- You are here:
- Home »
- Blog »
- Sales Tips »
- I Hate Prospecting So I’m Going To Automate My Marketing
I Hate Prospecting So I’m Going To Automate My Marketing
The reason so many people hate prospecting or reaching out and following up on leads they have generated is they hate selling and they are doing their prospecting all wrong.
It seems like every time I turn around I run into a coach or consultant that doesn’t have very many clients but they are convinced that if they just do more marketing everything will be fine.
What is really happening is they don’t want to have a sales conversation so they are looking for a process that skips that step and get’s them clients any way. I’m going channel a little Dr. Phil here; “How’s that working for ya?”
My guess is it’s not working all that well.
So let’s take a look at why. In order to sign up clients you should stop trying to get around having a sales conversation. People buy from people and if you’re a coach or consultant you aren’t selling a widget you are selling personal transformation.
The reason you are avoiding the sales conversation is usually because you’re uncomfortable in the role of salesperson. If you’re like most people I work with your view of salespeople in general is not good. So when you start to sell someone something you feel slimy or disingenuous even though you believe in what you have to offer.
This creates doubt in your mind because you’re uncomfortable and it comes across as a lack of confidence to your prospect. So most of the time they don’t sign up for what you have to offer. Then because you want to help them so much you slip in to coaching mode and start coaching them right there in what should be an enrollment conversation. Any of this sound familiar?
What you have to understand (and I know that deep down you do) is that if you fix the easy problem they were willing to share with you they think they solved their problems so they don’t need a coach or consultant. They don’t have your experience and haven’t really been honest with themselves either so they don’t even really understand what the underlying issue is that’s holding them back. As a coach or consultant you know that even though you can help your clients have breakthroughs early on the really big breakthroughs come after they have had some successes and the trust relationship has been established and they are willing to really open up.
Do yourself and your clients a favor and stop coaching during enrollment calls. That is not the place to solve problems. It’s the place to uncover problems and show them that you have a plan that will help them get where they want to be.
Stop trying to sell and simply uncover problems and what the cost of those problems are while determining if you are a good fit to work together or not. If you are, and only if you are, then you can propose a program to help them. If you can’t help them refer them to someone that can help them or simply tell them that you don’t believe what you have to offer is right for them.
When you are no longer focused on selling and instead put the prospect and their needs first you will find the sale takes care of itself. That’s Healthy Selling.
If you struggle with your sales or you have a breakthrough you want to share leave a comment or a question.
