Brendon Lemon’s Post

I have found my most successful years in sales have been when I truly focus on slowing down the conversation and building authentic rapport. Here are a few helpful tips: 🔥 😃Be authentic 🫶🏻 Be friendly 👂Practice active listening 😎Find common ground 🙏🏼Give genuine compliments 🗣️Calibrate the rapport 💻Read the culture

Sales can be scary. Especially when you’re first starting out. Picking up the phone and interrupting someone’s day is uncomfortable. Being told to kick rocks back-to-back is unpleasant and frankly, takes resilience. Communicating bad news with a customer or realizing there was a miscommunication somewhere- sucks. However… Sales can also be so rewarding. One of the best feelings in sales is closing a deal that you’ve been working on for months. It’s refreshing whenever you get someone on the phone willing to give you 1 minute of kindness. Calling a client with good news and building a relationship with them is fun. Being in sales is being able to navigate both the good and the ugly. One time I had a client who we did everything right for and somehow somewhere there was a miscommunication internally on their end and they thought I had screwed up. I had all the proper documentation to show that I had not done anything wrong and that everything was okay. However, this client didn’t want to hear any of it. They were having a bad day and being lit up from their boss so they took it upon themselves to blow up my cell before 8am and call me every insult and name under the sun. & that’s just apart of the roll. ( In this situation though, I did end up making the decision to cut ties with the client due to the level of disrespect it had gotten to) On the flip side: Within my first 6 months of sales, I had to call a client and ask them if we could use a different equipment type on their load. My capacity team had just explained to me why but I didn’t know the ins and outs of it. I called over and my client was asking me plenty of questions I didn’t know the answer to. I was afraid this would reflect negatively and instead I was met with empathy. His response to me not knowing was something along the lines of “Don’t sweat it. Nobody starts out knowing everything. We all have to start somewhere. If you trust your team, I trust you. Let’s go for it and you can educate me later. Thanks for looking out for me and finding me different options” 💡 What Sales advice would you give to someone just starting out? 💡 What's your sales horror story or accomplishment story? Drop them below 👇 #sales #salesjobs #salesstories #salesadvice

I don’t client please, I just love to serve! Stumbled upon this sales philosophy, and what is SALES as an acronym: S - Service A - Asking L - Listen E - Empathise S - Summarise For the longest time, I asked myself why do I not like selling, but at the same time like the process of sales. I shared how I like helping clients solve problems, to tell their stories, and get paid in the process. And finally I understand why, it anchored down to the first S - Service. And Service, to me, is about serving others, and not being self-serving. And this was hard for me to balance, as I had been criticised for being a client pleaser in the process. As a business, we assume we need to be self-serving for ourselves, but I find that to be a really short term mindset. When serving others, you build a relationship that goes beyond the now. Even if it means that the client doesn't need a solution from me, I'm glad that I can help listen and be of a service. It goes a long way, and clients come back when they are ready. And when you are serving others, how you ask questions and listen changes as well. You empathise with their world. And maybe that's why I become a sucker for the problems/challenges and also fall in love with the product/brand and what they are achieving to solve! [The universe works in amazing way as I was talking about active listening and asking good questions in my previous posts on LinkedIn. Did not plan this at all, but the next 2 - ASK and LISTEN - are key components of the sales process.] Sales is not just selling a product to customers, and it can be about problem solving with someone else - to our kids, family, to our bosses, colleagues, to our communities etc. How do you think being of SERVICE to others can help you in your process of 'selling'? #sales #selling #service

These questions ❓❓❓❓I would hear over and over again and again….having worked with sales teams most of my time was spent helping them come up with their own way of selling that was unique and authentic to them. That meant NO to the following: ❌ no scripts on what to say to a customer- no one wants a bot 🤖 ✅ Find your sparkle ✨ jacket like I have what is it that is you. I use humour and fun in how I interact and tell stories so for example “So how’s your day going so far? my dog Bella got in a bit of trouble down the park earlier….” People want to connect with you feel you are open so try sharing a bit of you a bit of your personality. It doesn’t mean you have to tell them your whole life story but use this as an ice breaker interaction. ❌ no making it up as they go along- if you don’t have product knowledge then be honest dont mislead anyone 🫣 ✅ Say I don’t know or I don’t have the answer BUT what I will do is find out what the answer is and let you know. By being honest and open it shows your authenticity and customers love this. ❌ no forcing the interaction with the customer they can feel it in your energy- the customer will interact when they are ready allow them to browse take it all in 🚶🏼♀️🚶🏼♀️🚶🏼♀️ ✅ Give them time 🕰️ don’t rush if someone wants to buy they will buy putting panic or rush into the equation can very often lose a sale as they don’t feel you care instead you will come across as a pushy sales person. ❌ no rushing to tell the customer everything about how amazing your product is- quite frankly the customer doesn’t care they want you to listen 👂 to them not to talk. ✅Try the 70/30 rule you should be talking 30% of the time and the customer 70% use coaching questions to really draw out what they want to purchase. This means using feeling questions such as: how is it feeling now currently? how would you like to feel? what would that feel like when you it? Create that emotional connection. Humans are feeling beings💕✨💕 You can have all the data in the world 🌎 and it’s is great….but creating a meaningful connection with stories and experiences is what turns a good experience into an outstanding one. I’m launching my ✨Sparkle ✨ in sales program this January 2024 join the waitlist to be part of this unique special program. Have a sneak peak on my webpage www.sparkleinsales.com ISME Ireland Adam Weatherley Network Ireland Network Ireland Galway Branch Galway Executive Skillnet Galway Chamber Skillnet Ireland

Sales leaders need to get comfortable with emotions... If you're having a one-to-one conversation with one of your team and they start to cry, what do you do? Do you get uncomfortable or embarrassed and suggest they go to the bathroom? This is the very worst thing you can do. You're sending them out of the room where they felt safe enough to open up their emotion and you've just sent them away. They push their pain back down into their body and return with the pretence that all is okay. When someone in your team gets upset and shares something that is painful for them, that's a sign they feel safe with you. They trust you enough to share their deepest pain. That's a huge honour. Sending them away is a rejection. When somebody gets upset just shut up and listen. Don't try and fix anything. Avoid that overriding desire to sort things out for them because that's not what it's about. Let them open up and release what has become too difficult to hold inside. Only when it's released can the emotions start to dissipate and create the space for them to move on. Be sure to have water and a packet of tissues for all one-to-one conversations. You never know when you might need them and it makes it so much easier for your sales person to stay in that space of release.

UNLEASHING THE BORN SALEPERSON:KEY TO SUCCESSFUL SELLING Yesterday someone asked me a question that got me thinking for a minute, “are you a born sales person or circumstances made you choose sales as a career. I thought of it for a while, but my resolve has always been that every human is a born sales man, it's either you selling a product or service, either way you are selling something. I know a lot of individuals who have said they don't like sales job but when circumstances push them, they ended up loving a career in sales than they expected. There are some individuals who possess an innate ability to connect with others and persuade them effortlessly, If you are not hat category, Gudus to you, also there are others you have to harness their skills and master the art of selling, if you find yourself drawn to the art of selling, here are some principles to sharpen your skills and maximize your potential. 1.Authenticity is Key: Authenticity builds trust, and trust is the cornerstone of any successful sale. Be genuine, transparent, and sincere in your interactions. Clients appreciate honesty and are more likely to engage when they sense authenticity. 2. Active Listening: The art of active listening cannot be overstated. Understand your customer's needs, concerns, and desires by paying close attention to what they say. This not only helps you tailor your pitch but also demonstrates your commitment to meeting their specific requirements. 3. Empathy Sells: Put yourself in your customer's shoes. Understand their challenges and aspirations. Empathy allows you to connect emotionally with your clients, making it easier to address their needs effectively. 4. Product Knowledge: A born salesperson is a product expert. Knowing your product inside out instills confidence in both you and your customer. Be prepared to answer questions with depth and clarity, showcasing your expertise and instilling confidence in your customer. Effective Communication: 5. Communication is an art, and a born salesperson is a master of it. Clearly articulate the value proposition of your product or service, tailoring your message to resonate with your audience. Clarity and precision are paramount. 6. Resilience in the Face of Rejection: Rejection is part of the sales game. A born salesperson doesn't take rejection personally but sees it as an opportunity to learn and improve. Embrace rejection as a stepping stone to success, and use it to refine your approach. #leadgenerationspecialist #remotework #salesprofessional #virtualassistant

Sales: It's All About Trust For the longest time, I've heard that sales is all about conning. Let me set the record straight: it's far from it. In my years of experience in sales, I've learned a few valuable lessons, many times the hard way. Here's what I've gathered: Transparency is Key: Be crystal clear about what you offer and what you can't. Ambiguity can damage relationships. Always be upfront. Know Your Boundaries: In the zeal to close a deal, we often over-commit. Don't. Know when to walk away from a deal gracefully. Sometimes, not making a deal builds more credibility than making one that benefits neither party. Active Listening: This one is my favorite. We salespeople love to talk, but here's the secret: the customer hates it. They want to be heard. They want solutions tailored to them, even if the product is generic. A successful sales pitch is always rooted in the insights gained from active listening. Impressions Matter: To build trust, you must appear trustworthy. Be punctual, share a bit about yourself, and dress appropriately for the occasion. Most importantly, maintain a calm demeanor; let it reflect in your body language and tone. Humor Helps: You don't have to be a comedian, but a smile or a fun fact can lighten the mood. This helps the client open up and subconsciously builds trust. Remember, people don't just buy products; they buy YOU—your personality, your credibility, your ideas. That's your greatest asset. Use it wisely. #sales #trust #authentic #ActiveListening

Unleashing the Power of Rejection: 🥊 Let's dive into the exhilarating realm of sales, specifically the art of embracing a customer's "No." We've all been there, facing that two-letter word that feels like a punch in the gut. 🥷 But what if I told you that a "No" is actually a salesperson's secret weapon? Hear me out! 1️⃣ Cross-Functional Comedy Club: When a customer says "No," it's like getting an all-access pass to the most exclusive club – the Cross-Functional Team. 💃 You can waltz into a meeting with Product Management and say, "Guess what? Our product got turned down because our competitors are throwing a cooler party. Let's crash it!" 🎶 Or sneak into a marketing brainstorming session and declare, "Our customers are playing hard to get because they're not hearing the love songs we're singing. Time to change our playlist!" 2️⃣ Management's Favorite Soap Opera: Every "No" is an episode in the drama series your management loves to binge-watch. It's like telling them, "Our pricing strategy is like a romantic date that ended up at a fast-food joint. Time to spice it up!" Management lives for this kind of plot twist. 3️⃣ Personal Growth, but Make It Fun: Asking why after a "No" is like going to a therapist but for your sales techniques. It's a journey of self-discovery, where you learn that rejection is not about you, but about the dance between customer needs and our offerings. It's like finding out you've been doing the salsa when your customer was ready for a tango. 👉🏼 So, next time you hear a "No," remember, it's not a stop sign, but a green light to learn, laugh, and liaise across your organization. A "No" is not the end of the sales story; it's the plot twist that leads to a bestseller. 🪩 Keep dancing to the rhythm of customer feedback, and let's turn those "Nos" into "Yeses"... or at least into some darn good stories! ❓Now, I’m curious about your experiences! In the comments below, share a time when a customer’s “No” led to an unexpected revelation or a humorous twist in your sales journey. How did it transform your approach or perspective? #SalesStrategy #CustomerEngagement #BusinessGrowth #LearningFromRejection #B2BSales

"First and foremost, you have been great to work with." "Thanks for making this call tolerable - sales calls are usually horrible and I actually enjoyed talking to you." "Hey Tim - you've been a wealth of information!" "You clearly know your $h:+ about the industry and you've done your homework on us. I love that." ☝ Actual feedback from emails and phone calls within the past 2 weeks. Nice to hear, but guess what? None of them are buying what I'm selling. Yet. One of them we're not a good fit for. The other three... I'm not ready to give up just yet. Some people tell you to go suck eggs. Some people tell you your the best person they've ever worked with, and let you down really gently. In either case, keep going. Being persistent, yet professional is a skill that you learn by staying positive in the presence of consistent failure. 💪 Being knowledgeable about your industry and being consultative in your approach is a skill that takes time and exposure to vulnerable situations. 😬 Being optimistic, gritty, and resilient in the face of constant rejection may seem like a psychological deficiency, but it's what makes the best sellers the best. 🙈 🙉 🙊 Winning in sales is definitely not all about relationships, charm, and verbal or non-verbal communication. Those don't solve problems, but they can help build trust. Still working out the kinks, but getting better every day. #saassales #sales #healthtech #techforgood #keepgrowing #growthmindset #careerdevelopment

Good morning. I had an interesting experience this morning. I connected with someone, and we set up a time to learn more about each other. You know, to begin to get to know each other and move from being a connection to maybe having a real connection. When I entered their booking link, it was designed as a sales call. When I said I don't know you and no, I am not personally interested in your service, they cut the call from 1 hour to 15 minutes. Then, minutes later, cancelled because this person only talked to people who wanted to buy. It's so transactional. I want to know people and have a two-way genuine relationship. I might want your product or service now, or I might not. I don't know you yet. Where's the rapport or trust? Why are we talking about a sale unless I specifically want to buy that thing? Even more, with a high-ticket item. After we learn more about each other, I might see a good fit for someone else and refer them. I might refer a lot of people. I might become an advocate and active promoter. Here's the thing, I want to be relational, to build a matrix of people working together, a network of people who help each other, where you can get and give help. But you have to build the glue that binds relationships. It starts with rapport, getting to know each other, building a relationship, and developing trust. it's a multi to many step journey. It is not a one-step sales process that is cold and transactional. What do you think I did with this new connection? #Networking #RelationshipBuilding #GenuineConnections