For decades now, sales trainers have all been teaching methods of getting sales…

methods that rely primarily on being ‘pushy’ and learning scripts on how to overcome objections. This approach has been used for decades to teach how to ‘control’ a conversation.

And for many people, this idea of ‘controlling a conversation’ means ‘controlling another person,” which produces feelings of anxiety, and decreases the likelihood of the person achieving success in making the sale. This same approach has been described over and over by salespeople – and potential customers – as ‘inauthentic,’ ‘pushy,’, and ‘spammy.’

It has also often been noted that ‘being pushy’ is one of the greatest fears of those in the sales industry because it requires most in the industry to:

-- go against their natural way of building relationships.
-- be out of alignment with what they have been taught about treating people the way they want to be treated.
--learn skills to help them be successful in risky and uncomfortable situations.

No one enjoys feeling defeated and rejected over and over.  And that is why so many people quit companies after being trained in these “spammy” sales tactics. Now that’s a problem!

Here's the solution: Tap into your authentic passion to increase your credibility with your prospects.

Be Authentic Instead of Aggressive

Passion grows within us as a result of our experiences of living through personal triumphs and tragedies. It is our authentic passion that adds integrity and credibility to our words and actions.

Authentic passion is the emotionally compelling aspect, which must be present in our interactions with our prospects if we want them to feel how much we care about them…and feel sure that our products and services can help solve their problems.

Salespeople in many ways are motivational speakers – whether talking one-to-one with a prospect or to a group of decision-makers.  To be effective in sales, we must learn to communicate with passion.

How to Identify Your Authentic Passion...

If you are not sure what is your ‘authentic passion,’ you can start to identify it through these questions…

1. What are all the problems and challenges you have had in your life? Make a list of them. To make it easier for you, list the problems or challenges you have had under these headings:

*Growing a business
*Looking more attractive
*Becoming healthier or more fit
*Becoming financially prosperous
*Being popular
*Improving the quality of your life

2. Which of the problems and challenges you listed above do you no longer have?
Make a 2nd list of those challenges that you have conquered. This 2nd list is considered your area of expertise and credibility now.

Congratulations! This is your area of ‘authentic passion.’

3. When you were going through each of the problems and challenges, what advice or help did you wish someone would have given to you? Add your answers next to each problem or challenge on your 2nd list.

4. Also on the 2nd list, write what lesson you learned or what commitment you made to yourself as a result of overcoming each of those problems and challenges.

5.  If you met someone today and they are now going through the same problems or challenges you overcame – what advice or help would you give them to help solve that problem?

6.  If you had access to the product or service you sell now, how would it have helped you (or how does it help you) to overcome your problems and challenges?

In other words, how are your products or services in alignment with your core values in these categories?

Again, congratulations!  You now have an emotionally compelling reason why you sell that product or service.

This means you are in alignment with what you are selling! And you have an emotionally satisfying, authentic personal story to share with others who have the same problem or challenge now.

Actually, you now have more than a story.

You have a Purpose…a Mission…a Satisfying Reason for why you sell that product or service. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY…YOU ARE NO LONGER A SALES REP!

You Are Now an Authority or an Activist!

You are now someone who understands the pain of others because you have been there…and you moved past that pain. That makes you a credible authority in this arena…someone others can look to for tips and advice.

By matching what you sell to your authentic passion based on your personal experience, your connection with your prospective audience will be built on a solid foundation of authenticity and credibility.