Vulnerability = Strength

Vulnerability = Strength
Strength = Vulnerability

Most everyone agrees that listening to your prospect is the best path to a sale. But many people that I observe on a daily basis practice the “show up & throw up” technique of selling; they think their job is to verbally download every last feature and benefit of their product, and hope while they are talking (i.e. not listening), something they say will click and the prospect will say YES!

This NEVER works… Ever! So how does the salesperson get in the listening mode? I believe that one of the best ways to do this is, to let your very important ego, take a back seat for the moment and get vulnerable. Let the prospect know you don’t know everything; you are not sure your product will match his needs, but you would like to find out! Then you ASK (not tell) a series of questions.

Get vulnerable. Get curious. Be sincerely interested! Don’t act like you are interested when the prospect can see through your eyes that you are not even listening to the answer, and are just waiting for them to finish, so you can say the next thing.

Vulnerability is not easy. It’s not easy because we are taught to be confident; to instill confidence in others and to have expert product knowledge. But what I firmly believe, is you can have all of that confidence, and still need information from your prospect. You can’t expect to know everything about everyone. It’s impossible, so by asking the right smart questions, you will show more strength and self-confidence than if you blow through the 47 reasons why you think they would be the perfect fit for your product.

At the risk of getting bombarded with tweets and emails, I’ve seen that it is much easier for women to employ this process than men. I think men have a very hard time being vulnerable and offering up to the prospect that they don’t have all the answers.

Whether male of female, the salesperson who gets vulnerable, puts their ego in check, and asks a bunch of appropriate questions, is the stronger salesperson. They will definitely have the stronger results!

For a list of “must ask” questions for prospects who call in for space in your shopping center, CLICK HERE.

P.S. I am really into podcasts lately. A few of my faves are:

• The Moment with Brian Koppelman
• The Art of Charm
• Tony Robbins

Send me your faves!