Remote professional selling requires a certain level of energy and enthusiasm that conveys confidence in yourself, your company, and your services or products.
It is a fine line between enough and not too much.
Too much is when someone sounds hyped up on more caffeine than a human should be allowed. More than anywhere, I see this when I go into a coffee-house and the barista is talking too much, too loud, and obviously drinking way too much coffee. Sellers who push their product too hard, excusing this behavior as "passion" for their job or company are missing the point.
Passion for what you love and what you believe in shows through. Remote professional sellers are not meeting buyers in person so there is less about body language and more about vocal and written cues.
Your belief in what you are selling comes from the confidence in your voice and how well you connect to the buyer when asking questions and learning about their needs and wants.
It comes through when you follow-up, and when you summarize the conversation - sending them notes in an email after talking. Confidence shows up in the process and methodology you use consistently with each potential buyer - how you connect, what you say, how you communicate, and what happens next.
Don't think that energy and passion are about talking loud or getting into people's faces.
"You've GOTTA SEE THIS!!"
Really? I have to? What if I don't?
"YOU ARE MISSING OUT"
Really? So I'm an idiot because I don't use your company's services? Gee, thanks.
Instead of pushing onto people, consider taking the approach Lucy did.
Lucy works for a software-as-a-service company. She routinely searches on LinkedIn and other sources for potential buyers who are more probable to buy from her based on 5 criteria she has set (based on her best recent new customers) to determine her best fit buyers. She has a process and a methodology, which she puts into play every day, and each week gets 5-8 good potential buyers to demo to. From there, she ends up with 2-3 potential new clients, and closes one or two new deals every week.
She is confident because she is professional, organized, and knows the value of the service she provides.
Lucy does not shout - she actually is very soft-spoken - but speaks with such confidence that buyers respect that and respond very favorably. She is building a big, solid sales pipeline and gaining referrals from existing clients.
Energy is consistency.
Energy is follow-up.
Energy is finding what works and with a smile on your face, doing it repeatedly to grow business.
What are your tips and strategies to convey your passion and enthusiasm for what you sell?
How do you show it?
Based on Lucy's success, what can you learn from it and put into place?
When will you start?
Lori Richardson is recognized as one of the "Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012" and one of "20 Women to Watch in Sales Lead Management for 2012 and 2013". Lori speaks, writes, trains, and consults with inside and outbound sellers in technology and services companies. Subscribe to the award-winning blog and the “Sales Ideas In A Minute” newsletter for sales strategies, tactics, and tips in selling. Increase Opportunities. Expand Your Pipeline. Close More Deals.