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Selling 'features' isn't doing you any favors
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I'm a big fan of Shark Tank. So I was sitting there recently listening to Robert Herjavec, and he said something that struck me: "Good salespeople sell features.
Great salespeople sell results.
And the greatest salespeople sell...feelings."
I reflected on that a bit, and it totally makes sense. But despite that...how often do we default to selling features? Or even at best, default to selling results? I'll wager that for most of us, it's those two defaults most of the time. So thinking about it that way, can you imagine how much you might be leaving on the table? (Check out the video for more, or read on below...) So I'm working with a coaching client right now who's in the mortgage industry, and recently we were talking about how the real estate industry has been tough not only for mortgage professionals....but also for real estate agents. (You know--easily the number one source of referrals for mortgage professionals.) So quick side note here: Next time you feel like bemoaning your industry's struggles, think about who else is struggling in (or adjacent to) your industry as well. It doesn't do any good to bemoan. It doesn't do any good to commiserate. So what good can you do? You can help attempt to help the person that you count on to send you referrals. Seems obvious, doesn't it? Yet, so many of us don't do it. We just default to complaining and/or feeling helpless. When we could be the helper. Instead of the helpless. So while we're quoting people, there's another quote that applies here: "People will forget what you said,
and they'll forget what you did,
but they'll never forget how you made them feel."
~ Maya Angelou
If you want success in your marketplace, make your referral partners feel good. Improve their life. Help them eliminate some worries. Show them you have their back. That you're not just in it for you. When you think about your referral partners (or your could-be-referral-partners) ask yourself: When I call, do they want to answer? When they get an email from me, do they want to read it? Or are they just expecting you to ask for something? And put the burden on them? Here's just a quick suggestion that I recommended to this mortgage industry client... Take the top 5 challenges your referral partners are having with building their businesses, and help them find solutions. You do the work once, and you can give out those same solutions to other referral partners again and again and again. Sell the feeling of assistance. Be a force for good. Don't just be a vendor. If you even attempt to help them grow their business, they will never, ever forget you. ...And the referrals will flow in. Until next time, Brian Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:
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Get Radically Referable
Each week, get 1 actionable tip to help demystify the secrets of building a referral-based business | Join 1K+ readers
Hello, relational leaders. Thank you so much for being here. As a small business owner or commission sales professional, you probably have a servant leader's heart. You love helping others. You love adding value. And I appreciate that about you. Last week we talked about the first trait of a successful giver, which is knowing where you are going. Many of you reached out for the Vision Story, and I hope you found that helpful. Today we are moving to the second trait. Successful givers have an...
Welcome, relational leaders. It is so good to have you here. And because it is the week after Thanksgiving, I want to begin with gratitude. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Everything I create is built for relational leaders like you. Because I know who you are. You are a small business owner or a commission sales professional. Your income is variable. And you are trusting that someone else will recommend your service. You are referral-based. And I applaud you for choosing this...
For years, I believed that if I simply did great work, referrals would naturally follow. But here’s what I eventually learned: Referrals aren’t built on competence alone.They’re built on confidence. People refer the professionals they trust will make them look like a hero—not necessarily the ones with the deepest technical skills. If you want consistent referrals, ask yourself these three questions: 1. What story do people tell about working with me? If your value isn’t clear and easy to...