October 18, 2016
5 Things You Should Be Giving in Sales
BY Caitlin Delohery IN Relationships, Sales 0 Comment
“Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.” — The Go-Giver: A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea, by Bob Burg
There’s been a sea change in sales in the last decade. Instead of focusing on volume of transactions, businesses are focusing on the quality of relationships. And, as in any relationship, sales is a give and take. By focusing more on giving than taking, you can strengthen your team, build community, expand your profits, and increase your personal happiness.
Here are 5 ways you can give in your business — and get a whole lot in return.
Give value.
“Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.” — The Go-Giver
Giving in sales starts with a perspective shift. You want to change the focus from what your customers can do for you — sign up for a membership, buy your product, send you a referral — to what you can do for them. Build your business around providing value for your customers.
- Provide leads and customers with information tailored to their needs.
- Be mindful of where leads are in the sales process and send out segmented resources that will help them just where they are.
- Connect customers with resources that will continue to help them learn, grow, and explore, even after you’ve made the sale.
- Provide articles, eBooks, whitepapers, webinars, and more, all designed to answer the questions and challenges that your leads and customers face.
Give your time.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Gandhi
You don’t need to use your professional skills to make a difference, though. Simply giving your time — and encouraging your team to volunteer, too — can have profound effects on you and your organization.
Of over 4,500 adults who participated in 100 hours of volunteer work per year:
- 68% felt better physically
- 89% were happier
- 73% experienced lowered stress
And the benefits aren’t just personal.
- Employees who volunteer through their workplace are more likely to be proud, loyal, and satisfied employees.
- Volunteering improves employee engagement, which lowers turnover, reduces absenteeism, and improves productivity.
- Giving time together can bolster teamwork and commitment.
- Connecting with the community can raise your organization’s profile and make crucial connections.
So, you’re convinced of the big value, but don’t know where to begin? Here are some ideas:
- Talk with your team about what causes and organizations they’re passionate about.
- Check out websites like VolunteerMatch and Idealist.org, which can help direct you to areas of need in your community.
- Brainstorm ways to help that dovetail with your organization’s mission.
- If you’re a residential cleaning service, you might volunteer to clean up local beaches.
- If you’re a business that sells fire-prevention tools, your team might sign up to be volunteer firefighters together.
Give your attention.
“Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention… Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager.” — Susan Sontag
In the age of smartphones, 24/7 entertainment, and never-ending social media feeds, the world is a distracted place. Your associates are scanning their phones while they’re in meetings, checking their email while they’re on calls with clients, stationed in front of two or three computer monitors just to take in all the info they need. Multitasking has become the mode.
Don’t be average. Put your phone away, turn your screens off, and become a master of single-tasking. By giving your clients, customers, and team your undivided attention, you’ll do more than stand out from the crowd.
Give your talent.
No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of it for another. — Charles Dickens
You’ve worked hard to become an expert in your field. You have unique skills and insight that you can offer to others. Look outside your business for opportunities to donate your talent.
- Are you a master at designing good-looking, functional products? Donate a few consulting hours each month to medical device development at your local VA.
- Do you have event-planning skills? Offer your services to spearhead a fundraiser for a nonprofit whose mission you support.
- Are you a staffing and recruiting guru? Teach a class at a local community center on how to improve job search techniques, resumes, and interview skills.
Start first with what you have to offer and brainstorm where it can be of most benefit. While you’re helping others in your community, you will also organically improve your company’s reputation, connect with potential customers, and boost sales.
Give money.
We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. — Unknown
You can see how giving your skills, time, and attention can boost morale and improve your team. And in the same way, giving money can help you boost your bottom line.
- Charitable giving improves your reputation.
- Donating money often gives you free publicity.
- Your company’s name may be featured in promotional materials or on permanent structures.
- Social media mentions of your donations can grow your network.
- Giving to good causes has a clear tax benefit that can help your bottom line.
- Millennials are attracted to organizations that are committed to good. Putting your money where your mouth is can help you land new talent to grow your team and attract loyal, young customers, too.
- Customers show a preference for organizations that give back. In fact, 55% of customers are willing to pay more for a product or service from a company that’s committed to social good.
Here at karmaCRM, we working to bring more kindness into the sales process. Check out our blog on how we’re committed to giving back.
