"Once upon a time, there were two salespeople, Tom and Sarah, who had very different approaches to their work.
Tom was an opportunity seeker, always on the lookout for the next big thing and a quick sale. He was constantly chasing the next fancy closing technique and quick fixes. Every day, he would focus solely on extracting value from his prospects, viewing them as commodities from which he could gain his next commission or meet his sales quota. He longed to be a smooth talking sales star with all the answers.
On the other hand, Sarah had a desire to be of service. She was driven by intention, purpose, and meaning. She saw money as only fuel, never the destination or the driving force.
She believed in the Ziglar quote “You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want”.
So, every day, she would focus on creating value for her customers, seeing them as individuals to serve rather than commodities to exploit.
She believed that 'sales is not about selling anymore but building trust and educating.'
She knew that 'you have two ears and one mouth,' and she used them in that proportion, listening more than she spoke to truly understand her prospects.
One day, Sarah began to question the common sales approach of looking for common ground with prospects to gain rapport. She started to experiment with unconscious approaches to gaining rapport, subtly mirroring and matching her prospects. This was a departure from the norm, a step outside her comfort zone, but Sarah was not one to shy away from challenges.
Because of that, she noticed a significant improvement in her interactions with prospects. They seemed more at ease, more open to her suggestions, and more likely to see her as a trusted advisor rather than just a salesperson. Her relationships with her prospects deepened, and she found herself enjoying her work more than ever.
And because of that, she was able to build stronger relationships with her prospects, which led to more sales and a more successful business. Her customer-centric approach was paying off, and she was building a long-term business that she was proud of.
Meanwhile, Tom continued using the old “common ground” approach to gain rapport, focusing on finding better closing scripts, and viewing his prospects as a way to make money or to meet his quota. He was missing the deeper connection that Sarah was cultivating with her prospects, a connection that was not only leading to more sales but also to a more fulfilling and sustainable sales life. His short-term tactics and money-first mentality were leading him to burnout, while Sarah was thriving."
Still Tom was hopeful of uncovering that one technique that would make his sales life more profitable and more enjoyable.
While Sarah's methods started bearing fruit, creating deeper relationships with her prospects, Tom was still clinging to his old tactics, hopeful of discovering that one golden technique.
As Sarah delved deeper into understanding her clients, something groundbreaking came her way.
What was this game-changer Sarah discovered?
And how much further behind would Tom fall if he didn't adapt?