either do or don’t want to go for it. So, what do you see is possible with this partnership?
• Seems like we’re onto something here – based on our conversations this is exactly what you are looking for. I am confident you will see the results that you are looking for – let me know your thoughts.
• Just think about this – 30 days from now you could be seeing results – but you must be willing to take a leap of faith and try it. What do you think, ready?
• You know I’m not one to push, I am much more comfortable with the education side of the business. But I have to ask – are you ready to move forward?
• We began this conversation because you wanted a solution. We have gone over several ways that we can help you with this – I would love to see you meet those goals and I am ready to stand by you to help.  Are you ready?

*NOTE: Since I am taking notes straight from the book, sometimes I quote it directly and sometimes I have paraphrased. If I have quoted directly and did not cite – please know it was an oversight. Other times I have put the thoughts of the author into my own words so that I can retain it better in my own way. I give full credit to the author of the book for all the thoughts, ideas, and lessons contained in this summary. Yes, it makes me think, and yes, some of my own personal thoughts are on these pages. But the author deserves the credit. This is a book review and is intended to give you a broad overview and my thoughts on the book. My hope is that the author’s wisdom will flow through me into your hands. I highly recommend that if you see “gold-nuggets” in these brief notes that you pick up a copy and read it from cover to cover.