Lose the attitude, guys.
Sales Truth by Mike Weinberg on The Marketing Book Podcast.
Together with Benjamin Dennehy, "Why are UK Estate Agents so $**t at their job", on the Christopher Watkin YouTube channel.
Mike Weinberg, first up, discussing why sales people don't sell.
One reason, suggests Mike, is the attitude "I don't want to bother them. I'm a pest. I don't like this prospecting thing because I have to call them a few times. I don't want to be ...an annoyance."
Mike has this to say to those timid salespeople.
" If you truly view yourself as a value creator and professional problem-solver and you know deep down that your prospect is better off working with you and that they are probably stuck in some sub-optimal situation and they have needs and they have desired outcomes, for which you have a solution that provides those answers, isn't it on YOU to get in touch with those people if you really want them to win and you're motivated to get them the best outcome. Instead of viewing yourself as a pest and an annoyance, what if you saw yourself as reaching out to them because they need your help and they're stuck. So your motivation is PURE, it's almost altruistic. So if you adopt the approach, that if your goal is to help the customer win, you're always going to win."
Quite a mouthful!
He went on to say that this makes you "fun to work with, incredibly honest and that after the conversation, you might even say we're not the best fit for them."
The illogical argument trotted out by every door-knocking and cold-calling realtor/agent, as they hustle for their worth.
Let's deconstruct that argument.
You won't "know deep-down that the prospect is better of working with you", or that "they are probably stuck in some sub-optimal situation" until you call them.
Mike even ventures that "he might even say we're not the best fit for you" after the meeting. A 360 turnaround from the original claim that the "prospect is better off working with you."
Truth is he doesn't have a clue.
It might be the case, or it might be that the prospect is happily serviced and extremely loyal to the existing supplier. In which case, the call is an impertinence and a waste of the prospect's time.
"What if you saw yourself as reaching out to them because they need your help? So your motivation is pure, it's almost altruistic."
Almost altruistic?
Let me help you with this, Mike.
I'm gonna help you, whether you need my help or not. My intentions are pure, almost altruistic.
There is a common decency that says permission is first required.
You do not know better. And until you do, you are that pest.
It's no different walking down the street and asking everyone of the opposite sex for a date. Just on the off-chance that they are in a "sub-optimal relationship and would be better off with you." That's not 'pure' intention. That's not altruistic. That's being a delusional pest.
Why not attraction marketing instead of interruption marketing?
If you're so confident of your worth?
Get the inquiry. Get the permission. Then go do your stuff.
That - that takes real creativity and observation rather than simply barging your way into someone's life because your intentions are 'pure'.
Benjamin Dennehy sails a similar tack.
"Estate agents are cowards. If you can't knock on someone's door and ask for business, why are you in business?"
"Because they think it's beneath them" he ventures.
In reality, it had better be beneath them.
Along with cold-call prospecting, it's a $10/hour activity that positions any realtor/agent as desperate and devoid of ideas.
Vendors know you're there to sell - not to help them.
And dressing that door-knock up in a lamentable 'frozen pea' excuse doesn't start the relationship off on a good footing. It's insincere at best. Be honest with the vendor - tell them you're desperate!
Benjamin is the self-proclaimed "U.K's Most Hated Sales Trainer"
I like him.
He's amusing, certain of his views and, for a former lawyer, incredibly misguided on so many scores.
Christopher Watkin suggests "people buy people."
"It's a misquote. If people bought people, there would be no sales trainers."
I get where he's coming from.
That agents aren't great at building relationships and consequently need to be trained in how to 'sell'. Logic would dictate that agents need help with building relationships, not with 'selling'. Trainers don't offer this option because "if people bought people, there would be no sales trainers".
I counter with this - if sales trainers taught agents how to build relationships, there would be no need for purely transactional 'selling'.
He's of the opinion that "the greatest lie in sales is that you need relationships to sell - you don't need a relationship, you need trust."
Let me posit this:
If estate agents and realtors are one of the least trusted of professions, aren't trainers doing an incredibly shitty job of helping them?
"How do you build trust at the meeting, with a stranger?" asks Benjamin. Before answering the question himself.
Asking difficult questions to establish credibility is the core of his thesis.
Benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin!
Establishing credibility doesn't build trust.
I have thousands of LinkedIn connections that I deem credible and competent.
I'm particular who I connect with, which is why there are hopefully no Keller Williams agents among them. I can count on one hand, connections that I really trust.
Credibility can seem instant. Trust takes time.
Just because an agent is competent, and credible, there is no reason for me to trust. I need more. I need to go deep. Ask as many hard questions as you like, Benjamin. The answer is still no. You haven't even scratched the surface.
Many vendors do trust, of course, and live to regret their impetuosity.
But the agent doesn't care. They have their commission and eagerly seek out their next 'mark'.
"The greatest lie in sales is that you need relationships to sell."
It's not required, but it makes your life so much easier if you can nurture them.
Imagine a world where you don't have to sell.
Where vendors seek you out. Only you.
They appreciate your sincerity, honesty,integrity, having their best interests at heart, loyalty. Your trust.
Many of the words that Benjamin uses to denigrate a Utopian vision of an agent.
His word association exercise for the public, though, brings up pushy, greedy, wanker, aggressive. Whose fault is that?
The very act of sales prospecting positions an agent as pushy, greedy and aggressive.
What's an agent to do?
Damned by sales trainers if they don't prospect. Damned by vendors if they do.
Here's a clue.
One gives you money. The other takes it from you.
Work it out, why don't you?
So it's sales trainers that could lose the attitude.
Agents that "don't like this prospecting thing" and agents that are accused of "cowardice" have it more certain. They don't need shaming. They don't need motivating. They don't need training in how to become the uninvited guest at the party.
"I know you're not really surprised by this, but you and I don't have a lot in common. With very few exceptions, the message you're sharing across multiple social media channels, websites and traditional media is fast becoming the exact opposite of something I want to listen to.
This might have something to do with the fact that I find the language of constantly being sold to incredibly boring." - Karen Smart.
Relationships are everywhere. It's how we make sense of the world.
How do I, relate to You?
It takes effort. Something that many realtors/agents aren't prepared to make. So, encouraged by the likes of Tom Ferry, Grant Cardone, Tom Panos, Mike Weinberg and Benjamin Dennehy, they take the easy option.
They hustle for their worth.
And wonder why they aren't liked.
Attitude?
It's either transactional, or relationship-driven.
"It's in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped". Tony Robbins.
Thanks, as always for reading. Love to hear from you whether you agree, or not. My advice is always free.
And, if you'd like a simple notification when I next post, just complete the form on the home page. No emails, no sales calls, nothing. Just a notification.
Chris.
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