I made my biggest sale of the year. It’s my biggest sale ever.
Upon reflecting on it, I found four major principles that contributed to changing my business and life at the same time.
I made the sale because I had become a different person. I have been on a transformational journey for the past four years.
I signed up a new client for my one-year coaching agreement. My dream type of client.
I charge a two-digit fee. It was a new fee I made up during my latest flight!
My granddad said, “You need a strong force to move money from someone’s pocket to your pocket.”
While it’s true that we need a compelling reason for people to invest, there is more to the equation.
This equation is more complex for coaches and consultants. Because sometimes, we are not selling a tangible product. We sell the invisible, or we are making the invisible visible.
We don’t make income; we earn the right to it.
It wasn’t my first sale ever. I’ve made countless sales before on my path to growing my business. But this one was special.
It wasn’t a coincidence, and I didn’t get lucky. It was three years in the making.
During my journey to reaching this milestone, I’ve learned a few principles, and I will share my top four in this article.
#1 Sell It to Yourself First
“You can get anything if you don’t talk yourself out of it”- Steve Chandler
The first sale you are required to make is to yourself!
In other words, before talking to other people, find the barriers within you that could stop you from making a sale.
These barriers are either negative self-beliefs or skills gaps. Both are manageable and solvable.
I focused on service instead of sales. I worked on becoming good at what I do. There are no shortcuts. I looked at the best ways to add value to someone else’s life and business.
Become so good that you won’t be ignored, and then believe it.
Believing in yourself is more important than becoming good at what you do. Because, most likely, you have something valuable to offer to others, and the lack of confidence stops you from sharing your greatness.
It would be best if you trusted your value; otherwise, no one else would see it. People will sense the lack of trust in your voice and how you carry yourself.
You make a difference by being yourself. Own your greatness; believe it with every fiber of your being.
#2 Relationships
“Be genuinely interested in everyone you meet, and everyone you meet will be genuinely interested in you” — Rasheed Ogunlaru
A hedge fund manager isn’t in the financial services business; he is in the relationships-building business.
A real estate agent isn’t in the real estate business; he is in the relationship-building business.
A make-up artist isn’t in the make-up business; she is in the relationship-building business.
Most business owners have their attention on their expertise and forget about people.
You can be the most qualified doctor in town. However, if you don’t build strong, loving relationships based on trust and openness. You won’t retain customers, and your business won’t grow.
I focused on my relationships with potential clients. I became interested in them and more loving. I worked on nurturing our professional relationship.
I don’t do sales calls; I schedule calls to grow the relationships and serve.
#3 Leadership
“A leader is a dealer in hope”.— Napoleon Bonaparte
Not everyone is good at being decisive.
It’s hard to decide whether to invest or buy a new item. It’s even more complicated when the amount is relatively high.
Do you remember the last time you made a substantial purchase? Or when was the last time you made a tough decision?
It’s not a straightforward process and doesn’t come naturally to most humans.
Your job is to lead people to make a decision. Lead people and not trick people.
Lead people to trust you, trust themselves and trust your products and services.
People are often in a state of fear and doubt. You are here to embody the opposite and show what’s possible for them.
Leadership is about guiding people to see their best.
#4 Investing in thy self
“Successful people don’t earn more, then invest. They invest so they can earn more.” — Erin Hatzikostas
Micheal Jordan and Kobe Bryan had two things in common. They are both Basketball legends and had the same personal coach, Tim Grover.
Micheal Jordan allowed Tim Grover to coach Kobe only after he retired from the sport.
No one has a budget to invest in themselves in unconventional ways, but successful people do.
Alex Hermozi calls it “the S&Me 500”. He argues that the money he invested in himself brought a higher return than investing the same amount in the S&P 500 index.
I consider myself the total sum of the time, money, and energy I have invested in myself.
I’ve hired coaches, and I learned something from all of them. I’ve spent long hours reading and studying.
It doesn’t mean you will get answers, but you will see possibilities. You should think for yourself after collecting information.
I can’t entirely agree with everything that my coaches said to me. However, I adapted their ideas to what I wanted and how I did things.
When you invest in yourself, you might not see immediate results, but in the long term, these initiative compound and lead you to a better future self. I guarantee it
The journey is more important than the destination. Never forget to find ways to enjoy the path you decide to take.