How can I get more people to the conversations so it’s not so hard to convert them when they do get there?

It all begins with how you are seeding the sale. What is ‘seeding’? Seeding is dropping things into conversation or the sphere of awareness of your prospective buyers.  It is piquing the curiosity and interest of others and trusting that if the ground is fertile it will grow with a little watering. The lovely thing about seeding is it can be subtle and does not require pushy sales tactics that make you feel sleazy.

A few ways to seed the sale that are within easy reach and you can start today!  I am going to give you four that are always top of mind for me. Please feel free to reach out with questions or comments below!

Testimonials/ Social Proof

We know testimonials exist. We make decisions to buy or work with someone based on them, but we are often afraid to ask for them.

People want to know that the path they are considering has been traveled by someone else.  They want to know they are not alone, and that others have had an experience that they too desire to have.  They also want to be in the ‘cool kids club’. People want to be the person in those stories and experiences that your testimonials describe.  Can you imagine how great it also feels to be the person sharing those stories? Your people are dying to be asked to share their wonderful experiences!  They often simply don’t know how or where to do so, and they likely don’t understand the impact they would have and how much it would serve you. People are good.  They want to make a difference for you the same way you make a difference for them.

Invite them to be part of the ‘cool kids club’.  Let them know they are the elite amongst the elite in your tribe and that you would love to have more people like them in your world.  It is the greatest compliment to be asked to give a testimonial or send a referral. They are often wishing they could have given back already.

How to ask for a testimonial:

1. When they give you a compliment, graciously accept it and then let them know how much you appreciate them and say, “Would you mind sharing those words with others who may not know us as well yet?”  Give them a form, or ask them if you can put those words into an email for them that you will send for thier approval.
2. If you weren’t offered a compliment..elicit one.   Examples: “How was your visit today?” “What were your takeaways from our time together?”  “ How do you feel about the experience you have been having with <insert, you, your business, your team etc>?”  “What do you like most about working with us?” When they offer kind words go back to item #1 and ask to share their words.

How to ask for a referral:

1. When they give you a compliment, graciously accept it and then let them know how much you appreciate them and say, “I really love serving you and I would love to have more people just like you.  Who do you know that could benefit from the same experience you have had?”
2. If you weren’t offered a compliment..elicit one.   Examples: “How was your visit today?” “What were your takeaways from our time together?”  “ How do you feel about the experience you have been having with <insert, you, your business, your team etc>?”  “What do you like most about working with us?” When they offer kind words go back to item #1 and invite them to refer.
3. What about those people who don’t refer because they don’t want anyone to know that they are getting ‘help’?  Acknowledge and give them permission to feel how they feel….AND then give them verbiage. “Sally, I know that our work together is very private and I take confidentiality very seriously.  I love working with you and I am proud of your results. I hope you are too! If I could give you a way to send me referrals without you having to say you work with me, would you be willing to do so?”  Most people will say yes here. If they don’t it is a prime opportunity to find out what you don’t know and ask some questions. This is your chance to educate them. Help them be able to identify the pain points and signals of people who are your ideal target market.  When they are in contact with friends family and colleague who exhibit these struggles, they can gently say, “I have a friend who works with people just like you to help them move from <insert pain> to <insert results>. May I make an introduction for you?” Nobody is ‘outing’ themselves and people are getting the services and support that make a difference for them in a way everyone can feel good about.

Think like they think

You have to get inside the heads of your ideal clients. Please do not misunderstand.  I am not proposing we manipulate or coerce. We are already trusting that the soil is fertile and theses seeds we are planting can be nurtured to grow.  We are here to serve Use language that is in alignment with how they think and how they make decisions to not only put them at ease during the decision making process, but to also build trust and rapport in letting them feel understood and honored.  When we use words that are in alignment with their natural ways of thinking we build relationship. People will break contracts but they won’t break relationship. Get in a relationship.

Don’t sell the way you buy

It’s a trap!  To my point above.  You have to get into their natural way of buying.  Too often we sell to others they way we like to buy.  This can lead to a lot of people being left behind or out in the cold.  If they make decisions in a way different from you, they will feel isolated and misunderstood if you sell to them in YOUR preferred way if it does not align with your own.  To really serve we have to be flexible in our methods and always come from a place of serving in the highest and greatest good of the person we are in conversation with. How can we know how another person buys?  Listen. Any sales conversation begins with a plain old conversation. Listen for what motivates them. Find their big ‘why’. Learn what they value and what is important to them. If you listen with purity of heart, they will lead you to how to best serve them.

Features vs Benefits

So often we talk features and fail to put enough attention on the results and benefits of working with us or engaging in our products or services.  Features tell someone how something works or what it may do, but they fail to help someone understand the difference it will make to them or the end result of the experience.  This is most importantly put in the context of ‘What is in it for me?’ They want to know ‘why’ they need what you are offering, ‘how’ it is going to change their life for the better, and why ‘now’.  WHY. HOW. NOW.

If you naturally lean toward feature its ok to talk about them… AND you need to put in context of outcomes. Use this formula to convert features to benefits and results:

<Xxx feature> so that you can < insert benefit or results here>

Look at sales conversations as just what they are: a conversation.  Be really present in the moment and listen for what they are looking for.

Strive to serve them not sell them and your authenticity and truth will stand out against the competition because you gave them the gift of connection and relationship.  Seed the sale with these tips to warm them up and then give them the choice to learn more. If they reach out to take the conversation further then you know the soil is fertile.  Water away!

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