Consultative selling has been around for quite a while. At least as long as I have been in sales and that’s a long time. I find it a little humorous that current authors, sales gurus, and presidents of sales teams feel they are the originator of this selling style. I also find it a little odd that 70 to 80% of the sales professionals I have come in contact with don’t do it. Why is that? To understand this we need to have a basic understanding of what it is.
Where does it say that it is wrong to be excited and announce your ideas and successes to all that will listen? Do you find yourself apologizing or finding ways to not discuss achievements? Why? Are you worried you might be thought lesser of or find the circumstance embarrassing? Have you found that others try to belittle your experiences… your ideas when self promotion takes place?
Like clockwork, every year, I have this gnawing at my subconscious that I should develop some sort of personal and professional direction for the year. I fret and stew over what these elusive goals should be many times giving up on this endeavor all together in frustration. I’m terrible at setting goals! How about you?
Who doesn’t want to be recognized and complimented? I can tell you I do. My guess is so do you. One of the greatest tools for a manager, business owner, and/or sales professional to use is to sincerely offer compliments. A tool not easily understood by most and typically not used. Why?