“The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.” The fourth law of stratospheric success.
As a salesperson, we were probably told to “step outside of your comfort zone.” I know that when I first got started and was cold calling, I sure wasn’t acting like myself… I was all hesitant and nervous because I was scared people would reject me and tell me they hated me. I never had anyone tell me they hated me, but I also never made any sales… if that sounds like you, this post will be worth reading.
You will need to grow your comfort zone..
I’m not saying that you can not change at all and still be successful, that would be a lie and I am as honest as I can be with you here. You will need to change and expand your comfort zone or you won’t be successful. What you need to realize is that growing your comfort zone allows for YOU to determine when and how big of changes you make in your life. If you want to coach 100 people a year, you will need to first start off small, coaching maybe 5-10 people for the first month or 2 to get used to what you need to be doing to be a successful coach. This allows for you to grow your comfort level and allows for you to control your comfort level. I personally had a hard time getting in front of the camera to make marketing videos, but I did not when juggling… strange, but I guess I felt the information I have in my head isn’t valuable..silly me.
Once I created my first video teaching a few MLM tips that I picked up and received some feedback on the video, I realized that it wasn’t that bad and I have been creating videos since 
(If you need someone to help you get started with getting videos up, I’d love to review the videos and help you get more comfortable with it, or I recommend talking to @GabeStrom as he is brilliant at video marketing and being comfortable in front of the camera!)
In sales…if you’re uncomfortable, do you think the other person will be comfortable?
I know that when I’m listening to someone talk and they seem uncomfortable, it really affects how I feel about the situation/seminar/class. I seem to sort of lose some focus as I feel the presentation isn’t allowing the person/teacher to be themselves. I don’t like it when people have to act like someone else. It’s important to be who you are and be true to yourself. Crack some jokes if you feel it will help you create bonds with your audience, reference news topics that interest you and might be of interest to your followers, they will appreciate it. It also allows for them to bond with you more.
This happens with dating as well, I’ve been back on the dating scene and I see some people who are on first or second dates and they have the whole “uncomfortable factor” where both people sit there a little awkwardly. I’m not going to say it’s not awkward for me on first dates, however I basically just sit back and be myself, cracking some jokes and having fun. If it doesn’t work out, at least i’ll walk away with a friend. The same thing is important for everything you do in marketing. You need to be able to be yourself and really enjoy what you are doing, some people will like it and buy from you and other’s may just view you as a friend and this could lead to some referrals to your business!
Authenticity in presentations
Let’s face it, when someone is not being authentic in a presentation or is not really there in the present, you can totally see it. They might be thinking about something that happened earlier in the day or maybe what kind of beer they are going to drink tonight at the bar. To be truly effective in delivering your message, you need to be present. Your mind needs to be focused on your desired outcome.
With the Internet, all information is available literally at our finger tips within seconds and freely a lot of the time. Giving people information doesn’t give people value, it simply steals their time. It’s no longer just about giving information, but it’s all about giving an actual meaning to the information. Maybe putting it into a story form to teach them a lesson or creating a video that captivates the viewer and takes them on a journey of self-discovery.
Listening and why you NEED to start doing it…
We’ve got 2 ears and 1 mouth just like this little guy, but we often overlook that fact…
The thing about great communicators and how they are truly authentic is that the greater half of communication lies in how well you actually hear what the other person is saying…not in what you say or how you say it.
Great salespeople are those who have learned to become great communicators by listening. They listen because they are interested in what the other person has to say and to learn from that person. NOT because they just want to make a sale.
Turning in the direction of the skid..
When dealing with potential customers, they often have issues that arise. As a person in my position, a common objective I hear when approaching offline businesses about online marketing is that “this seems like a waste of money” and I immediately can relate to them, because I have worked with businesses that thought online marketing would be a waste of money….and guess what, these businesses have benefited
By putting myself in their shoes and understanding where they are coming from with their business, I can relate that marketing online can be a scary medium to advertise. What I try to get to is the root of why they feel it is a little scary and why they feel it might be a waste of money. By finding out what type of results they are interested in attaining from this medium of advertising, I can better help them with their advertising budgeting or I can help them realize that this might not be the right choice for them at this time.
When asking for a sale, you still need to be authentic…but how?
Alright, here’s a cool little tip for asking for a sale and still serving the other person first.
Apply no pressure and provide an escape. Instead of trying to close your prospect and get them upset…provide an escape for the other person. “If you can’t do it, I’ll definitely understand.” These 8 words allow for you to open up the selling process and put the ball in their court. This completely separates you from traditional salespeople and will stand out in the mind of your prospect. This eliminates the pressure and allows for them to be more relaxed, ultimately making the right decision for them.
I’d highly recommend picking up a copy of “Go-Givers Sell More” to learn more about these concepts. You can get a copy at Amazon by clicking the link below:
Also, if you are learning the Laws of Stratospheric Success, your next law is The Law of Receptivity
