There’s something magical about someone saying yes to something that will change their life. I’ve done thousands of calls over the years, yet I still get this deep feeling of love and connection whenever I hear that “yes”.
Last week I was blessed to get 3 “yeses” in one day.
It might sound corny, but it really filled my heart with joy. I never take it for granted and I feel very fortunate that I get to do work I love each day.
As I was out walking later, I reflected on what made the difference and it boiled down to six words.
Just six.
They are:
Would you like to go ahead?
So simple – yet it’s surprising how many people miss out this crucial part of the process. They fear it’s being pushy or salesy, yet the opposite is true.
Imagine going to see a doctor who tells you something is wrong, and what’s needed to heal it. But they don’t give you the next step – which could be to see a consultant, take medication, have further tests. You’d be left confused, not knowing what to do – and probably go elsewhere to get the help you need.
It’s the same for your clients if you don’t guide them through the whole process, supporting them every step of the way. Your client is left floundering not sure what to do. They either go elsewhere or do nothing – and neither serves them in the way working with you would.
When it comes to selling transformation, I believe the sales process is sacred. It’s no accident my book is called Sacred Selling.
When someone enquires about working with you, or they say yes to a free call – there’s an opening.
An opening for more, an opening for possibility an opening for transformation.
It’s fragile – saying yes to our dreams, is scary. We know there’s going to be mountains to climb on the journey and we know we’re going to want to bail out.
However much of this is unconscious. Our conscious brain isn’t aware of any fear – our conscious brain really believes there are valid reasons that prevent us from moving forward. Whatever they are, whether it’s time, money or family commitments.
When you’re facilitating transformation, you become an anchor for your clients.
You hold them steady as they flail about. And nowhere is this more important than in the sales process itself.
If you have doubts “can I do this, am I up for it” clients feel it. So it’s very important you’re 100% behind your offering – that it’s aligned in every respect (if you’d like some help with this do let me know as it’s one of my superpowers).
When you don’t ask “would you like to go ahead?” your client is left in no-man’s land. They go away feeling unsure. And what they crave is certainty. They’re looking to you to provide it. When you don’t, they start to question and doubt, wondering whether you’re the right person to help them. It invariably leads to a no.
By asking someone if they’d like to go ahead, you’re supporting them on their transformational journey.
When they say yes, you can begin the onboarding process.
Alternatively, they may have some questions, or concerns which you can address there and then. If you don’t answer these at this point – they invariably become a reason not to buy.
Once you’ve answered all their questions, simply repeat “would you like to go ahead?”
Or you can vary the words. For example:
- Would you like to get started?
- Are you ready to dive right in?
- Shall we get the ball rolling?
They may want a few days to mull things over.
I always let them do this but schedule a follow-up meeting a few days later. Again, this supports them. I usually say “you’re bound to have some more questions and I’ll be able to answer them when we speak”.
If you present a proposal as part of the sales process, at the end of that presentation, after you’ve answered their questions, ask them whether they’d like to go ahead.
Six simple words that can shift everything.
I hope they are helpful.
Much love,
Melina
PS: In Chapter 5 of my book, I go through the whole sales process in detail. You can order a signed copy here:
