Sales Superstars don’t need to be liked. This isn’t to say that they want to be disliked. It simply means they are not phased by an upset prospect. Sales is not about making friends, it’s about making money. Being likable is an advantage, needing to be liked is a major problem.
Sales people with need for approval usually have difficulty asking tough questions. They don’t want to upset the prospect with questions they might be upset about. A need for approval will often cause fear of rejection and confrontation avoidance. Sales people need to be tough so they can’t be preoccupied with fears of getting a “no” or being perceived as likable.
Be aware of what you are driving for on a sales call. Have your eye on closing the deal, not having a good time with your prospect. Going for the deal typically entails asking at least a couple uncomfortable questions because we fear that it will offend our prospect or make him hostile towards us. Ask anyway. It doesn’t matter. Remember, the deal closes when we solve the problem most effectively, not when the prospect likes us the most. Find out how to solve the problem, not make friends.
Not having a need for approval lets us ask the tough questions and confront prospects on the hard topics. Sales people who need their prospects to like them often make likeability a priority over getting the business. They have a large contact list and no money to show for it. Be likable but don’t NEED to be liked, go for the business.
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