"As connected as we are with technology, it's also removed us from having to have human connection, made it more convenient to not be intimate."
Sandra Bullock
Highly successful sales professionals have extremely valuable networks. They've developed them, nurtured them, cultivated them and invested considerable time in maintaining them.
We're human. We’re all social creatures, hard-wired to seek out a community. In fact, our drive for human connection is so powerful that multiple studies have shown that feeling lonely and isolated is more detrimental to our health than smoking or obesity.
I ask all of you to think about the following... If you build a large and smart network and never engage with conversation, then isn't it the equivalent of compiling a massive Rolodex and never reaching out to anyone?
Networking — whether done intentionally or coincidentally — can create huge competitive advantages for you.
The human connection must be placed front and center within your strategic plan for sales success. We're all wired to connect. It is part of the prescription for health and happiness. It's how we influence and lead.
In his book, Social, Matthew Lieberman explains that peoples’ “need to connect is as fundamental as our need for food and water.” But if we are wired to connect, what’s the implication?
Why is this so difficult when it come to the sales world?
REQUIRES PEOPLE
Anything you wish to accomplish in sales requires people. It must include a lot of them and you must take action. Even if you're an amazing sales professional, without an active network, you will struggle to consistently succeed.
In order to connect, you must share and ask for others to share.
I'm here to inform all of you who have big followers on Twitter or Instagram and tons of connections on LinkedIn, you must engage with your following and connections. Think of providing great big social hugs. You must include an in-person, human component and feel. This is how you build social credibility. You never know when you'll need it but when you do it's heavenly!
If you don’t have the network or fail to build one, you're missing one key ingredient; People. Without people, there’s no one to spread the word, your word, YOU!
Sales professionals take action and promote themselves. They engage with their network.
I'm concerned that the human connection has been lost in sales. Human connection is the energy exchange between people who are paying attention to one another.
Are you paying attention to your clients and prospects?
You have the power to deepen the connection, inspire change and build trust. My question to you... are you committed to humanizing you?
IT'S MORE THAN CLICKING CONNECT
We’ve all heard the saying, “Your network is your net worth.” However, building a network takes more than clicking a “connect” button on LinkedIn. It requires consistent active engagement.
A Selling from the Heart professional brings their heart to their network. They know it's OK to bring their genuine, authentic and real deal self; as they throw their arms around their network.
When you add authenticity and heart to your network, watch what happens and who engages back. Build a love fest with your network. Do it because you care.
When it comes to the power of connection, Richard Branson stated, "A confident person will try to improve the relationship; an arrogant person will try to prove themselves."
"Connections is not an exchange of information. Connection is an exchange of humanity. It's an exchange of emotion."
Sean Stephenson
REACH AND TEACH
One will never know when they'll need their network. Therefore, sales professionals consistently educate their network.
In chapter 1 of one of my favorite books, Not Taught, by my man Keenan, he refers to the reach revolution.
"It's never been easier to market to, connect with, and engage anyone, anywhere in the world in real time - that is, instantly. Like it or not, the business world has gone global, and the shift has created the greatest new opportunity for success ever."
Think about this... How are you creating your own reach revolution?
The power of social is human engagement. Start engaging, educating and humanizing your network. Become diligent and invest in your network daily. Do this intentionally and do it in an authentic manner.
HEARTFELT IMPRESSION
Unfortunately, digital has made many in sales lazy. One can't hide behind a keyboard forever! A heartfelt professional drives conversation, leaves an impression, adds value and builds relationships. They truly tug on the heart strings of their network.
Your network is built over time
In order to build a true digital connection, one must engage and invest. Why? Because when you need your network, the network is there. They rally and rise to the occasion to help.
How do you expect to grow if you don't invest?
What impression are you leaving within your network?
You get out of your network what you put into your network. Those in sales can relate... "Crap in and crap out" when it comes to your Customer Relationship Management software and how you use it. The same can be said for what you do with your network.
Sales professionals lead their network with their hearts
A 401K HUMAN NETWORK
Consistent deposits in your retirement funds allows you to live a fruit filled life in your golden years.
Are you making consistent deposits with your network?
Are you building a network of people who know you?
Are you diversifying your network?
Are you adding value to their lives?
Does your network know the real you?
Are you masquerading online as one person but offline you're someone else?
"Invest in yourself. Your career is the engine of your wealth." -
Paul Clitheroe
Invest in your network, humanize your network and bring your network to life. You're one degree of separation from your best sales opportunity, many fail to realize this because they fail to connect the social dots.
You can truly leverage your network into an "engine of your wealth."
HEARTFELT ENGAGEMENT
In today's business world, we have so many technology platforms to help us do our job better and more efficiently that many have forgotten the heart is at the center of sales.
So few in sales are placing their heart at the center of what they do.
Don't get me wrong, technology is wonderful and it runs rampant in the twenty-first century but we must not forget to humanize it. Many in sales are leveraging technology as they dehumanize sales.
A heartfelt professional leverages technology to humanize their network.
Think about smashing technology and the digital you together to humanize what you're all about. Your network will feel it, see it and most all; your network will live it with you.
There's incredible power behind genuine engagement with other human beings to drive sales success.
RISE UP AND STAND UP
How do you make your clients light up when they see you? How well are you connecting in order to build community?
The time is now for all those in sales to take a heartfelt stance. Let's all shout from the mountain tops...
We are a new class of genuine, authentic sales professionals!
We are not empty suits!
We know our values and live by them!
We make a difference!
We sell from the heart!
If you would like to know more about the incredible value of building your network, please tune into a past episode of the Selling from the Heart podcast.
I understand, I get where you all are coming from. Every day, I walk in your shoes. I am fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects and modern strategies into your current sales process to grow new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way, the genuine way, the authentic way! It's about understanding value before visibility.
Selling From the Heart is making a difference! I poured my heart into every page of this book and I think you're going to love it. You can find it on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. You can click on the book image below and this will take you to Amazon.
You can find more material inside Selling From The Heart.
In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market.
I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my stories. Integrating the use of social and sharing my story on LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive office technology world. With great pride I transform, challenge, coach and inspire sales teams to grow new business by helping them share their story and how they communicate it out by integrating the use of social inside the sales process. You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and on my podcast by clicking on Selling from the Heart.
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