Attention Sales World... Stop Swimming In The Shallow End Of The Relational Pool!

“Our culture is all about shallow relationships. But that doesn't mean we should stop looking each other in the eye and having deep conversations.”

Francis Chan

The depth and breadth of your conversations will determine the relational strength with your clients.

Are you treading water on the relational surface with your clients? How would you even know?

Are your conversations superficial and shallow or rich with deep meaning?

Deep conversations require intent and meaning.

The Oxford Dictionary defines superficial as, “existing or occurring at or on the surface; not thorough, deep, or complete; lacking depth of character or understanding.”

When it comes to your client relationships and interactions, do you have a complete understanding of their business goals, desires, aspirations and what needs to be done to create business betterment?

Just curious, what do all of you speak about when engaging with your clients?

Again, are you treading on the relational surface with small "chit-chatty" conversations or are you swimming in the business deep end, diving into conversational growth strategies?

You see, salespeople in superficial and shallow relationships will only talk about the present day because future-proofing requires a deep investment of time, energy and commitment to relational betterment.

A relationship is shallow when it only exists on the surface and absent of any meaningful emotional connection.

Sales professionals align the head and the heart inside their client relationships

When you are not aligned by any shared values and goals with your clients, you may be treading water in the shallow end of the relational pool. You may find some levels of success there, but I call this "transactional swimming". This becomes 100% replaceable.

Here is your mirror moment...

Are you a here and now sales rep or a forward-thinking sales professional?

Questions for you...

• Why do many salespeople have mediocre client relationships? Think about it.
• Why do many salespeople struggle to form great client relationships? Think about it.

Unfortunately, because they can’t be bothered to learn how or have never been coached in how to build real relationships.

Here are a few signs that you may have shallow or superficial relationships...

• Lack of communication
• Not discussing the business future and what it looks like
• Lack of shared values
• Out of sight, out of mind

“The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.”

Tony Robbins

SALES PROFESSIONALS BUILD REAL CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS

Your clients are much savvier than in years past. They expect you to pay attention to them. They have instantaneous and much louder methods of voicing their displeasure as well as the support they're getting from you.

Greatness is a conscious choice and a discipline when it comes to building client relationships.

The oldest and most effective sales growth strategy is building real intentional relationships.

Relationships enhance revenue, relationships sell, and relationships bring in connection.

Are your "relationships" one-sided affairs?

I urge everyone in sales to get engaged with their clients. Create marital bliss with your clients.

Shift your mindset as engaged relationships translate into increased sales opportunities.

Build true, deep and meaningful relationships, not just one-sided affairs and watch your sales skyrocket and your leaky sales pipeline become ever-flowing.

If you crave an ever-flowing sales funnel, then build an ever-flowing client relationship funnel

If you want amazing client relationships, then do something about it.

Here are three things you can do to build upon and strengthen your relationships.

BRING AUTHENTICITY

Your client relationships must be built upon trust and trust is based upon authenticity. Your clients' B.S. meters are extremely sensitive. They can spot insincerity a mile away.

The authentic YOU must be a genuine reflection of who you REALLY are. You must believe it. You must own it. You must know what it stands for. You must know your strengths and your weaknesses.

Sales professionals proudly wear their emotions on their business sleeve as they connect to the relational hearts of their clients

It is all about the personal connection. If you are 'blowing smoke' up your client's backsides what's the likelihood they will trust you or even help you to grow your business?

"Authenticity is a Magnet"

STOP BEGGING

Expanding upon your relationships is not about selling – it’s about establishing trust, rapport, and creating value; all without selling. 

Engage with your clients, communicate with them, add value to their business, solve their problems, create opportunities for them, educate them and inform them, but don’t drop the sales hammer on them all the time!

How can you grow your business by dropping sales bombs on them all the time?

Stale sales experiences and relationships die a slow and very painful death.

What's concerning me about salespeople today, whether you believe me or not, is the lack of truly building genuine relationships.

Stop begging and bugging your clients to buy from you at month end, quarter end or year end, when you've done very little to enhance the relational experience.

Why would your clients help you to grow your business when you haven't helped to grow theirs?

INTENTIONALLY LISTEN

Successful sales professionals simply listen.

There is so much you can learn when you just listen

Monumental listening is the key to becoming a powerful sales professional inside the relationship economy. Developing excellent listening skills separates the good from the great. When you listen to your clients you uncover their pain points, their business goals, their personal data; all this to do one thing - strengthen the relationship and grow your business.

When you struggle to listen, you miss all the critical material to build a meaningful relationship.

The simple act of listening just might be the key to growing your business, strengthening your sales pipeline and enhancing the relational growth with your clients.

CARE ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

“I’m not telling you it is going to be easy- I am telling you it is going to be worth it.”

Art Williams

Building client relationships requires discipline.

Long-term client relationships must be deep and must be built to weather the storms along the way. There will be bumps along the way, however; the more you invest in these relationships the more you collect on these relationships.

I will leave all of you with this...

• Genuinely care about your clients
• Remember your clients
• Connect with your clients
• Celebrate with your clients
• Really listen to your clients

And most of all... Love your clients

 Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn.