Using Your Strengths for Sales Success (video)

I’m going to ask you to twist your perspective today

• if you are a salesperson; STOP worrying about all the things that you AREN’T talented in and START working on turning your talents into strengths!
• if you’re a sales manager; once someone hits a base line level of competence, STOP working on their weaknesses and START focusing on having them use their strengths more often!

But how will we get BETTER if we don’t work on our weaknesses? You ask…

Working on weakness, will only make us “less bad” at it!

Instead, work to make your talents into strengths AND then get the results you’re looking for.

To give you a definition of strength that separates it from the raw potential of our talent list I’m going to quote Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton from Now, Discover Your Strengths

Strength indicates “consistent near perfect performance in an activity”

The key is for you to think about what your talents are and remember that you can build them into strengths…..

Then use those strengths INSTEAD of lamenting about all the things you aren’t talented in.

I think the question to answer is – why DON’T we use our talents and turn them into strengths?

Here is my theory, as salespeople we believe if it is Easy ≠ it CAN’T be Valuable

Another twist in perspective is needed here! The thing about your strengths – it is made up of activity that:
• empowers you
• gives you a rush
• you look forward to
• you love doing
• you feel satisfied when you’re done
• you can’t wait to do again

In fact if you have ever found yourself saying “no problem, I just do that” when complemented. You were probably complemented on one of your strengths!

Get the JUST out of there – things that are effortless for you, are difficult for other people.

The “stuff” your friends rely on you for – prospects and customers need too

Based on over 15 years of asking
• “why do you buy from me”
• or “what is valuable about the service I provide”
• along with “what keeps you coming back” has shown

People who become our customers NEED WHAT WE DO ANYWAY, effortlessly, without struggle.

And we’re talking about things you’ve been doing your whole life!

My suggestion is start there! Ask people what you do for them:
• your friends
• your family
• your co-workers
• your customers

That list becomes what you will do for your prospects to make them into your customers. It is what will make you the most successful salesperson (or sales manager for that matter…) you can be.