You may not know this about me – I love to buy things – the experience of shopping, discovering, trying something new and different.  Whether it’s food, shoes, jewelry or books – the thrill of the perfect fit, the feeling of learning a new idea or concept or the sensation of wearing a new piece of vintage jewelry…I love all of it.

What I don’t like is the feeling of being sold to.  In fact, regardless of how much I may want an item, I’ll walk away if the sales associate is coming on too strong or attempts to “talk me into” buying.  It repels me and feels icky, yes, icky.

Perhaps that’s why, when I stepped into the role of entrepreneur and woman business owner, I was lousy at having the so-called ‘sales conversation’ with prospective clients.  The very idea of the conversation had me cringing in fear – looking for a way to avoid the conversation.

Unfortunately, that approach was not conducive to having a thriving, vibrant business that supported me and the lifestyle I dreamed of when starting my business.

Something had to change or my business would contribute to the statistics published by Forbes Magazine which is 90% of all business fail within the first year.

I didn’t want to fail, and I didn’t want to sell.  Such a dilemma. In an effort to end the struggle, I spent tons of time, money and energy on programs, training, blueprints, strategies – all in an attempt to “get better at selling”, master the art of conversion, become an “accomplished closer”.  Can you relate?

None of these tactics worked for me. Why?

Because none of the courses, training or slick tips, tricks and tactics included me – my style, my personality, my beliefs and values – in other words, it wasn’t me.  No matter how hard I tried, practiced or engaged in intense visualization, it just didn’t work.

In a moment of desperation and a burst of brilliance, the solution emerged and that’s the topic for this series of posts. It’s amazing how much fun you can have when you’re not struggling to get clients.

Today, I’m going to give you 3 tips that will help you get out of the sticky icky sales conversation, so you can attract more clients and make more money.  In other words, how to sell without selling!

I invite you to consider yourself a client attractor.

What’s a client attractor? It means you stand out from the competition because you stand tall and proud in your uniqueness.  That’s right – just like your fingerprint, everything that makes you you is what makes you unique.  Own it. Share it. Optimize it. When you stop trying to be someone else or something you’re not, then you can step fully into your uniqueness.

You have no competition because there is only one you!

One of the reasons selling doesn’t feel good is that the agenda is to make a sale, close the sale, seal the deal.  It’s all about the numbers, commission, profit and income.

As a client attractor, your mindset is that of service and the conversation is all about the client. It’s sincere, engaging and respectful and demonstrates to your prospective client that you understand and appreciate where they are.  That’s vital.

Tip #1: Be value-rich

You want your website, blogs, social media posts, videos to be value-rich and reinforce that you know what your clients need and want.  You’re adding value while building a relationship.  They will come to see you as a trusted authority in your field as well as feeling that you understand their needs as well as their circumstances.  The result is a strong “know, like and trust” factor.

Think of your online presence as the best sales associate you could ever hire – consistently delivering your value, open 24/7, and asking for their suggestions, input and ideas.  That’s selling without selling!

Tip #2: Be an Expert

Be an expert in your chosen field as well as your niche.  If you find yourself doubting your expert status, your prospective clients will sense that as well.  To be an expert, you don’t have to have world-renown recognition.  You just have to be 5 steps ahead of your clients.  Think back to when you were in grade school – the students that were a year or two behind you, held you in awe.

Here’s an example.  Let’s say your niche is stay-at-home moms who want a part-time home-based business.   You’ve had your part-time business for a year. To your prospective clients, you have knowledge, experience and insight that they need and want. From their perspective, you are an expert.

You also want be an expert in your niche.  Being an expert will help you write compelling copy using the words, expressions and experiences that your niche understands. For more on this, check out my April blog series so you can be a “know-it-all” about your niche, their pain, obstacles and challenges. www.SusanBock.com/blog

Tip #3: Be a story teller:

We love stories – especially stories with a happy ending.  You want a happy ending to your story, just as your clients want their story to have a happy ending.  The stories you share demonstrate to them that your product or service is what they need to have a happy ending…to overcome an obstacle, solve a problem, eliminate their pain.

Follow this simple 3-part formula and you’ll have a winning story every time. On a side note, this formula is perfect for clients to follow when they’re providing you with an endorsement or testimonial.

The beginning: set the scene or describe the situation. The beginning answers the question: What was it like?  Is it the pain or struggle; what’s holding them back; preventing them from achieving what they want?

The middle: this is solution – the problem is solved; the obstacle is removed; the pain is eliminated.  What happened is answered in this section of the formula.

The happy ending: the story describes what it’s like now. It’s all about the result of implementing the solution.

All you’re doing is sharing a story and the story sells your product or service.  You have a call to action for a free opt in or a link to a landing page to learn how they get the solution they seek, and you’re golden.

Selling without selling.  Super simple and wildly effective!

I’d love your comments – please post below.  What was one aha or one idea you want to implement?

Be sure to come back next week as I delve into the psychology of why – and how – people make buying decisions.  You might just be surprised!

If you want to explore more ways you can sell without selling, start getting better at positioning yourself as an authority and expert, then you’ll want to schedule your risk-free, no strings attached Explore | Embrace | Enrich discovery call with me so you can start attracting more clients!