Page 22 - June 2015 Catalyst

CHAKISSE NEWTON’S
NEWTON’S LAWS OF INFLUENCE
five ways to sell your ideas without feeling pushy
If you want to succeed personally and profes- sionally, you must desensitize yourself to the following four-letter word: “sell.” An aversion to a word and its many derivatives (sales, selling, sales- person) costs you time, relationships, and profes- sional advancement. And that’s why learning to sell your ideas, yourself and your company is one of the most important skills you can ever learn.
Why? No matter what your job title is, you are a salesperson if you are required to speak to, work with or interact with other people. No matter what your social life is like, you are a salesperson if there are other people involved. Whether you want someone to buy a new product from you, consider your recommendations or simply let you pick which restaurant you’ll go to for dinner, you must be able to sell your ideas.
Here are five ways to sell yourself, your ideas or your company without feeling pushy:
1. Adjust Your Attitude: Despite the images of the fast-talking salesperson who may come to mind when you hear the word “sales,” a true sale (or rather, any ethical selling that you would do) only happens when you solve a problem for someone else. Think of selling as a synonym for helping others. Focus on this purpose and it will be easier to share (yes, “sell”) your idea.
2. Set Minimum and Maximum Goals: Before you go into any sales situation, identify the best- case scenario of what you’d like to achieve as well as the worst-case scenario that would still let you feel successful. When you have a clear focus, it’s easier to be conversational and it helps you be less aggressive when making a request.
3. Prepare for Personalities: Each person has a preferred behavioral style (introverted, extrovert-
ed, people-focused, results-focused, etc.). Your lis- tener will feel most comfortable when your com- munication and behavioral style is in harmony with theirs. Learn the basics of personality theory so that you can adapt your style when needed.
4. Prepare: In addition to setting goals for any encounter, do your homework on the person you want to persuade and prepare for the most likely objections. You’ll feel more comfortable and won’t have to frantically search for answers, which can make you seem pushy in a meeting. Your prepa- ration should also include “mental rehearsal” where you visualize being successful and relaxed.
5. Focus on Benefits (to the listener): Be clear on how your suggestions benefit the listener and sup- port their goals. In addition to your preparation, using “you-focused” language, asking open-end- ed questions and reaffirming your understanding of the situation helps the listener feel at ease.
Bonus technique:
Care about the outcome. The old cliché, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” is a cliché for a reason. When you truly care about your ideas and how you help others, you will be perceived as passion- ate not pushy.
And if you care about “selling” your ideas and sharing your unique gifts personally and profes- sionally, you’ll make sales skills an invaluable part of your tool set. The word “sales” isn’t an obscen- ity; it’s a necessity.
chakisse newton
803.753.1311
CardinalConsulting.net
22 CityLight.org
June 2015