Sales Professionals Build Authentic Client Relationships, Are You

“The closer you stay to emotional authenticity and people, character authenticity, the less you can go wrong. That’s how I feel now, no matter what you’re doing.”

David O. Russell

Real, genuine, heartfelt, sincere, true, honest, and filled with integrity... isn't this what we desire in our personal relationships? Curious... Why do so many in sales and leadership struggle to bring this to their professional relationships?

Authenticity is one of the biggest challenges for salespeople in a profession riddled with unscrupulous, fake, and disingenuous sales reps; that quite frankly many buyers despise.

Authenticity separates sales reps from sales professionals

This may sound a bit touchy-feely but set aside some alone time, look inside yourself and reflect upon your career, as sales is all about building credible, genuine, and real relationships.

However, to build these relationships and change the way people think, you need to understand who you are and what goods you bring to the business table.

Here lies the issue, many in sales struggle with and have a hard time comprehending the value they bring to the marketplace because they haven’t spent the time investing in themselves.

Allow this quote from Tony Robbins to sink in for a moment,

“Do what you did at the beginning of a relationship and there won’t be an end.” 

Think about client attrition and now re-read the quote again... Do I have you thinking?

You see, I believe we live in a business world where relationships matter.

How you develop, nurture and build a healthy relationship funnel will play a significant part in the strength of your sales funnel.

• What defines a client relationship?
• What does a relationship look like to you?

I'd like for you to think about this:

The relationships you think you have with your clients; do they feel the same way about their relationship with you?

When was the last time you asked your clients what they expect in a business relationship and with YOU? Try it, you may learn something!

“Business is all about relationships, how well you build them determines how well they build your business.”

Brad Sugars

INVEST IN RELATIONSHIPS

Highly successful professionals, the best of the best, spend heartfelt hours every week investing in their client relationships. They commit to listening and learning something new about their clients. They show appreciation and constantly thank them for their business.

There's no better investment you can make than to invest in your clients.

Your clients are your most valuable asset. Sales professionals understand and make daily deposits in their client's emotional bank account. They understand every investment they make in their clients, pays dividends now, next month, and into the future.

My concern throughout the sales world is this... Sales reps’ success has been measured by the number or the value of deals they close. Please do not get me wrong as this is important, however; this drives many in sales to take a transactional approach to build relationships.

Transactional mindsets conflict with and diminish the authenticity of the relationships.

Salespeople may experience success in the short term, however; in the long run, authentic relationships are the key to building a thriving long-term sales career.

Authentic relationships are not based on a sales cycle or a buying journey.

WHAT IS YOUR INTENT?

In order to have an authentic relationship, please ask yourself, "What is my intention for this relationship?"

Stop... This is where I would like everyone in sales and leadership to give this one some thought. What is your intention?

Transactional intent oozes "I want to get what I need from them" and relational intent oozes "I want a trusted relationship in which we both benefit each other".

For relationships to be authentic, your mindset must be one of a genuine and sincere desire to be of value to the other person.

In a sales world where trust is almost non-existent, authenticity is supercritical in bridging the relational trust gaps.

AUTHENTICITY, IT IS NOT COMPLICATED

Building authentic relationships is not complicated, nor is it rocket science but it does take patience and a shift in mental focus.

In doing a bit of research, I came across Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and her book Love 2.0. In her research, she believes authentic relationships are good for our well-being.

She points to research that micro-moments of connection among humans improve our immune systems. The vagus nerve which connects our brains to our hearts and regulates the body’s inflammation, glucose, and heart rate, protecting the body from heart attacks, strengthens as the body experiences more of these micro-moments of connection.

Based on Barbara's research, she uncovered those micro-moments require three factors: a sharing of positive emotions among two or more people, synchrony between their biochemistry (via mirror neurons in their brains), and a mutual desire for each other’s well-being.

Could these three micro-moments benefit you as a sales professional between you and your clients?

AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS

If you want authentic meaningful relationships with your clients, look no further than yourself. Become authentic. Become yourself. Know thyself is to value thyself. What makes you tick?

Authentic sales professionals are not afraid to be who they are and show who they are to their clients.

Authentic sales professionals are interested in others, their clients.

Authentic sales professionals know their place in the business world and fulfill their client's world with joy and attention.

Authentic sales professionals put their clients at ease. They make them feel relaxed, heard, respected, and most all, important.

INVEST AND COLLECT

Authentically investing in your clients and the relationships you have with them is one of the most rewarding investments you can make. These relationships will open new doors and provide you with new opportunities that would have been unheard of otherwise.

I will leave you with this...

Without building your “relationship capital” with your clients then how can you keep a consistent, well-flowing sales funnel?

Without investing in building deep meaningful connections with your clients then how can you expect to reap the benefits that relationship has to offer?

"The key to making money is to stay invested."

Suze Orman

If you fail to invest in your client relationships, then you will never be able to collect on the relationship.