Aren’t we trying to sell something every day? We might be trying to convince our kids that green beans are better than candy, or showing a prospective client that our solution is the right choice for him or her, but I’d say most of us are in the business of selling something.
If your life is all about selling, what are some key things you need to know to ensure success on the sales front?
At Tory Johnson’s recent Spark & Hustle Event in Atlanta, Tony Conway of A Legendary Event, was the only male speaker. But he didn’t let that scare him. He made a big impression on us all, with his confetti falling from the ceiling and his providing us with a King Sized serenade from Big Mike! As the owner of a top notch catering company, he also had a thing or two to share with us about sales. And it was advice that can apply to all that we do.
- Don’t forget that clients/customers also ‘eat’ with their eyes. While Tony’s clients may literally be eating with their eyes (since he’s catering their event), the same can be true for you and your business. What impression are you making – whether it is in how your web site looks, how your materials are designed, or how you come across?
- Put polish on everything you do. This is far beyond just having nice silverware. It’s about how everything – from big to small - can and does have an impact.
Each of us knows when we’re not presenting the image that we want, when all of the pieces of our “personal place settings,” if you will, are not as polished as we’d like. Whether it’s in the clothes we’re wearing, the business card we’re handing to someone, or the manner in which we speak, we get that little feeling in the pit of our stomachs that we need to take it up a notch. Yet, how do we move beyond that and sell the real us?
First, and foremost, we have to find out who the “real us” is! You can probably guess that, with a tag line like “Be You Out Loud,” this is at the core of all I do with my clients. For some, it requires a lot of introspection and other means of learning, and for others it’s not as difficult. But for everyone, including me, it takes the willingness to take risks and to grow and change. Sure, this can be scary, even painful. It can also be exhilaratingly joyful! And, here’s the kicker: I have never seen it not pay off!
So, if you feel called, you might take this as an invitation to take some more steps in the direction of being more of you in the world, of letting yourself shine. Don’t forget, though, that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are we. Along with the willingness to risk, grow and change, there must also be a willingness to love all the pieces of ourselves, that is no matter what!
Then, if we should find that pieces of our own “personal place settings” have gotten a little dull, we can either give them the TLC of a quick shine or lovingly replace them with other, newly discovered pieces. As humans, we are gifted with these abilities – the abilities to choose and to change. And what amazing gifts they are!
In closing, I would ask: What do the pieces of your life say about you? When your eyes are looking upon you, what image do you see projected? Is it the real you – the shining, sparkling you that you are? If it’s not that picture, the picture you want to show (and sell) to others, then accept the gift of choice and change, and be yourself. I promise that the real you is 100% guaranteed to catch every buyer’s eye.
Note: This is one blog post in a series of them that I’ll be publishing here periodically about the insights I gleaned from the aforementioned Spark and Hustle conference. It is my hope that these posts will not only inform you, but also inspire you to take action on making your dreams real, especially if your dreams include becoming an entrepreneur. Perhaps with some spark and hustle, we can all profit from our passions!
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