Helen Graves’ latest article is titled “How to Stop Struggling with the Selling Conversation”. [Article]


Helen Graves’ latest article:

How to Stop Struggling with the Selling Conversation

For loads of small business owners in helping/healing professions, selling is a HUGE obstacle in growing their businesses. (âI just want to be of service. I donât want to market or sell!â)

The problem is they see sales and marketing as separate from the transformation they provide. Which means they constantly struggle with what to say to potential clients that wonât conflict with their values of service, compassion and authenticity.

Take my client, Ritamarie, for example. Sheâs a nutrition practitioner and had a strong aversion to coming off as âsalesy.â It just didnât fit her style or her audience. Even when she tried to âmake the sale,â it often didnât pan out because there was a disconnect between her passion for what she does and her dispassion for selling.

Unfortunately, the end result was people werenât hiring her in the numbers she wanted.

We spent a private day working together virtually, constructing a âconversation templateâ that was comfortable for her and conveyed the value she had to offer. Since then, sheâs reported a record number of âyes!â responses (and at a much higher dollar figure than before). Happy day!

Because I know many other heart-centered entrepreneurs struggle with what to say (like Ritamarie used to), I want to give you 3 ultra-simple tips for how to confidently âtalk turkeyâ with clients in a way thatâs comfortable â and always in alignment with your values.

1) Reframe the meaning of âsellingâ

The idea of selling has been given a bad rap by those whoâve used it only as a means to put money in their own pockets, customer be damned. The truth is, selling isnât about forcing something down another personâs throat (unless you choose to view it that way). Selling, at its essence, is a transaction between two people, for the mutual benefit of both.

And if you know in your heart that your special brand of transformation is exactly what the person youâre speaking with needs, presenting your offer is the first step in being of service.

2) Clarify your offer so you can present it clearly and easily

The simplest way to get a yes answer is to create a compelling picture in your prospective clientâs mind. A picture that makes them say, âI gotta have that!â Take some time before you begin a âselling conversationâ to get really clear about the specific details of your product, program or service, as well as the specific results your client can expect. Once youâve got those on the tip of your tongue, painting that enticing picture is a piece of cake.

3) Integrate your values into the conversation

Donât leave your values back in the car when you talk with someone about what you can do for them. In a service-based business like yours (and mine), your clients are buying you, not some impersonal product. Asking about their beliefs and values, and sharing your own, is an excellent way to build rapport and know that what youâre offering is a match for what they need.

You Canât Help Them Until They Say âYESâ

Marketing, at its heart, is about connecting with others so you can create your special brand of transformation in their lives. And the final step in the marketing sequence is asking for the sale. Without that, you canât work your magic. Knowing how to speak about your services in a way that blends your marketing message with your values means both you and your potential client come out winners!

Helen Graves, Grand Poohbah of Crackerjack Online Marketing Strategy, offers practical online sales and product marketing tips to create long-lasting client connections. She can be reached via www.CrackerjackOnlineMarketing.com.

Sign up for her free special report on product launch strategy, How to Create Desire So Your Products and Programs Sell Like Hotcakes, at www.Product-Campaign.com

*This news post was submitted by Helen Graves.

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