Provide Value to Everyone Who Interacts with You

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Value is what you provide without any expectation of payment. Find ways to deliver more value. If you do that consistently well, people will recognize what you’re doing and reward you with their business. Value is the purest form of integrity.

Having No Expectations Brings the Greatest Rewards

If you can get into the habit of providing value to the people you meet irrespective of whether they do business with you or not, you’re positioning yourself to be a long-term success. So how exactly can you do this?

Create a website where you offer free, helpful reports and links.

Be perfectly willing to tell people straight when what you have to offer is not appropriate for them.

Have the goal of being an effective persuader rather than a manipulator using slick lines and pushing them.

Avoid harassing people with cold calling. Instead, generate a stream of referral business.

Think and act like a powerful business leader than a pushy salesperson.

Act with a high degree of professionalism and integrity.

Become a recognized expert in your field and back that up with published articles, speaking engagements and other tangible evidence.

Deal from a Position of Power

In you concentrate on delivering value first and foremost: with no expectation whatsoever of payment: you transform your image from that of a salesperson to one of being a trusted business adviser. You’ll stand out from the crowd, and prospective customers will seek you out rather than having to be forced to see you. This is a great way to do business, because you’ll be dealing from a position of power rather than being subservient.

Top sales professionals always deal from a position of power. Using old-school sales methods of manipulation always puts you in a position of weakness. When you provide value and then people seek you out to do business with you, a new dynamic at work.

Power always accrues to the person who has the least need for the transaction to happen. If you have to make the sale to pay your rent, then you’ll be nervous and the prospective client will pick up on that unease and use their position of power to advantage. If you reverse that situation and hold the high ground yourself, you’ll do better.

To be in a position of power:

Avoid phoney rapport, canned speeches or memorized dialogues: because they always come across as unnatural. Instead, slow down and be yourself. Say what you think clearly and concisely.

Avoid seeking validation: meaning don’t say “Right?” or “You know?” after your statements.

Have strong body language: take up as much physical space as you can, keep your hands calm and speak in a commanding voice Lean back and project yourself rather than appearing to be on edge all the time.

Structure your conversations productively: which basically means finishing your presentation before you answer questions or revisit unfinished points. State your objective briefly and directly, present your supporting information and then answer any questions. Make the decision to go with your suggestion a natural flow-on rather than a cleverly arrived at contrivance.

Keep things interesting: by having a lively voice and obvious self-confidence. Don’t apologize for any shortcomings, but rather mention them openly and then move forward with your presentation.

The key point is that top sales professionals come from a position of power and then maintain it throughout. They know they are filling a prospective customer’s need rather than meeting one of their own needs to make a sale. If the prospect has called you to come and see then have to adroitly manage the interaction so that power does not slip away.

The Internet Gives You Infinite Reach

In today’s business world, being Internet-savvy is essential if you’re to have any hope of being in a position of power. The Internet is this generation’s premier mechanism for generating leads, creating professionals until you master the use of the Internet in marketing.

At the very least, you need to establish and maintain your own website. This will enable people to find out about you before you arrive in person. And on your website, you should offer free newsletters, reports and e-books. This is a very direct way to offer value regardless of whether people do business with you or not.

Your website and its reports will:

Establish your credibility as a recognized expert in your field

Get people familiar with you.

Start some very helpful viral marketing buzz.

If you make an e-book available for download from your website that contains very helpful information that is also devoid of any direct sales pitches, all kinds of great things can happen. Incorporate a link back to your website and give people permission to forward the e-book with loads of information and you’ll find it goes all over the place generating people who will be more inclined to do business with you in future.

How to Gain Power and Provide Exceptional Value

Stop cold calling and encourage people to contact you instead.

Find as many ways as possible to deliver value with no expectation of direct payback.

Become Internet-savvy.

Build and maintain your own personal website.

Write an e-book about what you know best and provide this as a free download from your website.

Avoid the manipulative techniques old-time salespeople have traditionally used and instead establish yourself as an expert in your field.