The Shortcut In Sales: Does It Exist?

Have you ever noticed how many of us tend to want a shortcut in sales?
It feels so good to get there sooner.
Let’s be honest, if there were some pill you could take or app you could buy to accomplish a goal in a short amount of time, you’d probably pull out your credit card. I know I would (I’d play the piano, the guitar, and sing like an angel if it didn’t require hours upon hours of practice to master even one of these goals).
Unfortunately, for my budding music career, there’s no shortcut. And I’m sorry to say; the same is true in sales. What seems to be getting in the way for many people is they have this “all or nothing” thinking pattern when it comes to wanting to learn to sell. The “all or nothing” thinking is essentially wanting the shortcut – “I want to go from being not good at something to being exceptional. And, I don’t want to practice, and I certainly don’t want to experience any failures along the way.”
The Shortcut In Sales Continued…
It doesn’t work like that and anyone “selling” you on a shortcut program or quick fix course is doing it for their benefit, not yours.
When potential clients approach me with this “shortcut” attitude to sales, I’ve started turning them away. Taking their money knowing they’re not willing to put in the time and effort to build relationships with clients, practice the skills I teach, and truly commit to the process is a waste of time for both of us. As a coach, it’s frustrating because I know what works and what it takes to master these skills and as a person, there’s nothing worse than having a disappointed client.
With that said, I do believe anyone can be good at sales. You’ve got to want to learn, practice, and be willing to be a little uncomfortable and in time, selling gets so much easier.
Your Savvy Sales Tip this week: The Shortcut In Sales
Commit to practicing one of the tips you’ve learned from reading my blog (there are over 60 tips to choose from). Pick something you’d like to master and work it into every interaction you have a with a client this week. By the end of the week, evaluate your performance and notice even the smallest improvements in your approach. And then celebrate your improvement. This will encourage you to keep perfecting the skill over time. When you’re ready, pick a new tip and start again. In time, your overall sales technique will improve.
In the meantime, please share which tip you’ve picked to practice this week so I can cheer you on and celebrate your successes with you.
Wishing you an amazing selling week.