HTSS194 - How to be more assertive in sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

The power of learning how to be assertive in sales 

To take your sales skills to the next level you will need to learn how to communicate better. Being assertive in sales is one way for you to move towards being a closer. You have to learn your own path and process. You can take and model what you learn but you will need to expand your zone. 

How to stand up for yourself in sales 

You must learn how to stand up for yourself in sales and not get pushed around. The people who meet with you need to see you have a direction to your process, you will say what you need to and you can deliver content to them. You must learn how to take comfortable control. What you need to know is this idea can be controversial. Some sales training concepts are anti-sales as some scripts and word tracks will get you in trouble.

How to build powerful scripts in sales 

You must be careful with your scripts. It’s a case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr hyde when you are building rapport and then you go on the script. You have to learn how to meld the 2 concepts of your ideas and your words.  You have to get good with a script first so you can become you as a salesperson. Most salespeople never ever realize the personalization happens after you become comfortable with the sales process.

The way the world works conversation 

If you were going to look towards an idea or concept around this process it is the "This is the way the world works" conversation. You may even use a phrase like "I gotta set the record straight"

You have a friend that says what they are thinking. Sometimes what the person says is very elegant and sometimes the people we know are very gruff. When you meet with people they want to know they are being told the truth. Sometimes people say they want the truth but they also cant handle it.

Why new salespeople struggle with being assertive 

New salespeople don’t know what to say or what to do. New salespeople don’t have their sea legs under them. New salespeople don’t have enough experience. What you think sales is may or may not be true, in fact, you can be 180 degrees off.  – when I first looked at Sandler-type sales in the 2006 – 2008 era it made me uncomfortable. The more closers I was around the more I adopted their conversational flow

You never know who is going to have an impact on you

• Coworkers 
• Trainers
• Friends 
• Industry leaders 
• Enemies 

People don’t want to be lied to and they want to be told the truth. People want to be the bold guy or girl and say what they are thinking and admire those who are masterful at it. You can use the framework"I want to make sure you understand I am not saying to be a jerk". In order to be assertive in sales, you have to learn how to disassociate from being friendly and saying what needs to be said. 

You can make an agreement with buyers  “I really don’t know how to sugar coat, I will give you the good and the bad and if that isn’t going to work you will need to let me know”. The thing is if you say these phrases it better be accurate. This is a shot across the bow early on in a conversation, it's positioning, its priming. 

 

When someone makes a request that doesn’t work, you have to know how to shut them down:

Yeah, that’s not going to happen (because)

Most salespeople are supplicant and will beg for the deal. You have to be able to deliver powerful messages using your personality. If you don’t like how someone else says it, figure out how to use it as a framework.  

Your gameplan

Look for the people you list out and look up to. Be willing to have tough conversations in your real life. You can spend people who say it like it is. There is a whole generation of people like this. It's not about being mean or abusive to others. Your confidence in what you say matters – you gotta get the skills to sell and deliver information. Take improv classes to get used to the timing