Simple Selling Tips for Non Sales Types

expert 5

Are You an Expert But With Few (Or No) Clients?

Maybe you’ve got technical skills like:

  • SEO
  • Web design
  • Graphic design
  • Engineering
  • Software development
  • Network & security analysis
  • Video editing
  • Accounting
  • Medical
  • Legal

Or perhaps you’re more of a creative type:

  • Writer (including copywriting)
  • Blogger
  • Illustrator
  • Musician or teacher
  • Photographer

Or maybe you’re a coach:

  • Health and fitness coach
  • Life coach
  • Sports Coach
  • Relationship Coach
  • Business Coach
  • Personal Development Coach

Possibly I haven’t featured your category here, but if you’re leveraging your skills and expertise into an income stream, keep reading……  

You Hate to Sell Right?

Most skilled people are not comfortable doing sales work.  Why?

Well one reason is to do with perception.  They think sales work is about using high pressure  techniques, which is something they detest.

Another problem with highly skilled people is that they ‘see’ themselves as experts, not sales people.  They also instinctively feel that if potential clients see them as a glorified salesperson, it will affect their ability to attract (and profit from) clients.

They’re also not fussed about rejection – sales people have to endure lots of rejection.

Or do they?

Well in the world of traditional sales the above comments are accurate.

Why You Hate to Sell

You hate to sell because you can’t handle rejection, like most of us.

Maybe you also have a perception of yourself as someone who is above the fray.  You see yourself as a professional, an expert, a skilled person – definitely not a sales person.

Without Sales Your Business Is a Dead Duck

dead duck

Despite the foregoing the fact remains that if you don’t have customers and clients who buy from you, you’re toast.

A regular flow of sales is the lifeblood for any business even if that business is a consultancy, a coaching business, or a non-sales type of business.

Every year thousands of solopreneurs and skilled practitioners etc shut up shop for the simple reason that they couldn’t find enough high paying customers.  They didn’t quit because they hated the work, or hated being self employed.

In all probability they loved the work.  It’s just that they were unable to crack the client acquisition code.

So back into the work force for them.  What a shame!

Is Selling Really THAT Bad?

Well like many things in life it’s all about perception.  A professional salesman will tell you it’s the best job in the world.  Yeah right! He’s probably a born salesman with the gift of the gab.  A real extrovert who loves talking to people and although he’d prefer not to get so much rejection, he’s learned to take it in his stride.

Importantly, he/she is the type of person who bounces back from major setbacks very quickly.  For her, it’s like water off a duck’s back.

Is that you?  I didn’t think so.

Fear – The Number 1 Wealth Killer

Do not succumb to fear.  Instead find a better way to get the job done.  Sure sales and marketing is scary for non sales types, but the fear is based on a false premise, namely that sales work is about hustling, pressure and rejection.

This may be the case for someone who is selling used cars for instance, but if you are an expert with skills to market, a different approach is required.  A non sales approach.

A Better Way to Attract Clients

Notice I use the word ‘attract’, rather than ‘find’?

The difference between attracting clients, and finding or hustling for them is huge.

It’s like night and day.

So, what if you had a situation where you’re getting a steady stream of people approaching you?

And what if these people want to do business, and are happy to hand over big chunks of money to you?

Would be good, eh?

So that’s where you want to be:

The expert and authority in your niche

Get it right and people will beat a path to your door.

Mess it up and they will run a mile.

Your Ideal Client

Do you have a profile of your ideal client?  Is he/she spending plenty of money with you?  Is she easy to work with and the sort of person who implements what you ask her to do? And does she pay on time without a fuss or a quibble?

Think about some of those questions and come up with a few of your own.  The goal is to be totally clear about the type of person you want to attract.

If you already have clients, conduct a review.  Determine which type of client you want more of, and which ones you definitely don’t want!

How to Attract Premium Quality Big Paying Clients To You

Here is one BIG thing you can do:

Position Yourself As An Authority. 

You’ve heard it before

But wait…..

This is different!

Really.

Noted marketing guru, Frank Kern stated this: “positioning, most importantly positioning yourself as an authority, is the single most important thing you can do increase your perceived value to the market place”.  Kern went on to say that “everyone…should immediately begin the process of creating their own personal brand”.

But it’s not just Frank Kern saying it – marketing legend Dan Kennedy offers back up with this comment:

“The simple truth is, if you aren’t deliberate, systematically, methodically or rapidly and dramatically establishing yourself as a celebrity, at least to your clientele and target market, you’re asleep at the wheel, ignoring what is fueling the entire economy around you, neglecting development of a measurably valuable asset”.

So if you have skills and expertise this is the way to do business now.  You – the noted authority in your niche.  Not only will you attract more quality clients, you’ll be able to charge much more than your non differentiated ho hum competitors.

How We Do It

how to do it

There are many ways to do it but one of my favorite ways is to set up a branded blog.  The nice thing about a blog is that you can easily add new content on a regular basis.  It is vital that the blog content is current, relevant, well written, and impactful.

What else can you do with your online assets?

Well, if you already have a website you can do a variety of things to enhance your authority such as:

About Page Revamp.  People who visit your web site will usually take a look at the About page, but the problem is that most About pages are dead boring.  They’re formulaic and cliché ridden.  After you’ve read my blog post report on how to re-engineer an About page, you can make some decisions as to what to do with yours.

Now that you have resolved to grow your presence as an authority in your niche there’s a lot you can with your About page.  For instance, you can build a narrative around your skills and core competencies.   But avoid being too fact oriented.  Bring the narrative to life with a story or two.  Ideally the stories should illustrate to the reader how you helped someone solve a problem or achieve a desired objective.

If you’ve done anything to enhance your reputation offline by all means feature it. Examples include:

  • You gave a talk on your topic
  • You were interviewed
  • You had an article published

The point is that your About page is a perfect opportunity to put ;you on a pedestal.  Don’t be shy – it’s time to strut your stuff!

Testimonial Page.  Somewhere on your site you’ve probably got some testimonials.  However, many testimonials do not stand out – they don’t grab people.  Try putting a nice box around each testimonial – turn it into a feature.  Another key thing to do is to add a photo of the referrer.

It’s surprising how many testimonials do not feature the person’s photo.  Other things you can do are to feature a video testimonial, and build a narrative around each testimonial.

Case Histories Page.  Not many web sites feature case studies which is a shame.  Case histories are like testimonials on steroids.

Bottom line: each of these ideas will help to create the perception that you are the ‘go to’ person in your niche.  Embrace these ideas and leave your competitors in the metaphorical dust.

Other Ways……

Write a Free Report.  The key to a report is to focus on one issue only, and then solve it.  Let’s say you’ve identified half a dozen pain points that you KNOW your target audience experiences. Simply write one report for each of the pain points.  Your report could be 5-15 pages in length, and once you’ve completed it, convert it into a PDF and use it as a lead magnet to attract people.

Write a Book.  This is similar to the free report strategy except that with the free report you only solve one problem at a time whereas a book works with a bigger canvas.  But it doesn’t have to be a magnum opus – it could be a 50 page ebook that helps to position you as an authority.  You could focus on the main areas of concern (pain points) experienced by your audience, and offer solutions.

Create Some Videos.  If you are ok with fronting a camera video marketing is a very powerful way of connecting with your audience.  Keep the videos short, maybe 5 minutes in length.  As with the free report strategy you should focus on one issue at a time – solve the problem then tell them how they can contact you.

Load the videos on You Tube, include topic keywords in your title, your description (which should also include an offer and a call to action), and in the title tags box.  If your videos rank, You Tube will send you some free traffic.  Also consider promoting the video on social media sites, as well as to your existing and prospective clients (ie your list).

The Wrap Up

The pain free way to attract new business is simply to grow your authority presence.  By doing that you will find that doing business becomes a pleasurable activity.  Further, you will be able to charge a premium for your services (people are happy to pay more to experts), unlike your undifferentiated competitors.

Examples of people who have created their own (online) authority presence are Darren Rowse, Adrienne Smith,  Ana Hoffman, Donna Merrill, and Ryan Biddulph.

Are there additional things you can do to speed up the client acquisition process (such as generate leads from advertising etc)?  Of course.  No doubt about it.  But initially you should establish your foundation.  Once done, you can aggressively ramp up your marketing activities if you want.

Who I Am Looking For

You’ve already started your business, but still haven’t landed your first high paying client.  Or perhaps you already have some clients but want to attract more premium ‘A’ class clients.  Is that you?

If YES, talk to me.

For a limited time I am making myself available at no charge.  I want to help you crack the client getting code once and for all.

See below for my offer, then request an appointment.

Do it now.

 ****Special Offer ****

If you are an expert and need more high paying clients the key is to position you as an authority in your niche.  It is NOT about being a mere salesperson.

I’ve been using these techniques for years in my own business.  Techniques that have enabled me to quit the rat race and travel the world as a digital nomad.

So here is my offer for you……

I will give you an hour of my time (by phone or Skype) for brainstorming, including specific strategies on expert positioning and client acquisition.  AND I’ll always be focused on skyrocketing your income by showing you how to attract ‘A’ class clients who pay you top dollar.

All at no cost to you.  All I ask for in return is a testimonial and the opportunity to build a valuable relationship.

Results matter, so that will be my focus with you – to give you valuable ideas you can use straight away.

Schedule a Time HERE

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post.  If so, share the love on your fav social media platforms.  I would also love it if you can add a nice comment below.

Contact Me

You can contact me here:

Phone:

USA: 310 601 8528

Australia: 07 3102 3572

Skype: kimwillishere

Email: [email protected]

29 thoughts on “Simple Selling Tips for Non Sales Types”

  1. Hi Kim,

    First time on your blog, I think, and what a great find 🙂

    You’re absolutely right – I love what I do, but hate selling (probably because I hate being sold to). I’m reading a lot about Attraction Marketing these days, and it certainly makes a lot of sense – and is far more appealing to me (and most people I suspect) then the old “sales model”.

    Lots of action points in your valuable article, some I’ve already done – many others still to implement. So many ideas, so little time LOL.

    Thanks for a really valuable check-list,

    Joy

    1. Great to see you here Joy!

      Yes, most of us hate selling – I reckon 5 per cent or less are natural born sales types. For the rest of us we can still become effective at selling things by using less confronting strategies. I always like it when people approach me – it always feels different. When that happens they tend to see me more as a consultant rather than a salesman. A magical way to do business!

      Thanks again Joy

      Kim

  2. Kim thanks so much for the mention. Attract. Love the use of that word because when you learn to let things in versus chasing, wow does life become sweeter, more fun and enjoyable. You’re doing a fab job of letting it all in with your inspired blog comments, fab blog posts and with your social media presence. Keep up the great play Kim.

    Signing off from Nicaragua.

    Ryan

    1. Hey Ryan,

      Thanks for stopping by my new blog

      And thanks for your kind words.

      As you know I’ve been following you for a while and since we did that interview I’ve taken on board what you said (about networking etc) and for sure – it works!

      Enjoy your new abode!

      Kim

  3. Hey Kim,

    In a word…brilliant mate.

    I have shared this post as widely as I can as so many people MUST read what you have created here.

    So many people are so hung up with the terms “sales” and “salesperson” that they can never see what reality is. You gave them a real clue with the use of the word “attraction” but I know many people will read that and gloss over it because of their hangups (most of which are completely unknown to them).

    This is not the time to preach the benefits of ethical sales practices but it is time for those folks who doubt their inherent sales capacvity and reading this post and my comment, to take you up on your wonderful offer of support.

    My best wishes for your continued success mate.

    Al the best from a hot and very wet Thai village

    -Peter

    1. Great to see you here again Peter!

      Thanks for your kind words and you are right – many folk have some serious hangups and sales. In reality of course we’re all selling something. We do it with employees, we do it with our kids and we do it with our partners!

      Someone said that nothing happens till somebody sells something – how true. Understanding that, people should therefore embrace sales as an honorable vocation. If they can’t handle rejection they should embrace the concepts as discussed in my article. It works!

      Thanks again Peter!

      Kim

  4. what a truly awesome post Kim!

    You definitely nailed it, with regards to so many business owners in
    general and professionals in particular, their attitudes towards sales
    and sales professionals!

    Sadly, they don’t realize, as you so wisely pointed, it’s the sales & marketing
    that is literally the fuel & engine of their entire operation!

    On or offline! You articulated so many points so many extremely critical points well,
    I’ll definitely be sharing this one!Thanks!

    1. Hey thanks Mark for the thumb’s up!

      Yes, lots of people with technical and other skills are great at what they do, but not so good at finding customers and clients. The trick is to build a presence in their niche, and use various techniques to attract people to them like bees to a honey pot!

      Thanks again Mark

      Kim

  5. Hi Kim,

    You couldn’t be more spot on!!!! Personally, I love sales but it’s because I understand it.

    Most people are confused about the difference between marketing and sales and as a result end up marketing in the sales enviornment.

    Sales is nothing more than allowing people to buy.

    They make that choice based on if you’ve established that you’re competent and capable to solve their problems, meet their needs or fulfill their desires.

    So, if the marketing has done its job then all we have to do is get our of our way and their way and let them buy.

    My favorite question in a sales environment is “What’s the next step?”

    I love it when that happens!!!!

    Sales shouldn’t be pushy or offensive. In fact, if you are feeling tension and you realize that you’re pushing it’s a sign that the marketing didn’t do its job and/or you continued marketing in sales and are talking them out of it.

    I love posts like this Kim and could go on and on… but the truth is content marketing is the easiest form of sales their is because it’s all driven by value and I define value as “Solving one problem/need/desire, for one person, in one article.”

    Do that and establish competency and you have a great reason why they should give you their money.

    Have a great week Kim!

    ~ Don Purdum

    1. Hi Don

      You are SO right! Sales should not be pushy or offensive. When I was in direct sales – belly to belly sales – I loved it when the prospect would ask that wonderful question ‘whats the next step?’ Sometimes they would be even more direct and say something like ‘where do I sign?’ Music to the ears!

      But it only happens when we get the other elements right, including the marketing. If we have a case to make for our product/service it needs to be made to the right audience – to people who will actually benefit from owning it. If the marketer can’t demonstrate benefit and relevance the prospect will not buy or if they do, it will be because they were pushed into it, which is not what we want.

      Your point about establishing competence is also a good one. It’s something that most gurus and sales trainers never talk about. But it IS important no doubt. When people buy off me it’s not just because they like me – they do it because they perceive that I know what I’m talking about. Some marketers should really focus on this and determine what more they need to do to demonstrate competence.

      Thanks again for your comments, Don. They’re always valuable

      Kim

  6. Hey Kim,

    Imagine my surprised by the time I scroll through this post and find that you mentioned little ole me as having an authority presence. I’m so very flattered, thank you.

    I can definitely relate to what you’re saying here. I hate to be sold to. My Dad was a salesman and he used to critique every salesman that ever came in contact with us. He would tell us what they did wrong or what they did right. But the majority were always trying to stuff something down my throat and I wasn’t ready to make that decision. It’s just a very uncomfortable feeling and I like to make up my mind on my own terms. So that’s what I always relate pushy salesman as.

    I’ve learned though as well since being here that you have to offer your clients a solution to their problem and the only way to do that is to speak directly to them in your content. In doing so you have to come off as knowing what the heck you’re doing so that they’ll want to work with only you. Once you get this down and keep it up they will be signing up with you and handing over their money.

    I have a feeling anyone on the edge that needs some assistance should take you up on your offer. Grab his knowledge while you can because he may not be offering this in the near future.

    I wish you the best Kim and great share.

    ~Adrienne

    1. Hi Adrienne,

      Yes you are right. People love to buy stuff, but they hate to be sold to.

      Matching the needs of our (potential) customers with our product solution is critically important. If we don’t do that we’ll be sowing the seeds for buyer remorse and bad karma. Not a good place to be. And of course if we don’t have a solution to their problem we should not fudge it – we just tell them straight that we can’t help them.

      Your point that marketers must know what they’re talking about is also right on the money. It’s what Don Purdum calls ‘demonstrating competence’. Not many people talk about this one, but we know that people buy because of the ‘know, like and trust’ factors being in place. And it is very hard to trust someone who cannot demonstrate competence, or as you say, they need to be ‘knowing what the heck they’re talking about’. Love it! Marketers who are struggling should take a good look at this issue. Becoming more effective at demonstrating competence could transform their business.

      Thanks Adrienne – you rock!

      Kim

  7. Excellent post! This is something I am currently working on, positioning myself as an authority in my field. Everything keeps pointing me in this direction, its time!

    Love the way you say attract instead of find. It is always a great feeling when a customer comes to you.

    First time here, will be back for more,
    Chris

    1. Hi Chris

      Thanks for your comments!

      To me it’s better to attract people rather than chase them all the time. This is especially so if you are a skilled person, an expert if you like. Experts don’t pitch and sell to get customers – instead they acquire clients! There is a difference.

      Authority positioning is the name of the game.

      Great to talk with you today!

      Thanks for dropping by

      Kim

      1. I 100% agree, better to attract than go out searching. Authority positioning is where it is at! My goal is to have my book done by January 1, 2016. This way I can hit 2016 running!

        Thanks for taking the time to chat yesterday, was great meeting you!
        Chris

        1. Great, thanks Chris

          Keep me posted on your book

          I’ve also used free pdf reports, video reports etc to position me properly. They can also be used as lead bait to build your list, but I guess you already know that!

          Kim

  8. Hi Kim,

    What a wonderful post on “Simple Selling Tips For Non Sales Types”. We want to attract people who need help in their niche. We want to get their attention and stay focused on how we can help them.

    In this post you offer a free one hour session on what is holding people back in their businesses. That is quite a great offer and should draw in a lot of people.

    I am a non sales type but I am learning. To me it’s all a process we go through to become a sales person in our business.

    Thanks for sharing, Kim and you have an awesome rest of the week!

    Linda

  9. Hi Kim,

    You’ve certainly packed a lot of great information into this article, and even woven in spot on citations from the likes of Frank Kern and Dan Kennedy.

    Impressive!

    Blogging is not about selling. And it’s not about lecturing and teaching and informing. It’s primarily about engaging with people and asking them what they need to learn. The more you ask, the more they talk. The more they talk about what they want, the more likely they are to see you as the person to help them. Why? Because you’re not selling, you’re not even “telling.” You’re just asking your readers and prospects to do the talking… about themselves. Once you create this kind of engagement, you’ve created your personal brand, and cemented a solid relationship with the folks looking for that brand.

    You’ve given lots of ways to get this brand flourishing, including the About Me page and Testimonials among other things. Now it’s for folks to start implementing.

    PS: Thanks for mentioning me as an case in point for personal branding and authority building. I appreciate it.

    -Donna

    1. Hi Donna,

      Thanks for your kind words again

      I like your take on this topic – ‘once you create this kind of engagement, you’ve created your personal brand’. And you are right. The engagement builds authority, respect and of course relationships, which is the essence of a personal brand.

      People with skills don’t need to sell. If they focus on building their authority whilst building relationships at the same time, the income will follow. One other proviso – they need to be patient. Seed sowing takes time.

      Thanks again Donna!

      Kim

  10. Hi Kim,

    I was nodding along with everything you said in this article, it’s that good.

    The perception that a lot of people have of selling is very wrong. I used to think the same way. And rejection (avoiding pain) is a big reason why many people don’t follow through. But like you said, it is too important to just give up on. Any business needs customers or the well will run dry!

    When you position yourself as an authority and people will start to see you as one, that’s half of the sale right there. Frank and Dan are both legends in their own right – and the advice you quoted from both has always worked for me.

    Sound advice for anyone trying to get clients online Kim, and I will absolutely share this.

    – Jasper

    1. Hey Jasper

      Thanks for visiting my blog – I appreciate it!

      Yeah, you’re very right – the sale is half made when people regard you as an expert, an authority. Of course we have to be likable – that’s a given. And if we don’t solve their problem it won’t matter how much authority we have, they still won’t buy.

      I guess it’s a bit like baking a cake. If we want to bake a great cake we have to make sure all of the ingredients are in the mix.

      Thanks again Jasper!

      Kim

  11. Hey Kim,

    I wished I would’ve have read this when I first started a home business. I thought sales was all about convincing people to buy from you.

    I got into network marketing and although I was taught not to convince I ended up doing it anyways. Yes I was a lost cost lol

    But I like the fact that you pointed out its,about attracting the right audience. The way you do this is my positioning yourself as competent by personal branding. After many years I finally got it and I like that you made this very clear here!

    Thanks for sharing Kim! Have a great day!

    1. And look at you now, Sherman!

      You’re a blog star with your own audience – people who really take notice of what you do. That’s why I read all of your posts.

      I guess there will always be a place for the traditional ways of doing business. We still see the old style pitch and push techniques being employed by many mlm companies and others. But doing business the attraction marketing way is so much more pleasant and satisfying. I, like you, will never go back to doing business the old way.

      Thanks for dropping by Sherman

      Kim

  12. Hi Kim,
    what a joy to be here again!
    You did yet another epic post
    indeed here is a wonderful list and points to look into it!
    Great Suggestions!
    Great Tips!
    In fact a very timely piece for my and for my coming activities!
    I am bookmarking this for my further study and apply.
    Thank you so much for your kind visit to my page too! 🙂
    Keep sharing
    Keep informed
    May you have a great weekend
    Best
    ~Phil

    1. Hi Philip

      Great to see you back here again!

      And thanks for your kinds words. I am very happy you liked that post

      I look forward to reading your next blog post

      Kim

  13. Great post Kim,
    The truth is that in order to become successful in any business, you must develop some good or basic selling skill, its really very necessary.

    And selling is one of the best skills anyone can have because everything about business is all about selling and without selling, there is indeed no business at all.

    Thanks for sharing.

    1. Yes, exactly Theodore!

      People who say they cant sell or don’t sell are deluding themselves.

      When they want their partner to do something, they are selling. When they attend a job interview, they are selling. And when they ask the boss for a pay rise they are selling. We all do it. Sure, we may not be salespeople per se, but to achieve anything worthwhile in life we have to get our hands dirty – and sell something (even if it’s just to sell ourselves, or sell an idea).

      Thanks for dropping by, Theodore

      Kim

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