103 | Expressing Value Before Giving A Price with Donald Kelly

Donald KellyYou might be thinking that “sales” is a complex process and that you need a set of scripts to be successful. Well, listening to this episode will give you insights about follow up, value and questions. Our guest is Donald Kelly with The Sales Evangelist. Donald shares the secret sauce for quicker and increased sales. Listen in to this episode to improve your sales.

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Donald’s Target Audience: Includes people who are new to sales and are struggling. They may not have the necessary skills and Donald’s mission is to shorten their learning curve through coaching and mentoring them. Donald also hosts a popular sales podcast for an audience that has a strong desire to learn about sales

Donald first realized sales was not as hard as he initially thought once he learned how to do it through training and mentoring programs he committed to. He realized that so many of us have what he calls “The Boiler Room Mentality:” that the salesperson is conniving, a cheater, only in it for him/herself. This is simply not true. According to Donald, salespeople SERVE and they express VALUE to an individual or business. Genuine salespeople set it up so that the buyer persuades themselves into a buyer rather than being manipulated. They see for themselves the value they are about to receive.

Donald guides people in breaking down this manipulative (fictional) salesperson persona by getting people to connect with a positive sales experience. People often realize their mindset was framed by stigmas. Once people are able to see past this, they can soon grow more comfortable around the idea of selling.

Donald KellyWhen it comes to selling, Donald points out that you’ve got to be a good LISTENER. The conversation should really be about them (not what you do). In being a good listener, you will hear how to get them to buy. Asking more questions and going deeper regarding their challenges is always a must! This allows you to outline a plan that is personal to them.

Donald also shares two of his Secret Sauces:
#1: Separate your “identity” from you “role.” In other words, don’t allow your roles to define your identity. Allow your identity to define your roles. Those who have a strong identity are not afraid of rejection or challenges. Donald says, rejection is not about identity but about one of the many roles you may be playing.
#2: Be aware of the energy you bring into a sales call. Be sure it is positive and confident.

Donald talks about how to make ”Follow Ups” more personal. He thinks of himself as a friend, a thought leader, and an expert (not a nuisance!) and utilizes Google Alerts to remind him of special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, etc). This helps him to remain connected with his clients on a more personal level. He also sends personalized handwritten thank you cards. The moral of the story here is to not only be consistent about follow- ups but to make it personal by doing it differently from time to time.

In this episode we’ll cover:

  • The stigmas we buy into and how that keeps us in fear about Sales
  • How to break down the barriers so that you feel good about selling
  • What selling really is about
  • How to create a positive mindset around sales that you can embody
  • Why the sales call is about them (not you)
  • Why fear of following up is causing you to lose tons of clients
  • How to add variety and flavor to your follow ups
  • The importance of keeping in touch with clients

Resources and Links

Practical and Actionable:

Donald advices getting your mindset aligned is the essential and foundational initial step. Secondly, connect with who the person you serve truly is (Donald uses whiteboards to write out who they are. He attaches characteristics, the kind of business they own, attributes, what they like/don’t like etc). Donald says, the more you know about their challenges- the more connected you will be.

To give Donald a shout out for being on the show, follow him and send him a message. And connect with me too on LinkedIn or Twitter at @genehammett.

Do you have questions about today’s episode?

Did you know that you can apply to chat with me by phone? This is a limited time offer to help anyone that is serious about refining their business as well as developing a clear & compelling strategy that will drive them forward. Complete the questions and our team will follow up with you to schedule time for your “Vision Breakthrough Session”. These are limited to 30 minutes, completely free and oh, so valuable. Apply Now!

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