As you establish your visibility on the Web, build your database of loyal fans and interested prospects, and offer products and services, eventually you must sell. That can be a huge stumbling block for many service professionals. I have struggled with the sales process on and off for years. Sometimes it seems natural and other times it does not. But without the sales, all your visiblity building work will be useless. Who cares how many people see and know about you if you can't sustain your business?
Recently I was speaking with Matthew Blom, who had been referred to me as someone I should get to know. During the course of our conversation, he mentioned his S.E.R.V.I.N.G. sales process. I liked his approach and asked Matthew if he would share it with you…
S.E.R.V.I.N.G. Others to Get More Clients
This is a guest post by Matthew Blom of www.servemorepeople.com
In service-based businesses, persons who want to serve others require marketing skills. Doing this with integrity can be difficult, but the conscious selling process is having a win-win-win conversation with someone, seeing that person fully, and then inviting them, when it’s a fit, into a relationship where you serve them. Conscious selling process uses the acronym S.E.R.V.I.N.G.
First is S, start with the heart. Come into the conversation, looking at them as another precious human being, with their challenges, dreams, goals, and difficulties. It’s a chance to help them through it and move to a new level in their lives. Know that this is a precious human being, unique in their life history and life experience.
Second is E, evoke the dream. When you’re talking with them, find out what they most long for and what’s most meaningful to them.
Thirdly, R. The result of the dream. What’s the greater impact in their life through that? Everything is connected in someone’s life. If they have better health that might affect their relationships, better relationships might affect their ability to make money, more money might affect their ability to spend time with their family. After you evoke the dream, how will that affect other areas?
Fourthly, V. The V is where the transition happens in the conversation. The V here is the word vet. To vet the challenges. Vet means to examine something, to unearth the challenges and difficulties that person is facing.
I is fifth, the impact. How does that impact other areas in their life? How long has this been going on? What’s the depth of this? This part of the conversation is accessing some of the pain and difficulty they’ve had, not making them feeling any worse about their situation, just having a real, honest deep conversation about it. Often you uncover hidden things that they didn’t know about, in this part of the conversation.
Sixth, N. Now the N stands for nurture, to nurture the dream. So after you’ve uncovered all this, go back to understand it. If everything was changed for them, what would that mean for them in their life? What would that do for them?
Lastly is G, go forward together. Look and see if this is a fit to move forward together and what that would look like. And if you are clear, and you’ve really connected with them, at that point, often, they are ready to move forward together.
What this lets you do is to open a relationship. Use this, start with the heart, to connect with them, and find out how you can serve them in their lives so that you can serve your mission, and you can also impact their lives.
About Matthew Blom - From living life as a monk in Asia to success as a service-based entrepreneur, Matthew serves Conscious, self-employed coaches, healers, practitioners and speakers, through Inner Game Mastery, and Outer Game Systems to help them Make a Great Living while Making a Great Difference.As a speaker and trainer his business, Whole life Prosperity, is about designing your life to have fulfillment in all areas: Your Health, Your Impact/Purpose, Your Wealth, Your Relationships, Your Family, Your Values/Spirituality, and Your Life Enjoyment.
What do you think? Does the S.E.R.V.I.N.G. model resonate with you? How do you conduct your sales conversations? Let us know in the comments. If you have questions or feedback for Matthew, please post them and I'll make sure he sees them.
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Great post, and it definitely resonates with me. I think so many people get so caught up in selling the product/service features and benefits that they connect with their hearts and dreams. Often a sale can be closed without ever discussing the features of the product.
I’d say my process is similar, I really try to understand the persons business, their goals, and what currently pains them so that I can demonstrate how I can help. My most challenging sales conversations are those that want to discuss price right at the beginning. I’m confident in my pricing, but the conversation goes so much smoother when I can sell the value before discussing the price. Any suggestions making those conversations flow more naturally?
Love the word “vet” in S.E.R.V.I.N.G. It is so action-oriented – and often where us giving-types stumble. Thanks for the great post!
Great post- and great idea to let the guest post in!
Good post!!!!! Thanks for posting this!!!!!
Kathy Dowsett