Sales are essential for any business to survive and grow. However, many people associate sales with sleazy tactics, pushy behaviour, and aggressive approaches that make potential customers uncomfortable. This perception often leads to a negative reputation for salespeople, making it challenging to build trust with prospects and close deals.

Fortunately, it’s possible to make sales without being sleazy. In fact, adopting ethical sales techniques can help you build a stronger relationship with your customers, increase their loyalty to your brand, and boost your revenue in the long run. 

In this blog post, we’ll discuss some practical tips for making sales without sounding too pushy, so you can approach sales with confidence and integrity.

First we will go by the fundamentals of success and the process to approach any aspect of your business 

 

Fail to plan is a plan to fail:

Planning  is crucial for everything. By taking the time to plan and prepare, you’ll be able to work more efficiently and effectively, and increase your chances of success. 

Without a solid plan, it’s difficult to achieve the results you desire. This is especially true in sales, where the competition is fierce and the stakes are high

 

SET SMART Goals

By using the SMART framework, you can create goals that are challenging yet attainable, and have a clear plan of action for achieving them. This can help you stay motivated and on track, even when the going gets tough.

 

Write your TO DOS the night before (6 Major tasks)

Research has shown that writing your to-do list the night before and prioritising your major tasks can significantly boost productivity. In fact, people who do this are reported to be 71% more productive. This is because it allows you to start your day with a clear plan of action and avoid wasting time figuring out what needs to be done. By having your most important tasks written down and prioritised, you can hit the ground running and focus your time and energy on the things that matter most

Eat the Frog

“Eat that frog” is a popular productivity principle that encourages tackling your most challenging or unpleasant task first thing in the morning. This means focusing on the task that you’re most likely to procrastinate on, and getting it out of the way as soon as possible. By doing so, you can avoid wasting time and mental energy fretting about it and free yourself up to focus on other, more enjoyable tasks

Ruthlessly prioritise your day: 

Identify your most important tasks and prioritise them above all else. This can help you stay focused and make the most of your time.

Manage your conversations: 

Focus on building relationships and understanding your customer’s needs and pain points. This can help you tailor your approach and build trust.

Ask for business: 

Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale, but do so in a way that is respectful and authentic. Focus on the value you can offer and how you can help your customer.

Be process-driven: 

Develop a clear and repeatable process for making sales, and stick to it. This can help you stay organised and efficient, and ensure a consistent experience for your customers.

Do business role play 4 min per day: 

One effective strategy for improving your sales skills is to engage in regular role-playing exercises. This involves practising different scenarios and approaches with a partner, such as a colleague or mentor, in order to build confidence and refine your technique. By role-playing, you can test different approaches, practice overcoming objections, and develop a better understanding of your customer’s perspective.

 

The Change Curve: Awareness of Where You are.

The change curve is a model that describes the various stages people go through when they experience a significant change in their lives. This model can be useful for salespeople who are trying to make sales without being sleazy because it can help them understand where their prospects are in the change curve and tailor their approach accordingly.

The change curve consists of four stages:

• Denial
• Resistance
• Exploration
• Commitment

Let’s take a closer look at each of these stages and how they relate to the sales process.

Denial:
During the denial stage, people are not yet aware of the need for change. They may be in a state of shock or disbelief and are likely to resist any attempts to persuade them to make a change.

As a salesperson, it’s important to be patient and empathetic during this stage. You can use this time to build rapport with your prospect and help them understand the need for change by providing information and education.

Resistance:
During the resistance stage, people are aware of the need for change but may feel overwhelmed, anxious, or fearful about making a change. They may be resistant to new ideas or approaches and may need reassurance or support to move forward.

It’s important to acknowledge your prospect’s concerns and provide them with reassurance and support. You can also use this time to help them explore their options and address any objections or concerns they may have.

Exploration:
During the exploration stage, people are actively seeking information and options for making a change. They may be open to new ideas and approaches and are likely to be receptive to sales pitches and proposals. It is important to provide your prospect with the information they need to make an informed decision. You can also use this time to help them evaluate their options and determine which approach is best for them.

Commitment:
During the commitment stage, people have made a decision to move forward with a change. They are ready to take action and may be looking for support and guidance to help them implement the change successfully.

As a salesperson, it’s important to provide your prospect with the support and guidance they need to implement the change successfully. You can also use this time to build a long-term relationship with your prospect and establish a sense of trust and credibility

 

Increase Your Exposure To Your Hit List?

One of the keys to making sales is to increase your exposure to the right people. By targeting the right audience, you can build meaningful relationships, establish credibility, and create a pipeline of qualified leads. Here are some of the people you may want to target and add to your HIT (high impact target) list:

Purpose-led positive business owners:

Purpose-led business owners are passionate about what they do and are driven by a sense of purpose. They are more likely to be receptive to sales pitches that align with their values and beliefs. By targeting purpose-led business owners, you can build a network of like-minded individuals who are interested in working with you and may be more likely to refer others to you.

Financially literate people:

Financially literate people are more likely to understand the value of your product or service and may be more willing to invest in it. By targeting financially literate people, you can establish credibility and build a network of high-quality leads who are more likely to convert.

Like-minded referral partners:

Like-minded referral partners are people who share your values and beliefs and are willing to refer business to you. By building relationships with like-minded referral partners, you can tap into their network and increase your exposure to potential customers.

Proactive individuals:

Proactive individuals are more likely to take action and make decisions quickly. By targeting proactive individuals, you can streamline the sales process and increase your conversion rates.

Balanced individuals:

Balanced individuals are those who maintain a healthy work-life balance and priorities their personal well-being. By targeting balanced individuals, you can build relationships with people who value a healthy work-life balance and are more likely to appreciate a sales pitch that aligns with their values.

 

The 4 Buying archetypes:

There are four main buying archetypes that you need to be aware of when it comes to sales.

10% Ready to take action:

This group represents the people who are actively looking to buy a product or service right now. They have a problem that needs solving and are motivated to find a solution. They are usually the easiest to sell to, but they also tend to be the smallest group.

20% Motivated to buy:

This group represents the people who are not actively looking to buy right now, but they have a need that will arise in the near future. They are motivated to find a solution but may need some convincing. They are more open to being sold to than the other two groups.

30% Tire kickers:

This group represents the people who are not really interested in buying anything. They may be looking for information or just browsing, but they are not motivated to take any action. They can be a waste of time for salespeople who are looking to close deals quickly.

40% Say no:

This group represents the people who are not interested in your product or service and are not likely to change their mind. They may have a specific objection or just be uninterested, but they are not a good fit for your offering.

Understanding these archetypes can help you tailor your approach to each group. For example, with the “ready to take action” group, you may want to focus on highlighting the benefits of your product or service and closing the deal quickly. 

With the “motivated to buy” group, you may want to focus on building a relationship and providing educational content that helps them understand the value of your offering. 

With the “tire kickers” group, you may want to focus on providing information and building trust, so that when they are ready to buy, they think of you. 

And with the “say no” group, it’s best to move on and focus your efforts elsewhere.

 

The PITCH framework

The Winning Pitch Framework is an entrepreneurial tool to structure, visualize and communicate your pitch on one page. It is created with an investor-centric mindset. The objective is to create interest -not to explain every detail- and get a second meeting.

P: Promote clarity in name, title and company
I: Identify who you help
T: Tell them the problem you solve
C: Clarify why you do what you do (pod)
H: hook them with the best bit

Your Social PITCH:

Your social pitch is one of the most important tools in your sales arsenal. It’s the first impression you make on potential customers, and it can make or break a sale. A well-crafted social pitch can help you build trust and establish credibility, while a poorly constructed one can turn potential customers off and damage your reputation. Here is an example to frame it.

“You know how”………..
…struggle with……..
…..Frustrated with…….
….Can find challenging…….
..We help them with that..
and then describe how/Method……….

 

The 9 Stages of Social Pitching And Closing More Sales.

Stage 1: Preparation (What’s your intention?)

– Pre-interaction stalk (values and; connection)
– Surroundings
– Power hours
– Work on you

Stage 2: Introductions

– 2 x value builders (credibility), tone, 10% better, sound familiar, vocal rollercoaster,
trust in 4.5secs
Face to Face: (Believe in your product – it comes through in tone)
Mario, Chantal Online Business Marketing. How have you been? Thanks so much for
asking NOW.
Memory Anchor – take them back to point of interaction

Examples:

– Thank you for your email regards
– We connected a while back
– Thanks for taking the time to enquire through
(Don’t leave voicemail unless you know them

Stage 3: Framing (They don’t buy in confusion)
A- Appreciate: I certainly appreciate you taking this time to speak to me today
N- Naturally: over my 8 years doing this there is one thing I’ve learnt and that is
everyone’s situation is different.
O- Obviously: For me to understand if we can assist you or not
T- Typically this will go one of 2 ways. 1. I find I can’t help you and I can possibly direct
you where best to go or 2. I see that I can assist you and offer you the opportunity to
discuss How. Does that sound fair?

Stage 4: Discovery

Build Trust around 3 most common objections and include a story:

– 3 x Me
– 3 x Company
– 3 x Product

Stages of discovery:

1) Reflective questions: Looking back
– Have you been following us for a while?
– So take me back. What made you look into this in the first place
– How long has this been going on for? How long have you been trying to
achieve this.
– Have you looked at something like this previously?
– I’m curious. What was it that made you enquire now

2) Reality Check questions: Current situation
– How is what you doing working for you?
– Are you happy with the results you getting right now?
– How is that affecting you?
– Is there anything you would change about your current situation?
– On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate what you have right now. What would
get you to a 10?

3) Opportunity Questions: Looking forward
– Ideally what would the future look like for you?

– Why is that important to you?
– How is that going to impact you?
– Do you feel that continuing as you are is going to help you achieve xyz or is it
the time to make a few small changes
– Have you thought about how your life may be easier if you were to get this
problem sorted?

4) Cost of inaction questions: If they do nothing

– What if we don’t change?
– Why have you chosen to act now?
– Why not just stay as you are?
– Where will you be if you do nothing?
– Where could you be if you do something about this? You know how you felt 3
months ago? and 3 months ago before that? How will you feel in 3 months from now if you do nothing?

If they ask for a discount reply “I think you know the answer to that”

5) Partnership questions: The next steps

– How do you know if a provider of xyz is right for you?
– Is this something you could see yourself benefiting from?
– Is there anything else you think I need to know about your situation before we move forward?
– What did I not ask you that you think I may not know?
– Are you happy for me to walk you through the next steps?

Stage 5: Justify and Present (poor sales language and pricing)

Poor language Vs Correct language:
Examples:
Lock it in – Secure that for you
How long – How soon do you want to be there?
Contract – Agreement
Price, free, Cost – Investment

Pricing:
It comes in just at $ 3,9,7,5 (say individually) and to confirm you get ….
Keep prices on website
Inc of gst
In AUD
“absolutely I’ll send you a proposal” and book It in to give it to them and go over it.

Packaging your offers:
Tight – close – most popular – far
Middle offering syndrome

Comparison theory
“Can I give you my opinion on what you said” Glance over 1, show value in 2 and more in 3
“ What are you leaning towards?”

It takes 5-12 Follow ups:
2.3% open emails
99.5% text opens (no link unless you know them)
16% listen to voicemail

Stage 6: Trial closing Test the water and control the narrative

– Do you like the look, sound or feel of that (depends on person DISC)
– Would you allow us to help you with that?
– Would it be appropriate to walk you through the next steps
– What would the ideal next step look like in your eyes should you wish to move
forward
– What would your expectations be if we were to work together ?
– Would you be open to us discussing the next step

Asking for the business: The IBO method

I – Idea: Based on what we’ve discussed, does this idea make sense to you?
B – Benefit: Well knowing your business/life/family better than I do in your eyes is
this something you can see yourself benefitting from?
O -Opinion: In that case, do you mind if I share my opinion/feedback/an idea with
you (pause)

Stage 7: Negotiation

– Don’t take it personally
– Always set the next steps and agree on what that is
– Always follow up with a multi channel approach (80% sales made 5-12 touch points)
– Always add value
– Always ask for the business if its right for them
Consider their buying cycle (Data – Measure)
If they seem to be a ‘time waster’ or end of the cycle, use the ‘line in the sand’ method

Objection Handling:

A – Appreciate: I appreciate how you are feeling about …. . You won’t be the first and certainly

not the last to feel that way.

R – Relate: MAP (me, company, product): After 7yrs in the industry and with over 250

reviews, we certainly have proven that we know what we are doing.

I – Isolate: Apart from you needing to eg. ‘chat to your partner’ is there anything else

holding you back from moving forward today? Are you suggesting you are 100% happy with what have we agreed on today?

O – Overcome: From our discussion we have concluded that this product will solve your

problem. Does this make you feel more comfortable?

Stage 8: Rules of the close

– Never let excitement enter tone of voice at close
– Do not overtalk
– Make them feel comfortable by advancing them beyond transaction (outcome
focused – We can start the boring paperwork later)

Stage 9: WOW

– Customer interaction
– Onboarding
– Customer service
– Loyalty Bonus
(It is 7 Times more expensive to get a new client than keep an old one)

Stage 10: Get Referral clients

– Ask for testimonial at excitement phase

 

Transform Your Sales Approach Today

Making sales without being sleazy is not only possible, but it’s also crucial for building a sustainable and fulfilling career in sales. By focusing on developing meaningful relationships with your customers, understanding their needs and priorities, and presenting your product or service as a solution to their challenges, you can achieve success without resorting to pushy or unethical tactics.

It’s important to remember that building a successful sales career takes time, effort, and persistence. Ultimately, the key to sales and growth is to believe in yourself, stay committed to your goals, and trust in the power of a customer-centric and value-driven approach to selling.

With practice, patience, and a positive mindset, you can transform your sales approach, achieve your goals, and build a successful and fulfilling career in sales.

Join the LIVE audience