Selling is an art.  No selling is a science.  Look at all the sales training programs and you’ll see they teach you sales techniques.  Techniques such as how to overcome objections, what to say in the first 60 seconds of a cold call, what to say about your product or service and more.

While those sales techniques are important as they are the foundation that supports effective selling you can master all of those skills and still not be masterful at sales.  How can that be?

Because what makes a sales person masterful is the art, applying the techniques of the science and adding the finesse and style that makes it an art, and you masterful.  And in a world that has become more virtual it’s critical to learn how to move from a good salesperson to a masterful one.

What makes someone masterful?  What are the secrets that wildly successful sales people know that others need to learn and why are they more important than ever?

1. 1. Your mindset matters.  No one likes to be ‘sold’, even if they have a need for what you are offering.  Car salesmen are often used as an example of what not to do.  Several years ago I was shopping for a new car.  First question out of his mouth was what color do you want?  The next question was how much do you want to spend.  He did what so many salespeople do, he focused on the sale not on me as the person.

So the first secret is shift your thinking from the sale to the person. Find out what’s important to them, why it’s important, what have they done thus far to get this need met,  if nothing changes is there any impact…questions that focus on them and what matters to them.

You may discover along the way that your product or service cannot satisfy their needs.  In my sales career there have been hundreds of situations where what I was offering was not what the prospect needed.  My response then is to provide ideas or resources to others who can.  I may have lost that individual sale, which I wasn’t getting anyhow, but I promise you they remember me and the help I offered.  

Your mindset…care more about the person than the sale…will separate you from your competition all the time.

2. 2. Rejection is part of the process.  Masterful sales people understand that rejection is simply part of the process.  The prospect isn’t rejecting you (probably) but what you are offering.  Maybe you caught them at the wrong time, maybe they don’t have a need for your product or service, maybe they just got chewed out by their boss or a customer, anything could be happening that has them say no.  

But no doesn’t necessarily mean no forever, it might mean no for now.  Even if it means no forever masterful sales people understand that not everyone is a potential customer.  Rejection is simply part of the process.  It can’t stop you or take it personally.

3. 3. Question, question and question some more.  Human beings do not ask enough questions.  We hear something and make an assumption as to what that means, and act through that assumption.  As often as we are right in our assumptions we are wrong.  We all need to ask more questions and really successful sales people have this skill.

In #1 above the car salesman asked me questions, but they were questions that I found insulting and didn’t connect him to me and vice versa.  You have to ask questions that are meaningful, that help you identify what matters to them. 

Questions are always a significant part of successful selling and when prospecting virtually they become the skill that may shift a conversation from a no to a maybe or a maybe to a yes.  Virtually you don’t see body language or likely have their undivided attention.  One way to have them engage is through asking thoughtful questions, questions that have them think and perhaps shift their thinking, and are requiring them to be focused and engaged.

4. 4. Listening skills are paramount to success.  If you are thinking about what you want to share with them about what you are offering you aren’t listening.  When you are simply waiting for them to quit talking so you can ask the next question in your arsenal you aren’t listening.  

The thing about listening is when you do it well you learn a lot. You’ll hear the tone of voice, pauses that may be important, specific words they use, what they say…it’s all important.  You’ll miss all this and more if you aren’t listening.  

The way you determine the next question to ask is listening to your prospect.  They share a lot of information about themselves if you take the time to listen.

5. 5. Be yourself.  Having run sales organizations for years I promise you that there are many different types of people who can and are wildly successful in sales.  I’m a bit out there and can say and do things others can’t, simply because of my personality.  I appeal to certain people and I know my energy can be off putting to others.  All okay as those who want to work with me will.

Be yourself.  Be professional and courteous and respectful and gracious and caring and confident, and be yourself.  Show your human side, tell stories that your prospects can relate to, whether personal or professional.  When I work with clients and discuss the topic of accountability I tell a story about my husband and asking him to vacuum.  Then I tie it to accountability and it makes complete sense to people.  Not only does the story provide an example they can relate to, it tells them about me.  

6. 6. Invest in yourself with continued training.  Take additional sales training and be open to new ideas.  Watch a Youtube video on communication, negotiation, psychology…any topic that relates to human interactions.  Watch and listen to others.  How do they come across?  What about them connects them to others easily or conversely what seems off putting?

Masterful professionals know the importance of continued training and development and want to be on their learning edge.

Zig Ziglar said “selling is the transferring of feelings”.  You want the other person to feel your commitment to them and what you are selling.  You want them to feel connected to you and trust you.  Selling successfully is about feeling and less about what you are offering.  

When you meet with someone face-to-face you can look them in the eye, lean forward and connect with them at a human level.  However do not assume that is not possible when you are prospecting virtually.

Recently a client asked me how to build relationships when you can’t meet with the prospect.  I paused before answering, frankly waiting to see if they came to their own conclusion.  Then I reminded them that we started our relationship many years ago with a telephone conversation.  We had worked together maybe 2 years before we ever met.  How was I able to connect with the client via the telephone and build a relationship?  

It’s simple.  I’m authentic.  The same person shows up in person as on the phone or a video call.  I’m always myself, professional yet down to earth.  I care about others at a deep level and I believe they feel that.  Ultimately I care about understanding what they need, why it’s important to them and what they want from me.  If I can be a solution I let them know and what I can do.  And if I’m not the right solution I also let them know.

Building relationships is about building trust.  That starts with listening, asking questions, caring more about others than the sale and being yourself.