Last week I was speaking with a business owner who told me it’s time to focus on building their sales team. What am I thinking as he says it? That’s great news for him! His business is maturing and he’s ready to focus on building his revenue generation system.
But as he continued, I realized this business owner’s sales mindset wasn’t quite that far along.
Are You Ready To Build a Sales Team?
This owner’s situation is common with companies considering building a sales team. They have two salespeople who are doing okay. For the business to really grow, they need the reps to sell more consistently. The business owner knows he has to play a more active role in sales, yet it isn’t a job he understands or is comfortable coaching.
I shared with him that it’s okay. Many business owners don’t have sales backgrounds. They started their businesses based on a passion for what they do. However, he shouldn’t worry about that because sales is not an art. It can be learned.
But then he confessed, as if a nasty secret, “I really don’t like sales. I don’t want to try to convince people to do things they don’t want to do.”
That’s when I realized he had more work to do within himself before he could begin building a successful sales team that he could fully support and be proud of.
What’s Your Mindset About Sales?
When building a sales team, business owners who don’t have sales backgrounds often perceive sales as persuading prospects to buy. To them, it’s a form of negotiation – sometimes referred to as a sleazy skill – that they themselves would never want to engage in but view as a necessary evil for their business to grow.
This perspective of sales couldn’t be further from the truth of what the profession is and what you want in your own sales organization.
Why would you want to build a team of tricksters? A team of power negotiators? A team of people at odds with the values upon which you built your successful company?
You would not want a team like that anywhere in your company representing your business to clients, let alone the front-line meeting with prospects. That means you need to rethink your view of the sales profession and what your expectations for a sales team’s actions will be as they represent your company.
Do your values align with your perception of your sales team?
Let’s say your company’s core values are integrity, superior customer service, expertise, and value. Your salespeople need to exemplify these values in how they connect with clients. If you hire salespeople who can do what your perception of sales is (persuading people to buy, tricking them or using generally sleazy tactics), those reps will misrepresent your company. Your prospects won’t believe they are being treated with integrity. They won’t be excited about the level of expertise and service they’ll receive.
In short, prospects won’t buy.
For sales success, it’s critical that your team’s sales approach fully aligns with the core values of your company. You want your customers to feel the integrity and superior level of customer service. They experience the expertise your company brings and the value they’ll receive. The sales process they experience uses a consultative selling approach in line with each of the core values you hold dear. You are aligning sales with values and principles that personify your company.
Then prospects will buy, and your company will grow.
How Do Successful Salespeople Connect With Prospects and Clients?
It’s time to let go of the misconceptions of what successful selling looks like. Successful salespeople are focused on genuinely connecting with people. Notice I didn’t say “prospects” or “clients.” I said “people.”
Successful salespeople are interested in people whether they have the potential to buy or not.
They know that selling is about connecting with people. Not texting, Zoom, and phone calls. Rather, it’s emotional, relational connecting. In addition to voice-to-voice and face-to-face conversations – it can occur via text, Zoom, and phone – but the mode isn’t as important as the method.
They are listening. Talking. Laughing. Sharing about their lives, hobbies, families, and friends, mixed in with the business discussion. And not just sharing surface thoughts. It is sharing that they are active in church. That they have decided to take golf lessons. That they are a competitive ballroom dancer or youth soccer coach.
In addition to following a solid sales process, practicing consultative selling skills, and making recommendations that fully align with prospects’ needs and Value Curve, reps are sharing their lives. In doing that, people feel a connection with them and want to work with them. Remember the saying, “People buy from people they like”? It’s because the salespeople prospects like are being genuine and are genuinely interested.
A salesperson who connects on both the personal and professional level exemplifies your company’s core values. And when your solution meets prospects’ needs, this salesperson will win more sales. That’s when your business takes off.
How can you shift your sales mindset?
By focusing on genuine client connections, your sales team can build strong, lasting relationships that align with your company’s core values, ultimately leading to sustained business growth and success. Do these things and you can shift your mindset about what sales is as a profession – and what you want from your sales team.
Shift your mindset. Then you’ll be ready to build your sales team from the right perspective.
If you want to better align your sales process and sales team with your company’s core values, contact us. Through training and coaching, you can create a sales organization that personifies what you do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is having the right mindset important when building a sales team?
Having the right sales mindset is crucial because it shapes how you view and approach sales as an organization and discipline. A positive and accurate perception of sales as a profession focused on genuine client connections, rather than persuasion, ensures that you build a team that aligns with your company’s core values and effectively represents your business.
What common misconceptions do business owners have about sales?
Many business owners view sales as a form of persuasion or negotiation, often considering it a necessary but undesirable aspect of their business to grow. This misconception can lead to undervaluing the importance of relationship-building and integrity in the sales process, which are essential for long-term success.
How can Sales align with a company’s core values?
Sales can align with a company’s core values by emphasizing them in every interaction with clients and prospects. Salespeople should exemplify these values by building genuine client connections, understanding client needs, and providing solutions that truly benefit the customer, ensuring the sales process reflects the company’s principles.
What are some effective ways for salespeople to connect with clients?
Effective ways for salespeople to connect with clients include engaging in relational interactions, sharing personal interests and experiences, listening fully, and being genuinely interested in clients as individuals. This approach helps build trust, making clients more likely to do business with them.
How can a business owner shift their mindset about sales?
A business owner can shift their mindset about sales by learning and understanding that sales is not just about persuasion but about building meaningful relationships. This involves training and coaching to adopt a consultative selling approach that aligns with the company’s core values, focusing on genuine connections, and providing real value to clients in all interactions.
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