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(Don't) Sell and Start Creating Willing Clients
By Charlie Lang of Progress-U Ltd. & John Bower of St. George's Human Potential

A few days ago, Charlie had a conversation with Patricia*, someone who had just started her own coaching and training business. After leaving her job as an employee, she started selling a rather unique financial product to earn a living, while preparing to become a professional coach and subsequently getting her own company off the ground.

"I feel like a fish out of water when I try to sell this product to anyone. First of all, I don't have a very good background and understanding of financial products, so I'm scared that my potential clients will ask questions I won't be able to answer, making me appear incompetent. I am willing to study hard and learn the basics - except there is an even bigger problem. I don't like selling."

Charlie answered, "You're right - actually, it's better if you don't."

Patricia looked at him half-puzzled, half-hopeful. "What do you mean?"

When Charlie explained to her the underlying philosophy of our "Stop Selling!" program, her curiosity considerably increased.

So how can a service professional get business - in fact, more business - without selling?

The "Stop Selling!" approach empowers the sales person to:

a) Establish positive rapport between buyer and seller

b) Achieve a win-win outcome in the shortest possible time

c) Coach the buyer to work with, not counter, the salesperson

The process is based on the premise that no one wants to be sold anything, and that the limiting factor in sales is not the sales process, but the buying process or cycle.

How do you feel when people try to sell you something? Or when they pitch their product and try to convince you? What is your typical response to this approach? How would you expect someone you trust to approach you?

Now put yourself into the situation of the sales person following the conventional sales approach. How would you feel about trying to convince? How would you feel about the response from the potential client - the defenses, objections and frequent rejections?

Does the conventional sales approach seem like a lose-lose situation for both the seller and the buyer? Are you surprised about the current bad image of sales?

Looking at your current level of performance, are you satisfied to continue as you are or would you like to break through to a new level of effortless achievement?

What resources currently available to you can support you to start selling in a more constructive way?

What do you look for when evaluating new material that you are not currently familiar with? How will you recognize an approach that is in synergy with the way people like to be treated?

Benefits of the "Stop Selling!" Approach

Besides taking the pressure out of sales calls and negotiations, giving you even more confidence about your "sales" role, you, as a high-quality service provider, will reap a number of benefits from this new approach:

1. You accelerate your business

By coaching the buyer, you help him quickly figure out what he needs and what he needs to overcome if a buying decision shall be made. That avoids the typical trial-and-error process of the potential buyer, thus leading to an acceleration of the buying cycle. As a consequence, you save time and reach closure of new business faster and more often.

2. You create long-term partnerships with your clients

When you are truthful with your clients and work with them to achieve their needs, you build a lasting relationship founded on trust. Whether they buy or not at the outset, they will act as your salespeople, representing your services to their own network of partners and friends. You not only get referrals, you also find that clients call you without having to call them all the time.

3. Price becomes secondary

If you can apply this new approach, you already markedly differentiate yourself from the rest, and the buyer will be grateful to be able to work with you. By honestly helping the buyer make his best possible buying decision, the buyer perceives the true value from your offer. In the end, the price is more a function of the client's perceived value, not of an arbitrary market level.

What is it that you want most for yourself and your business? How are you going to achieve it? Are you only working for your business goals or are you also enjoying your journey towards them? If not, what would need to change for you to find a more pleasant path?

Patricia figured out that she liked the place she wanted to reach (sales from satisfied customers) but not the path she thought she must take (facing rejection and criticism). She realized that her belief about the path was unnecessarily limited and learned that there is a more effortless way to go. She also understood that it required her to shift beliefs and change her approach to get on that way.

Are you ready for an entirely new way of getting business? Are you ready to join our journey?

Summary: It might be easy or difficult for you to stop selling. Try it out and you'll see. Once you stop selling, would you know how to help your clients discover for themselves the value of your service?

* Name and details have been changed for confidentiality