One of the things you may have noticed about people who have a particular expertise, and who are passionate about wanting to make a difference to others, is that there’s one aspect of business they’re often really uncomfortable with…

And that’s Selling.

It means missed opportunities, lost sales, giving away services and products at way below what the market is genuinely willing to pay, lost revenue, lost profits and a cycle of ever dwindling confidence.  People either struggle on and land themselves with MASSIVE debt, or they give up and get a less interesting (but more financially reliable) job.

When that happens it’s not just the business owner who loses out.  The world of entrepreneurs loses another soul.  More damaging than that, the community of clients and prospects who were looking for just that sort of expertise lose another option, another avenue, another choice.

It’s why the art of selling is so important.

It’s why the ABILITY to sell is essential.

How you go about selling?  Well, that’s a fascinating topic and it’s being given thought by some of the most entrepreneurial, creative and innovative thinkers on the planet right now.  In fact, they’ve been giving it thought for some time.

The modern traditional mantra around selling has been “Close the Deal”.

It’s typically associated with a “hard sell” approach.

You may have come across situations such as:

• the salesperson on the road pressing the next client on his list for an instant order (any order)
• the double glazing/insurance/finance/building guy who says you can have the BIG discount (but only if you sign up today)
• The web page offering a product or service (but numbers are limited and there’s a time deadline after which the offer ends)
• The seminar or workshop where speakers give some valuable information, tips and advice and then try to sell you their latest, more expensive programme (and the first 50 people to part with their money at the back of the room are offered an EXTRA bundle of bonuses as extra incentive to buy)
• The telephone sales person who sticks to a script and won’t let you say “No” (or becomes rude if you say you’re not interested)

And it is this kind of approach that makes so many coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers and authors scared or a little fearful of selling.  It can feel a bit “tacky” and certainly not congruent with the approach they use with their service or offer with their product.

Another Way Of Thinking

This, of course, is only ONE approach.  One way of thinking.

Does selling always have to be this way?  The answer is No…

And it’s a theme being explored in a new book, “Never Be Closing: How To Sell Better Without Screwing Your Clients, Your Colleagues, or Yourself”.

It’s co-written by Tim Hurson and Tim Dunne, who suggest that spending less time on trying to close, and more time helping people solve problems and seize opportunities, could result in MORE business for you.

The book expands on the themes in Tim Hurson’s book “Think Better” (which offers a structured approach for allowing new thinking to transform the work of individuals and to operate successfully within teams and organisations).  Tim is the real deal.  He  has worked with Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 organisations in the US, Canada and the UK on innovation, marketing, new product, and workplace transformation programmes.  Through the ThinkX company, workshops and speaking, he shares his knowledge and expertise in productive thinking and creative leadership to help businesses achieve high levels of success.

Co-author Tim Dunne is also an expert in the field of thinking.  His passion is breakthrough learning that encourages behavioural change in individuals that deliver successful results.  His high-impact consulting work has been used by corporations such as Astra-Zeneca, Deutsche-Bank Berkshire Mortgage, Brown-Forman/Southern Comfort, Brand Advocate, Business Objects, Cartier, De Agostini and Editions Atlas, the University of Greenwich Business School and the World Bank-CGAP.

Tim leads at workshops and conferences in South Africa, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. He co-developed The Stakeholders, an in-depth workshop that expands self-awareness and moves people to creative action.

If you feel uncomfortable with some of the selling techniques you’ve witnessed elsewhere, this book will give you the structure for a different approach.

If you’re in a corporate and curious about how a shift in your approach to selling could deliver even better business results, this book will show you a new strategy to follow and explore.

The Stranger’s Dilemma

It introduces the concept of the stranger’s dilemma.  As a stranger to someone, it’s difficult to demonstrate instant credibility and this can lead sales people to believe that the only approach is to sell and sell hard, even if that means the customer ends up buying something they don’t really want or need.

The book is NOT a catalogue of sales techniques to grab money out of clients’ pockets.  Instead, it’s a comprehensive strategy that starts with a well-researched process for identifying and solving problems. It shows you how to access your creativity to establish and maintain relationships that will be truly useful for both you and your clients over time. In a highly practical manner, this book will show you how to become less of a stranger.

“Never Be Closing” is available through the usual outlets.  However, if you order this book through its dedicated online site by 5th August 2014 you can also help yourself to TWO free e-books

The eBooks are GUST (a problem solving template we use with our innovation clients) and SPEAK TO BE HEARD (a quick guide to understanding thinking preferences and communication styles in sales, and other, situations).

Just so we’re clear.  There’s no catch and no commission for me if you buy the book this way (I’m recommending the book as I like Tim Hurson’s work and already have “Think Better” on my bookshelf).

The bonus e-books are just a thank you gift from Tim and Tim for buying early.

So, Order your copy today (AND get your TWO free bonus e-books if you order by 5th August).

Enjoy the read.