Simply stated, HERO Selling requires the salesperson to be Humble, Ethical, Responsible and Optimistic. I know that’s not the way most people are used to thinking of those in sales, but my mission is to make a believer of you.
You see, the reason you don’t think HERO is an accurate description of a salesperson is that precious few salespeople actually behave that way on a consistent basis. But here’s a secret: the best ones do!! In fact, you’ve probably encountered many of these HEROs and weren’t even aware that you were being sold to. Truth be told, you weren’t actually being sold to, at least not in the sense that the word has come to mean (i.e. being coerced to buy something against your will). The HERO wasn’t selling so much as he or she was making it comfortable for you to buy. And that, my friends, is the key to being a HERO.
More than anything, what the economy needs right now is for more people to feel comfortable buying again. At the moment, people in general are very reluctant to part with any of their money out of fear for the day when they won’t have anymore to spend. What happens if this trend continues? More shrinkage, more cutbacks, and even more bad news. What the world needs now is consumers, and it’s up to the salespeople of the world to gently coax them out of their shells.
Does this mean that I think salespeople should be trying to convince people to buy things they don’t need or can’t afford? No. All we have to do is look at the mortgage crisis to see where that kind of behavior leads. What I do mean is that we, the salespeople of the world, have to make it OK for people to buy the things they do want, need and can afford. And we need to do it now!
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Whenever I have the chance to speak to groups, I always start by asking the following question: “Who loves salespeople?” You might be surprised to find (or maybe you won’t be) that I’m often the only person in the room with my hand raised. This has even happened when I’m speaking to groups composed entirely of salespeople! Why is that the case?
For the most part, people really, really hate to be sold to. Think of the last time someone tried to sell something to you; did you enjoy the experience? Even if you were there specifically to buy something, the answer is probably “No”. There is just something about being sold to that sets off a defensive reaction. We feel that if we’re not careful, we’re going to be taken advantage of. Salespeople, on the whole, have a nasty reputation. That said, you might find what I’m about to say a little offensive: no matter what you do, you are in sales, or at the very least, sales adjacent!
That’s right: no matter what line of work you are in, if you provide a product or a service that other people pay you for, you are either in sales or a sales support role. Bottom line. No arguments to the contrary will be accepted. Selling is the primary function of business. Think about it: if you don’t sell anything, can you really say you’re in business?
So we’ve got a bit of a dilemma: no one, including you, likes to be sold to; at the same time, without sales you have no business. How can you reconcile this quandary? That’s where HERO Selling comes in. You see, the reason no one likes to be sold to and that everyone hates salespeople is simple: many “traditional” selling methods (and the salespeople who still use them) are offensive, brutish and outdated. You know the routine:
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