The more value you give, the less you have to sell

Sales… selling… most of us have to do it at some point. Even if we’re not actively selling a service or a product for a living, we need to be able to sell ourselves at interview every now and again, so that we can continue to make a living.

Sales… some might say you’ve either got it or you haven’t… the ‘gift of the gab’, the ‘patter’. Many would claim that it’s something that you can be trained to do, or at least get better at. And they’d be right.

But for many people – small businesses and freelancers alike – selling simply isn’t something that comes naturally or that they feel comfortable with.

In surveys and polls, the likes of ‘sales’, ‘finding new customers’ or ‘lead generation’ tend to feature highly as the things that people lack confidence in the most, or the areas that cause the most concern.

But there is an answer. It’s not perfect. It’s not completely fool-proof. But it is a very good answer.

It all comes down to the value you give.

Redefine your definition of sales

The first step on the journey to becoming more comfortable (and more successful at) selling is to redefine the definition and negative perception that many of us have of sales.

For those of a certain age, the stereotypical image of a salesman that sticks in the mind is one of an Arthur Daley or a Frank Butcher. It’s all Cockney wide boy dodgy wheeling and dealing in the car lot type stuff. Failing that, the idea of sales conjures images of yuppies, The Wolf of Wall Street… brashness, arrogance, and ruthlessness.

And even if you have a less negative outlook on the notion of sales, it’s hard to get past the thought all those annoying cold calls we receive, incessantly trying to sell us stuff we don’t want.

Essentially, nobody likes being sold to.

Of course, we are all being sold to in one way or another every single day. It’s just that we don’t tend to appreciate it when it’s in our faces.

How do you sell without selling?

So, how do you sell without selling? How do you sell your products and services without having to resort to the sales-speak that doesn’t come naturally to you?

Well, the title of this blog hits the nail on the head. The phrase ‘the more value you give, the less you have to sell’ was a comment I spotted on a LinkedIn thread by one of my connections, Niraj Kapur.

Niraj sums it up perfectly.

If you consistently provide value to your prospects, they are much more likely to become your customers.

And if you provide value to a first-time customer, they are far more likely to become a regular customer and/or refer you to somebody else.

How do you provide value?

Providing value doesn’t have to have anything to do with the price you charge for your products or services. It certainly doesn’t mean you need to lower your prices at all.

Offering value for money and being valuable to a customer are about the quality of your service and delivery.

It’s about taking the time to make a phone call, responding to a Facebook post, going the extra mile or adding a personal touch, such as a handwritten card added to an order.

It’s the little things that go a long way.

Content marketing needs to add value

In terms of lead generation, your content marketing strategy is crucial. But it’s about playing the long game rather than expecting a short-term fix. Building trust takes time and nurturing a relationship does too.

It’s unlikely that a prospect will become a customer on the strength of a couple of blogs, a few Facebook posts or the occasional conversation and comment on LinkedIn. But do those three things (and others) regularly and consistently, and you add real value and position yourself in the front of a prospect’s mind when they areready to buy.

The best way to sell is to forget selling at all

In many ways, the best way to sell is to forget the idea of selling completely. The first conversation you have with a new lead should be about you listening to them, not making them listen to you. Offer guidance, advice and help. This is how you add value.

If your content (be it a blog or a social media post) is little more than a glorified (or thinly veiled) sales pitch, it’s unlikely that it’ll add value. Chances are it will just annoy. It certainly won’t resonate with your audience.

Even pitches and ad copy should be more about the problems that your audience is facing rather than simply trying to shove your products and services down people’s throats.

The art of persuasion is about skill and subtlety not wielding a big salesy sledgehammer.

So, the moral of the story is this: When you create content or have any interactions with customers, think about how you can add value for them – don’t think of making a sale and don’t starting seeing the pound signs in front of your eyes.

If you want to read more about how to sell, even if the prospect of sales fills you with dread, I thoroughly recommend Anti-Sell: Marketing, Lead Generation & Networking Tips for Freelancers Who Hate Sales by Steve Morgan.

As a freelancer (and as the title suggests), Steve attacks the issue very much from a freelancer’s point of view, but there’s much in the book that will hit home for any small business.

Finally, if you want to know more about creating content which adds real value, get in touch to see how Mark Richards Writes can help.

First published on LinkedIn.