We welcome Sue back for another fantastic interview. She is an entrepreneur, system thinker, sustainable business growth strategist, designer of human-centered sales practices, sales educator, and advocate for women in sales. Today we are going to talk about, Selling Like a Woman. Sue is the CEO of Barrett the Selling Better Movement and Sell Like a Woman and organizer of the March for justice and Voices of Goldstein and Zoe Daniels, campaign manager for the federal seat of Goldstein in 2022.
The traditional sales industry has long been dominated by men, and with that comes the stereotype that sales is a man’s career. However, the author believes that this is far from the truth and has chosen the title “Sell Like a Woman” to challenge this notion.
The Key to Successful Sales
Despite a growing body of research showing that good sales is about collaboration, problem solving and stakeholder management, these skills are often undervalued and seen as a novelty in the sales profession. The author argues that the key to successful sales is understanding the other person and finding common ground, which is the basis for building trust and forming a viable partnership.
The Importance of Empathy and Trustworthiness
Sales is about finding out what’s important to the other person and helping them achieve their goals. By doing so, a salesperson can establish a healthy, prosperous and trustworthy relationship, whether in a business or personal context. The key to successful sales is trustworthiness, which involves authenticity, empathy, and logic. To build trust, it is important to understand the client’s perspective, be able to read the room and calibrate communication, and approach sales as a collaboration rather than a competition.
The Benefits of a Human-Centered Sales Culture
Women tend to perform better in sales due to their tendency to approach sales as a collaboration, using consolidated problem-solving skills, and aligning customer and supplier objectives for better outcomes for both parties. According to Forbes, 74% of clients are more likely to buy if they feel heard, understood, and can work with the supplier.
The Role of Sales Leadership
Sales leadership is crucial for creating a successful sales culture, as leaders set the tone for the entire team. A human-centered sales culture needs to be instilled from the top, with leaders demonstrating the importance of understanding, engaging with, and listening to clients and prospects. This approach should be incorporated across the entire business, not just within the sales team.
Diversity and inclusion in sales leadership bring many benefits to organizations, such as better sales performance, collaboration, employee satisfaction, and organizational citizenship. The focus should be on human-centered approaches that prioritize relationships and well-being over profit maximization. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on psychological safety and the importance of having a morally responsible sales approach. The 2023 sales trends report, “Humans at the Center,” sounds interesting, and provides an opportunity for salespeople to learn and improve their skills.
Our Host
John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.
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