Recently I was chatting with a business owner whose regional directors need to make more sales. He wanted them to attend sales training, but they balked at the idea.
Why?
None of them wanted to be perceived as the pushy car salesman type. They view “sales” as a dirty word, tarnished by their bad experiences with slimy salespeople and their fears of being perceived as annoying.
So he had a brilliant idea…to call the program “business development training” instead of sales training, because all of the regional directors agreed that they needed to be better at developing relationships that would lead to more sales.
But isn’t building relationships at the heart of sales?
So, we’re offering sales training to them with a more palatable name that doesn’t scare them off.
If you also have a negative perception of sales, try reframing how you think of it…
Sales is not about:
- Being aggressive or relentless
- Being annoying
- Pushing things the prospect doesn’t need
Sales is about:
- Listening and understanding
- Discovering ways to help
- Building rapport
- Building relationships
If you or your team could use some “business development” training (wink, wink), join our next 12-Week Sales Masterclass. To learn more, schedule a quick Zoom session with me or give me a call at 502-625-5859.
Author: Mark McNulty, Business Coach