Telling Is Not Selling, But Asking Is

The Universe MUST have been telling me to write this blog post this week.

Surely it is a sign when I look back at my week and can count 1 face to face meeting, 2 phone calls, and 9 (yes nine) emails—all with sales messages intended for me to either buy or take action to buy—that were all about their product, their accolades, their features, their prestige, their stories or their next steps.

If you are trying to speak to me and get me to do something, shouldn’t you be speaking or asking about what’s important to me?

Selling is really simple when you boil it down: Selling is about communication, understanding and then articulating the value you can bring to another person (or their business).

Value is subjective, so in order to understand what someone else values, you must first ask them the right questions.

Telling About Your Product, Features, or Services is Not Selling

But you know what is selling?

• Asking is selling
• Learning is selling
• Comprehension is selling

Engaging your customers isn’t about getting them to ask more questions about you (though that can be good).

Engagement happens when you get people to tell you what’s important to them. What they need. What they want. What their obstacles are.

How do you know what to recommend to someone if you don’t know what they want, need or can afford?

Are you telling or are you asking? Are you telling or are you selling? Think about your sales communication—all of it: Are you engaging customers or prospects with the hope that they ask more questions about you?

Or are you asking them to tell you more about themselves?