I wrote a post last year, “People buy from People” We can expand on it to include, people buy from people they know like and trust which in turn can help them solve a business problem.


I believe at the core of “People buy from People” are the relationships we build.
Creating a relationship mindset is a key component in building healthy sales funnels. I firmly believe weak sales funnels tie directly back to weak business relationships. Think about how you build your personal relationships as examples to use in building business relationships. It is crazy and abnormal to ask for marriage after the first date but in sales we go for the close without getting to know the client?


With technology at our finger-tips, we operate at a warp-speed, instant gratification society. This is ever so magnified through the severe disconnect between the modern buyer and the sales professional.


From sales managers to sales professionals create a new relationship building mindset and kick start new results.


Check out my Sales Managers Guide to LinkedIn


Many years ago I read a book that impacted my sales career. Kevin Davis in his book, “Slow Down, Sell Faster!: Understand Your Customer's Buying Process and Maximize Your Sales” speaks to how to stop jumping the gun and work with your customers to identify and quantify their real needs. I in turn integrated this into my sales process. By slowing down the sales process and incorporating in relationship building, in turn I was actually speeding up the sales process.

 

 

Personal human to human conversation without sales fluff and jargon goes a long way in getting to know someone. The more you know about them the more you can show how you can help them solve their business problems and challenges. It takes patience to slow down the sales process and get to know someone. When salespeople make it about themselves the game is over. You have lost all credibility, been pigeon-holed and turned into a commodity.


Slowing down the sales process, taking the time and effort to formulate a solid plan goes a long way to more wins than losses. Stop chasing 30-60-90 sales funnels! Start building solid business relationships and watch your sales funnel explode with opportunity.


We love building personal relationships lets start building better business relationships.


In my opinion this is what separates a true sales professional from an average salesperson.

 

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Check out some of my other posts on LinkedIn Publisher and on SlideShare

 

I enjoy sharing my LinkedIn stories. LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive copier world. I transform and coach copier sales professionals to grow their net new business by helping them tell their story and communicate on LinkedIn. My commitment is to help independent office technology dealers thrive in a changing marketplace. You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, www.dealermarketing.net/what-we-do/linkedin and www.dealermarketing.net