| We all know that Sales is really all about
“closing the sale”.
There is not a salesperson alive who does not use a variety
of techniques to help them be successful with customers. However, I believe passion is the
most underrated and underutilized sales tool in our arsenal because it is too hard to
measure and no one has found an effective way to teach it. Why don’t more people use
passion to their advantage? It’s simple. Passion exists in those who are humble,
focused, and unlikely to advertise their expertise.
Passion is an effective sales tool because it isn’t
artificial and can’t be faked for a long period of time.
It is displayed in people who genuinely care and are
willing to take the time to serve their customers in whatever manner is necessary. If your
mindset is not to compassionately serve people, you can stop reading because the rest of
this article is not for you. If you do have a willingness to serve and demonstrate
concern, then continue reading.
Passion in sales is evident when the sales person takes the
time to listen to their customer and attempts to really understand what it is they are
looking for. It is displayed not only in the questions that are asked, but also in the
tone of voice and body language that are used and the follow-up demonstrated after the
sales call.
Sales people who have passion are able to create long-term
profitable relationships with their customers. They also routinely benefit from referrals
by their existing clients and, on many occasions, these prospects come to them ready to
buy. It’s ironic to note that the individual characteristics that reveal passion are
also the same characteristics that are demonstrated by many top-performing sales people.
However, without passion resulting in a steady supply of new prospects, their status at
the top is short-lived.
Before you rush out to practice your body language and tone
of voice in an attempt to find passion, let me add the secret ingredient: heart.
Passion comes from a genuine belief of wanting to help the
customer in both good times and bad. It is at its truest form when things are not going
well for either the sales person or the customer and the sales person is still willing to
serve first and sell second. Don’t get me wrong: having passion does not mean
you’re giving up profit indefinitely. It might mean you are sacrificing a little
short-term gain, but when you are committed to having passion for your customers, you will
achieve a higher level of long-term profit, not only from the customer you’re
serving, but also from the referrals they bring you.
Passion can actually be measured in a couple of ways. Begin
by asking yourself this simple question: “When the day is over and my customers are
reflecting back on the people they’ve interacted with and the activities they’ve
done, do they think of me in a positive light that contributed to them having a good
day?” It is important to consider whether your customers truly believe you are
helping improve their day or simply contributing to the chaos of it. Another assessment
tool is found in analyzing the number of referrals you get.
Referrals are an accurate measurement of how your customers
view you, even more than repeat business with a current customer. If they honestly believe
in you, they recommend you to others. (Keep in mind, however, that if they don’t like
you, they’ll still talk about you, just in a negative light.)
Passion in sales is underrated. Therefore, your ability to
genuinely care about your customers, to show an interest in them, and to serve them will
determine your long-term sales success. |
