On a road trip, you want to arrive safely and as soon as possible. Hopefully, you beat the GPS arrival time (such a satisfying accomplishment). On the trip, you rely on real-time updates from your favorite app: where you are, the next turn, traffic conditions, and even what’s ahead. This awareness brings comfort. You know what’s coming.
Now, imagine the same trip with a slight twist. Instead of seeing what’s ahead, you’re given only verbal directions … one at a time. At each interchange, you think, “Do I go north or south?” Finally, you’re told to “Go south!” You dart across three lanes and just make it. You see brake lights and wonder, “Should I detour the traffic or stay the course?”
Then you’re in the middle of nowhere and you lose your signal. You can’t plan the next bathroom stop because you don’t know what’s ahead. For the next 30 miles, you hope for a Flying J, Love’s or Buc-ee’s (Oh, what you would give for a Buc-ee’s). What a miserable road trip this would be!
It’s unsettling to drive with no end in sight. Your guidance is a series of prompts with no clarity about the destination — just the next turn.
Most of us wouldn’t approach a road trip this way. Yet, this is how many sellers approach the sales process. They rely on tips, tricks and talking points without underlying principles. They’re focused on the route, not the reason. Selling becomes mechanical rather than meaningful.
What if you could rely on instinct rather than instruction — having the innate ability to read the customer and anticipate their needs? Imagine your thoughts flowing seamlessly into the very words the customer wants to hear, offering the reassurance they need to choose you as their partner. There is no script to make this a reality. This kind of guidance comes from something deeper than a rigid process; it comes from the inner confidence of simply knowing what to do. That is the kind of seller I aspire to be.
To reach this level, you need a process — a process rooted in principles that authentically shape how sellers think, feel and act. These principles act as guardrails, guiding us even when the signal is lost. They point to true north and keep sellers aligned in any situation. Consider re-rooting your sales process in three enduring Value-Added Selling principles.
Empathy is the root of excellence. Success in sales (and life) begins when you step outside yourself and view the world through another person’s eyes. Empathy lets you ride shotgun with the customer — thinking like they think and feeling what they feel.
It’s not easy. Sellers face pressure to prospect, close and hit targets. Sellers often put themselves at the center of the customer experience. Consistently viewing the world through the customer’s eyes further clarifies their needs, wants and desires. From that vantage point, you then align your capabilities with their definition of value.
Empathy enables you to identify overlooked challenges and capture unrecognized opportunities. Without it, your perspective is as narrow as a script you’re told to follow. With an empathetic mindset, you’re only limited by the edge of your imagination.
Progress is achieved through humility. Humility is a reminder that you don’t have all the answers. Humility helps you recognize there is always a way to improve and grow. If you believe you’re already the best, how could you get better?
A prideful seller lives at the “peak,” but the fall to humility is always steep. Embracing humility allows you to grow, learn and stay grounded. As C.S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” With a humble heart and an empathetic mind, you can immerse yourself in the customer’s world and create more value.
Attitude drives behavior. You behave as you believe. If you want to predict your future, track your inner dialogue. Tell me your thoughts, I’ll tell you the future. Great salespeople embrace the right attitude, which is a balance of confidence and humility. They believe in their ability to succeed, but acknowledge their success depends on helping customers succeed first.
Along your sales journey, ask yourself, “Are you rooted in principles or just following process?” If you’re merely waiting for direction, you risk getting lost. But with an internal compass of empathy, humility and the right attitude, you can be placed anywhere, anytime and still find your way forward. Our world is in a constant state of change. Processes and tactics evolve, but principles endure. In an ever-changing world, you need everlasting principles.
Paul Reilly is a speaker, sales trainer, author of Selling Through Tough Times (McGraw-Hill, 2021), co-author of Value-Added Selling, fourth edition (McGraw-Hill, 2018). For additional information on Paul’s keynote presentations and seminars, call 636-778-0175 or email [email protected]. Visit www.TomReillyTraining.com and sign up for the free newsletter.
