Just One Thing

In a previous blog, I talked about not having a destination and how important it is to have the clarity that destination brings. That clarity creates focus. That clarity creates blinders. That clarity is kindness. And then once we have that and we start digging our trench. Now, something you might not know about me. I've had many careers in my life, but one of them literally was digging ditches. I learned that you must stick your head up every once in a while to see if you’re still on track. Well, to make it easy, we used to string a line from where we were started to where we want to go. That line helped us stay on track and focused.

I want to save you from the difference between direction and destination. Think about walking in a specific direction. It’s just that, a direction. A direction is very broad. I could go pretty much anywhere That's okay, but it doesn't help. What you want is a destination. Let me explain why. When you have direction, pretty much as long as you're facing the right way it works and it can be confusing. What I want to talk about is destination instead of direction.

We're so focused on making a sale and on getting those numbers. I need to talk to you about one word and that word is TRUST. You're never going to get someone to do something until they trust you. You're never going to be able to get what you want until they feel like you're giving them what they want. If you make recommendations and can't tie that recommendation to something that they exactly want you're in trouble. I think about trust all the time and it's such an important ingredient to relationships. Every relationship has a trust account. What are you intentionally doing to make deposits in everyone's trust account? In your wife's, and your husband's, and your boyfriend’s, and your girlfriend’s, and your kid’s, at work with your clients’, with your team? What are you doing to intentionally create an environment for trust? Why do I say it that way? Because trust isn't something you demand. Listen on.

Are you focused on that person in front of you and their needs, or are you focused on what you need? Are you focused on what you’re lacking? Are you focused on your payroll? Are you focused on your bills? If you're focused on those things,  there’s a psychological term called perception of self-interest. If I'm your client or customer perceive a high level of self-interest on your side, it makes them wary. It makes them cautious. It makes them not trust you because are you doing this for them? Or are you doing this for you?  I know you want a relationship with your clients. But as long as you're focused on you, your needs, your problems, your issues, your growth, you can't be in a relationship because your world ends right here at the end of your nose. It's not possible.  In order for you to grow that relationship, your focus has to be 100% on the person you want to serve.  Keep listening and I'll share with you my secret sauce.

When you're focused on selling you're pushing your agenda. Instead, focus on the buying process, on what triggers the buyer, on what helps them make the decisions. How can you influence that? All of a sudden you're on the same side as your customer and you're helping them. You become an assistant buyer. Number one, what lessons can you learn from being a customer? Number two, no one likes to be sold. Everyone likes to buy. How are you creating a buying experience? How are you creating an environment that helps you influence your customer? So that's number two. And then number three, as you learn these lessons from your buying experiences, understand that people tend to sell the way they like to buy. This is important. People tend to sell the way they like to buy. Which is fantastic. As long as you're talking to someone that's just like you. But what happens when they're not just like you? What happens when they want a different experience? Are you curious enough and aware enough to pick up on that and then provide it? Want to learn more? Listen on.

Today I’ll talk about sales. Remember, whatever you chase runs away. I’ll say that again. Whatever you chase runs away. How many of you have ever had a puppy get by you and run outside? Each time you go after that puppy, it runs away. And you know, the other day we got two new kittens and we had to get them to the vet. I actually had to have Brenda help me because one of the kittens was being a little cantankerous. Every time I got close it would take off. So, we literally had to corner the poor little guy, get him into the carrier so that I could get them to the vet. This is what happens when you chase something, it runs away. And I've got to tell you that when you're chasing money, it runs away too. When you're in sales, when you're chasing money, it runs away from you. Please hear me say that. It's not your goal to make money here. Because if that's your focus, you're focused on you, not your client. If you're focused on money, you're desperate. People can smell desperate. And I've been guilty of this too. In the past, when I was slow, I had the hardest time making a sale. I struggled to close that sale. And when we were really, really busy, people were buying like nuts. I'm telling you right now, it's because they smell your desperation. They smell your focus, your perception of self-interest. So, I'm going to ask you to stop chasing money. Recognize that money is a by-product. Profit is a by-product. Bob Burg says it really well. Profit is the thunder to value’s lightening. You must give amazing value. Another thing I heard about profit is that profit is the applause of your clients for a job well done. But when you're focused on yourself and what you get, you're no longer in a relationship. You're not talking to your client. You're not putting their needs and goals ahead of what you need and people can smell it. So, what I'm going to ask you to do is stop. And focus on your customer. Want the secret? Take a listen.