Sales Professionals Take The Road Less Traveled, What About You?

“The Only Person You Are Destined To Become Is The Person You Decide To Be.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The road less traveled... means the choices we make in life are unfamiliar and uncertain.

It refers to a choice that leads someone to choose an indifferent approach, a new path in life or to start a new trend. It's about the choices we have never experienced.

At the end of Selling from the Heart, I leave you with my favorite poem by Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken",

To set this up, let's look at the ending of the poem...

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

In the poem, there is someone standing in a yellow wood with two distinct paths before them. They look and think about both paths and finally choose to take the one less traveled. Thus, they prefer experiencing something new without worrying about the consequences. 

What sales road are you taking?

I believe sometimes we need to take a diversion from the conventional road to sales success.

Following all the other salespeople, or the same old sales routes may not lead you to new destinations, new experiences, new opportunities, or new clients. Even if it makes you nervous, you must step out of your comfort zone and take a trip of discovery.

I believe sales professionals are entrepreneurs. Allow this quote to sink in for a moment...

 "Entrepreneurs pay the price of a road less traveled, while everyone else takes the freeway and perpetually misses their own exit."

Ryan Lilly

My coach and mentor, Dave Sanderson, has been coaching me on creating my own flight plan.

Are you creating your own flight plan or are you traveling down the same road as all the other salespeople because it is safe?

THE ROAD YOU PAVE STARTS WITH BEING GENUINE

In a red sales ocean filled with sales sharks and empty suits, being genuine is a huge way to stand out. Be real, be sincere and be honest. Let's all agree, most of your clients and future clients can sniff out B.S. conversely, they know when you're being yourself.

Would you agree people will respond favorably and will come back to you repeatedly when they see you as being real, instead of the prototypical sales rep?

Being genuine is a rare quality. Today's world is full of sales phonies, social media hype, and virtual fake sales personas.

Sales chest puffing runs amuck inside a sales world full of empty suits.

Those who are genuine in sales, search for and discover their own unique way of pursuing their passions and purpose.

Often, they forge an entirely new path to get to their destination.

It's about what they think and says that makes them who they are. It's what they do and how they view themselves within the sales world.

A genuine sales professional is guided by an internal compass, meaning they don't follow the conventional or typical routes others take to achieve their goals.

THE ROAD CONTINUES WITH...

Genuine sales professionals forge their own sales path.

BEING REAL

In a business world full of empty suits and sales facades, being real and transparent is completely non-negotiable. I believe without this one can be labeled a commodity.

I sincerely believe in transparency and being real:

• Creates the foundational layers of trust
• Creates a strong positive relationship where you can build loyalty

Without loyalty, you're a commodity

Transparency and being real is intentionally baring your soul by showing the true version of yourself. Many in sales have lost their identity due to fear of rejection, lack of self-confidence, a broken sales heart, or lack of fulfillment.

Being real, being genuine, being authentic... isn't this what your clients crave?

Genuine sales professionals know who they are. They don’t masquerade around as someone they’re not. They're willing to let down their guard and let their clients see it.

When we’re looking to build our personal relationships, we want to learn and grow from people of value. We identify and relate to people who are honest, trustworthy, and kind.

Phoniness is a characteristic that can be sensed from miles away.

Being a sales phony is no way to fill your sales funnel

BEING TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE

“Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.”

Oscar Wilde

Think about what it means to be true to yourself.

Isn't it about integrity, beliefs, personal values, honesty, sincerity, authenticity, living by what is and what is not acceptable to you, morals, ethics, right and wrong, honor, no falsehood, the truth...? Now... how many of these words would people associate with the sales world?

Those who absorb what it means to sell from the heart, live by a code of morals and values. 

Being true to yourself is fundamental to living a life full of integrity.

It's your moral duty to live up to your obligations and fulfill them, this becomes your character and your brand.

BEING VULNERABLE

Hey sales world... there's nothing more honest and courageous than accepting vulnerability, embracing it and acting from it.

Vulnerability is the driving force of connection. It’s about being brave and tender. It’s nearly impossible to connect without it. We live for it in our personal lives so what prevents us from doing this in our professional lives?

Why have so many turned vulnerability into a sales weakness?

Without vulnerability relationships struggle. Without vulnerability how will your client relationships flourish?

Embrace vulnerability as your sales career will flourish.

Vulnerability is key to connecting with your clients. It's having the courage to open up who you are to another human. It’s saying with comfortable confidence, "This is who I am!"

You will struggle to sell from the heart if you can't receive from your heart

BEING CARING

"If you truly care about your clients, then they’ll care about you"

In an environment that is becoming increasingly competitive, you must focus on building meaningful relationships with your clients.

• You must become genuinely interested in their business
• You must truly connect with meaning
• You must be genuine and curious
• You must genuinely give a rip

Think of the following relationship equation with every one of your clients.

(E + E) x C x C = Meaningful Relationship

Create your new relational road to sales success through engagement, excitement, conversation, and caring... Watch what happens next. Will you take the sales road less traveled?