THE ART OF UN-SELLING
Before discussing about sales training, IBS will introduce you to a short story.
There is a story about an immigrant shoemaker, who came to the United States in 1887 at the age of 16, with $5 in his pocket; his name was John W. Nordstrom. He worked in mines and logging camps but eventually returned to Seattle to settle down. He and Carl F. Wallin, another shoemaker decided to partner and begin a store in Seattle.
Here is where the story gets really interesting, this west coast shoe store became known for customer service. If Nordstrom’s didn’t have it, the salesperson would actually get on the phone and call other department stores to see if the shoe was available there. When the store expanded and began to sell clothing and men’s suits, there were stories that became famous of men who needed a suit overnight, and Nordstrom’s would tailor it, then ship it at no extra cost to the person in another country. And stories abound about wedding suits altered at the last minute are now infamous.
What did Nordstrom’s have in those early days that set it apart from other stores? Their sales people were more interested in serving the customer than in making the sale. And because they served the customer, they made the sales. Loyal customers returned to the store time and again and became loyal to the brand.
That is the difference between enrollment and basic sales. We’ve all endured the hard sell. You undoubtedly experienced the sales person who is desperate, ‘needing’ to make the sale. And then, every now and then, there is a person who seems to be genuinely interested in serving you and finding out what best meets your needs.
SALES TRAINING
There is more communicated without words in a sale, than with the actual words. If you want a sales force that’s masterful in connecting authentically with customers, they need to learn what’s intangible. There needs to be an understanding that someone’s being is far more important than what they do or say. There needs to be a grasp of energy and the qualities that are being presenced. Authenticity, connection and genuine care get to be felt by others, not just felt internally.
Do you want your sales team to be talked about in your industry and beyond? Do you want to get a reputation for shockingly good service? It is the kind of reputation that people will talk about for decades and generations. Are you interested in becoming known for who you are as a team of people and not just what you do? Discover what is possible in a highly experiential one-day sales training to develop your team. Be warned; this is not a typical sales training where people sit at desks and take notes from a power-point. This is a highly-experiential sales training with constant feedback, seismic shifts and people walking away different, not only in the sale, but also at work, and everywhere.
At Inspire Business Success, we are honored to be working with your team in partnership, not just for the day, but for months afterwards. We look forward to celebrating your wins and sales, as well as the relationships you build long after the training day is done.
No, we haven’t yet worked with Nordstrom, but would love to. Also, We support this company that inspired many into stepping it up a notch as they head forward. And we look forward to supporting your team in becoming legendary.
