Put Some Heart In Your Marketing…It’s Good for Business!

When I say this has been an interesting week, you should understand that I’m probably making one of the most egregious understatements of my life so far.  Without going into too much detail, let’s just say that my vision of who I am and what I do has been shattered and rebuilt over the course of the past few days.  It wasn’t as bad as it sounds; in fact, it was just what the doctor ordered.

For the past several years, I’ve thought of myself (and promoted myself) as something of a sales expert.  I want very badly and am working very hard to travel the country and the world revitalizing the lives and careers of salespeople everywhere, to be the sales trainer of choice for organizations everywhere.

I have a great WHAT: a system I call HERO Selling, which you can learn about elsewhere on this blog.  HERO Selling is, I’m sure, going to change the face of sales for decades to come.  I realize that belief is stupidly optimistic, and I’m OK with that.

I also have a great HOW.  My vision is to talk about the things no one else is talking about, to bring topics like character, honesty and spirituality to the forefront of the conversation about what makes a great salesperson.

The piece I’ve been struggling with, though, and what I now realize is the reason I’ve had so much trouble reaching a larger audience, is that I really haven’t been clear about my WHY.  Oh sure, I have a mission statement; it’s all about raising the bar for the sales profession and brining honor back to the job.  It has words like “passion” and “enthusiasm” and it’s very inspiring.  The problem is that it’s not accurate.  It focuses on WHAT I’m going to do, not WHY.

This came as a bit of a shock to me, and I spent a few days in a foul mood while I was sorting it all out in my head.  Fortunately, I’ve managed to surround myself with some pretty spectacular people and they were a huge help.

What I’ve come to realize is that the thing that drives me most is my desire to have better communication with the people around me and to help others do the same.  I want to make it easier for all of us to share our ideas, because I believe that the free flow of ideas leads to a happier, more enlightened world.  That’s WHY I do what I do, and the more often I’ve talked about that, the more people who resonate with the idea respond in kind.  Funny, right?  The fact that the WHAT that springs out of that is focused on making better salespeople is a secondary issue.

So why am I sharing this story?  Because I think it holds an important lesson: people aren’t interested in WHAT you do or HOW you do it until they understand and agree with WHY you’re doing it.  The more clear you are about your WHY, the more attractive your product or service is to those who share your belief.

Try this: make a list of your five favorite clients or customers, the ones who are a delight to deal with, who never haggle over price, and who always take your recommendations about what to buy.  Next, make another list of the five clients or customers you like dealing with the least, the ones who you have to constantly persuade to do what you know is good for them, who always ask for a discount, and who drag their feet when it comes to paying an invoice.

Now think of all the conversations you’ve had with each client on each list, focusing on the level of resonance or dissonance that existed between your ideas and beliefs and theirs.  I’d be willing to bet my next paycheck that the five you enjoy working with the most and who represent your best customers are the ones whose beliefs most align with yours, while the ones you hate to deal with are the same ones who disagree with your view of how the universe works.

So here’s the big question: who would you rather do business with?  Wouldn’t you rather have more customers like your five best and fewer like your five worst?  Of course you would!

And the way to attract your best clients and repel your worst is simple: always speak from your heart.

When you’re talking to a prospective new client, stop puking up facts about the features and benefits of your product.  Stop telling them what you can do for them or how your service can save them money or make their operation more efficient.  In other words, stop focusing on the WHAT and HOW.  Trust me: even though they seem to be paying attention, they don’t really care.

Instead, tell your prospects WHY you do what you do.  Talk about the things that excite you, the ideas you believe in, what you’re passionate about.  Speak from your heart, and the ones who resonate with your heart-based communication will find a way to justify to themselves buying your WHAT and HOW.  These are the folks who will become your best customers, and eventually, your biggest fans.