Selling vs. Dating – Part 1
by Andrew Shedden
Some people view marketing and selling as dull and dry somewhat serious pursuits with no socially redeeming value. As a fearless subscriber to Marketing Matters you realize that this simply ain’t so, why marketing is, well, life itself.
What you may not know is how you can effectively apply sound dating principles to your selling processes as a way of attracting more clients. Alternately, you can employ sound selling practices as a way of attracting more dates. So without further ado, from the home office in Bridgenorth…
It’s hard to get by on looks alone
Whether or not we like the fact that people judge on appearance the fact remains that many people do. Let’s face it, some people are just born darn good looking. Psychological tests and countless surveys reveal that good looking people are viewed as being smarter and more trustworthy than their plain looking counterparts. So if you’re one of those good looking people you do have an advantage, but it’s not really enough to make you an attractive salesperson.
Being an attractive salesperson means more than having movie star good looks and being presentably turned out. Your appearance might get the process started but to truly become an attractive salesperson you need to have more meaningful assets. The most attractive traits in selling are to be genuinely respectful and empathetic. The prospect sitting across from you at the desk shares many of your concerns. If you show concern and actively listen to what is being said by your prospect you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll be viewed as being truly attractive.
Personality can make you attractive
Even a most unattractive person can attract many suitors by sheer force of personality. There seems to be an unwritten yet universal compensatory law that matches plain appearances to exceptional personalities. In fact, I would be willing to bet every person reading this newsletter knows a plain looking person with a captivating personality.
Perhaps you think your company is too small or unknown to be attractive, but fear not, the force of your personality can make even a marginal company magnificent. Simply put your personality into your selling process and remember that enthusiasm is contagious
Being the new kid on the block or working for a small company is great news as you get a chance to make an unbiased first impression. Get out there and use your personality to build relationships.
You need to know where to go
If you want to meet nice partners you need to know where they can be found. Although this may seem to be an obvious observation it seems to rarely be put into practice. How many times have you heard someone bemoaning the fact that he doesn’t have a date and when asked where he’s looking invariably says either nowhere or in bars.
Unless you are an extremely lucky individual the odds aren’t great that you’ll happen to stumble into the sales opportunity of a lifetime. If you truly want to excel in sales you need to proactively select your targets with a great deal of care. There are a myriad of offline and online resources that will pinpoint the prospects you need-use them.
Ask the most attractive person out
The majority of people don’t want to risk being rejected so they never ask their dream partners for a date. This is unfortunate because if they did ask they’d most likely succeed.
The most attractive girl is asked out far less than you might think. Boys are intimidated, afraid to be turned down, or afraid that they may not measure up. The same is true for the most attractive guys.
When asking out the most attractive person for a date you have far less competition. Selling is no different than dating in this respect. You need to find the most attractive companies and “ask them out.” In many ways it’s easier to obtain a face to face meeting in a $50 million a year company than a $5 million dollar a year company but if you’ve ever dated you really shouldn’t be surprised. When you’re putting together your prospecting plans think quality not quantity. The most attractive companies are sitting out there by the phone just waiting to be asked. So, what are you waiting for?
