Face it, you'd rather be doing what you love rather than filling your pipeline with leads, right?
I mean c'mon, you didn't go into business to go to "networking" meetings, have business cards pushed into your hands and fill your "sales funnel". "Because ya know Thomas, you'll be wildy successful if you just fill your pipeline. It's all about the numbers man, it's all about the numbers".
No, Mr. Sleazy, it's NOT about numbers. It's about people and people have feelings, problems, pain, dreams and desires. I know, Mr. Sleazy, I wish they were just a robot and a number. It would be so much easier to part them from their money. But humans take time. Relationships are living.
What is so horrible about cultivating relationships anyway? Is it the belief that they take time? It does take time but what is your definition of time?
If you really care about the person in front of you, you'll invest the time....because you care. If it's all about YOUR time schedule, then let's be honest here....you don't care and it never was about them. Not a good or bad thing, just bringing transparency to the table.
So yes, relationships do take time. What about love? We know it's possible to fall in love in a blink of an eye and that took time. Even a nanosecond in time is time and guess what? That's a relationship.
I know you got into business to do what you love (and if you don't love it, we really should chat). I completely understand you about the sales, networking and all that stuff that perhaps you'd rather ignore. I was there. I know.
I also know that I've rewired to LOVE sales. I mean really profess that I love it. Because I finally "get" that it's about doing what I always wanted to do in the FIRST PLACE and that is have healthy, supportive, loving, authentic relationships with people that I like, cultivating likability, trust and credibility.
I'll be radically transparent here, I wouldn't say I'm particularly great at the "closing the deal" part of sales or negotiation, but I'm really good at making a connection and being present for the conversation. I'd prefer to "always be opening" vs. "always be closing". The "closing the deal" peice is a muscle I'm exercising regularly. I guess you can call it being on the path to mastery.
And guess what, sales happen because I'm committed to the relationship.
Yes, you too can learn to truly enjoy sales even if you claim to hate it today. It is not only possible, it's probable, if you a) exercise the muscle and b) take time to build the relationship.
I'd love to get your input. Disagree? Agree? Add something?
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