Last week we had a one-on-one sales coaching session with a client. Two incredible women are creating a powerhouse tech consultancy startup. Being skilled in their field however they required sales training. Quite often experts in certain fields would lack sales skills.
Finding sales training that suits their need, however, was not easy. Even their business coach could not recommend a sales trainer for them. The main concern is that most of them are pushy, they are there for themselves, want to sell something, and they are also mostly men.
After the session, our clients shared how impressed they were with our heart-based approach, attention to emotions and effective method to shift the perception of sales. They will be ‘raving about us to their business coach’. We were stoked and extremely grateful for such comments.
Isn’t that fascinating to see how women see the sales industry No wonder women are less likely to apply for sales positions! How can ethical, genuine, authentic selling happen with such impressions of sales trainers
Is that true Are most sales trainers pushy, there for themselves and mostly men
Well, the majority of sales trainers are indeed men. Traditionally sales profession required resilience, competitiveness and persistence, so in the past sales training looked more like sports coaching.
We truly hope though that now there are plenty of sales trainers who are there for the right reason: empower an individual to present themselves in the best way possible, and to build their confidence so they can share their gifts with the world. Those are benefits that sales skills can bring to you.
On top of that improving personal relationships, having a positive mindset, optimistic outlook on life and acute self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Mastering sales can bring such a transformation to someone’s life. We have seen it happening over and over. Speaking up, sharing confidently, being more in-tune with emotions, thoughts, beliefs, improving their communication style, becoming truly charismatic, while yet staying humble and pleasant.
Sales industry needs to be perceived differently. Not as a competition of fastest and strongest but from a point of higher awareness and consciousness.
A sales process is not a simple transaction, a sales coaching session is not just rehearsing a sales pitch. A sale is an exchange. Exchange of value, time, effort, energy.
It requires acute awareness, a strong ability to hold a space for someone to make a decision, to help them along the way; being a helper on their Hero’s journey.
It’s a vulnerable process that requires us putting ourselves out there in front of a complete stranger, connect and be there for them, to guide them through their fears, doubts.
Or at least make them feel great and build a strong relationship and leave a positive impression.
It is not about closing a deal but about creating a ‘win-win’.
It is not about controlling someone’s emotions but influencing and shifting into more empowering states.
It is not about pushing through the fears but about acknowledging feelings and processing them and finding true confidence and authenticity.
Sales are not about manipulating someone to the outcome we want, but evaluating if that’s the right decision for another person.
Sales skills… These words come with so much emotional baggage that instead of valuing them people often despise them.
We truly believe sales skills should be taught in school, through the uni and become a part of an induction process in companies. We’ll have more people with great communication and people skills!
We mean authentic selling of course. Selling that is coming from a place of empathy, compassion, empowerment and detachment for an outcome.
Such sales skills as negotiation, communication, presenting, making a great first impression, relating to different personalities, emotional intelligence are crucial in life.
All of us sell something: a business, a service or an idea. We sell ourselves every day on going to the gym or not, work or not, we talk to our partners, kids.. all sales and marketing.. it is sad to see that such an amazing industry still has a woof of negative associations.
The mission of our school Fall in Love with Sales is to contribute to the shift of such perception. To leave a legacy. To see more young kids loving sales, more people saying ‘I love sales’, ‘I can’t get enough of sales’, ‘Sales is my favourite topic’.
… Well, it is surely ours 😉
About Ksenia Demidova:
Sales and Business Development Coach
Co-Founder of Sales School for Women Fall in Love with Sales
With over 10 years of experience in the sales industry, Ksenia has had an opportunity to coach over 600 sales reps, increase her clients revenue by over 45 million and speak at national and international conferences.
Sales School for Women: https://fallinlovewithsales.com
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