The Biggest Mistake Heart-Centred Service Professionals Make

What's the biggest mistake heart-centred service professionals make when it comes to making a sale in a sales conversation?

They don't ASK.

I liken it to having a conversation with a friend. Imagine you are having a conversation with your friend, Amy, about a party you are throwing at the weekend, you are painting the picture for her of how much fun it's going to be, what a great time everyone is going to have. There's going to be the best food, the best drink, the most magical chocolate cake you can imagine, entertainment, it's going to be an all singing all dancing party. An unforgettable event.

And that's it! You tell her how great it's going to be and what fun everyone is going to have, you really lay it on thick, and you leave her hanging!

You don't invite her!

You assume that if she wanted to come she'd ask you, or invite herself!

It's just the same when you are having the sales conversation with your client. You give them the explanation or the taster of what it would be like to work with you, you might even let them know about others you have helped and what fantastic results they have had, and then you leave them hanging!

No invitation for them to come in and work with you!

You assume (or secretly hope) that if they want to come and work with you they would invite themselves, and you don't have to do the asking.

But it really is your responsibility to ask. It takes practice - I know from experience, and it takes confidence too.

Sometimes we kid ourselves that we've asked because we've been through the process. I know I can hold my hand up and say I've done that in the past.

Unless you get a “yes” or “no” or “yes, but” or “not now” you haven't asked. And not asking is losing you sales and losing your potential client the transformation they want.

You have a gift of transformation - it is your responsibility to ask them to take up that opportunity to invest in themselves. Then it is their responsibility to decide.

So, really be honest with yourself, rewind to past conversations with potential clients, and check in, did you ask? Or did you throw out all your information and hope?

Your Assignment

1. Get clear, do you have a phrase or method of entering the asking phase of the conversation? If not, it would be a very good idea to work this out beforehand and practice it so that you feel confident and comfortable.
2. Look back at previous sales conversations and pick out whether or not you asked. Did you get the “yes; no; yes, but; or not now”? If you didn't, then you didn't ask.
3. Make the commitment that from now on you will always ask when you have the sales conversation.

I would love to hear how you get on with this and any feedback about any of my e-zines. Drop me a line at sheela@sheelamasand.com