Have you ever met someone and had the feeling they were acting fake?
Even without knowing the person, you still had a feeling you weren’t meeting the “real” them.
Your audience can detect in-authenticity, too! To be authentic, you must be fearless. When people see fearlessness in you, they’re drawn in and respect you.
Now, can you remember a time when you felt connected to, or even captivated, by someone selling something? In that moment, you probably forgot they were a salesperson. Here’s the secret: in that moment, their goal wasn’t to make a sale.
They wanted to make a connection. And you remember them because they succeeded. Am I right?
Being authentic is about showing your true self transparently and consistently. Being honest is about deliberately telling the truth and using that truth to connect to your audience.
Making a connection doesn’t mean you’ll make a sale. But trying to make a sale without first making a connection is a long shot.
So how do you connect? By being aware of your audience’s needs and responding with your authentic and honest self.
Get to know yourself
What does knowing yourself mean? Understanding your personality, charm, and ways of relating to people. And yes, even your sense of humor! Celebrate who you are and let your audience experience you when you speak to them.
Your authenticity doesn’t look the same as the next person’s. You must find your own style of selling that reflects … well, you. After all, people will remember you and their experience with you — not what you’re selling.
Let your personality shape your selling style. If you feel stuck, call a close friend and ask them what they like about your personality. You might be surprised!
Have a goal bigger than selling
If your only goal is to sell, your audience will feel it. You have to align yourself with a purpose greater than selling something. When you make a sale, your greater purpose is always what your customer has purchased.
If you haven’t already, now is the time to clarify your greater purpose. What value do you offer?
Once you know your purpose, the stress and discomfort sometimes associated with selling melts away. You become excited about your actual value instead of fixated on making a sell.
Get to know your audience
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … whether you’re speaking to an audience or one on one, you must know your audience’s needs.
What are they struggling with? What are they hoping for? What concerns do they have about working with you?
When you know the answers to these questions, you can focus on the most valuable aspects of yourself and your services. Be genuinely interested in your customer and their needs at all times!
Connecting with what your audience shouldn’t be hard, because that’s exactly what you should be prepared to offer them! When you make your goal to connect with your audience, the selling follows naturally.
The key to selling is connecting. When your audience feels connected to you as a person, they can trust you as well. You won’t be making any sells without trust.
Know your value, and showcase it
You need to be able to showcase your skills and expertise as well.
Before you offer your value to an audience, you need to be aware and convinced of your value. Make sure you know why you’re worth their time.
Cultivate a clear vision of why you and your business are truly special. When you’re genuinely excited and proud of what you offer, your audience will believe you without you asking them to.
Authenticity and honesty are not sales strategies. They are only one part of the story! Here’s a quick checklist to make sure you’re staying authentic in your sales:
- Know and be excited about yourself;
- Have a purpose greater than selling;
- Know your audience and connect directly with their needs; and
- Know your value and make sure to showcase it.
Learning how to sell with honesty and authenticity will benefit you and your audience. The experience of building your career as a speaker will transform. When you speak and sell from a genuine place, you’re building a life and career that you’ll love.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of MindShift.money.
image credit: Bigstock/PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek
