SERVANT SELLING INTRODUCTION No one likes to be sold. Everyone likes to be served. So, Stop Selling...Start Serving. The SERVANT Selling system will show you how. The word, SERVANT in the SERVANT Selling system has a double meaning. 1. The word SERVANT conveys a distinct perspective or philosophy of sales. It challenges us to think differently about how we approach everything we do in sales. 2. The word SERVANT is an acronym with each of the seven letters representing one of the seven principles of selling. Together, these seven principles provide a comprehensive selling system. Great Salespeople Serve One of the most influential people in the history of mankind, Jesus Christ, once said, Whoever wants to be great among you must become a servant. This perspective, however, flies in the face of how most people tend to live their lives. Most people don't want to serve. They would much prefer to be served. So we must ask the question: Is it possible that Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. these ancient words still apply today? For example, can we say with confidence that whoever wants to be a great employer must Great Salespeople Serve 1
become a servant? Can we say that whoever wants to be a great employee must become a servant? How about, whoever wants to be a great mom or dad must become a servant? And here's a really tough question, can we say that whoever wants to be a great salesperson must become a servant? I believe the answer to these questions is a resounding, YES! These ancient words absolutely apply today. Indeed, these ancient words are as powerful and as relevant today as they were over two thousand years ago. If you want to be great, if you want to be successful, learn to become a SERVANT. This belief is the foundation of the SERVANT Selling system. It is also exemplified by many of the great men and women throughout history George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, William Wilberforce, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandella, Clara Barton, Winston Churchill and many others. For example, Abraham Lincoln has often been referred to as a Servant of the People. Lincoln exemplified the heart of a servant throughout his life. He maintained his role as a servant throughout the various positions to which he would be elected. As president of the United States, Lincoln often concluded his letter with the phrases, Your friend and servant, Your obedient servant, and Your humble servant. Lincoln is honored today as one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history. Lincoln led the nation as a humble servant. His efforts to serve the nation and free the slaves would ultimately cost him his life. At the age of 56, Lincoln was 2 Chapter 1 SERVANT Selling
assassinated. To lay down one s life is the ultimate act of service. As Lincoln so wonderfully demonstrates, the person who chooses to serve is often the person who makes the most dramatic impact on others and even on history. In the profession of sales, the person who chooses to serve the needs of the customer has a distinct advantage over the person who chooses to serve only himself. Servants listen. Servants pay attention. Servants do every task with equal dedication. Servants are faithful and they are trustworthy. Who wouldn't want to do business with a true servant? The Servant Heart Now, let me be clear, I fully understand that the profession of sales is ultimately about selling something. I get that. Highly effective salespeople use their time wisely. They don t continue to pursue business relationships with people who don t represent legitimate business opportunities. They prioritize their time and their energy in order to maximize results. However, the truth is that they can't always know which situations represent opportunity and which ones don't. So, the SERVANT enters into each potential selling situation with a SERVANT's heart. The Servant Heart 3
The SERVANT has an authentic desire to serve. The SERVANT is all in. The SERVANT is focused on serving the needs of the person sitting in front of him. If and when it becomes apparent that there is no selling opportunity, the SERVANT makes the decision not to continue to pursue the business relationship. However, in the meantime, the SERVANT has served and a life has been touched. Thousands of books have been written on leadership, but few on servanthood. Everyone wants to lead; no one wants to be a servant. We would rather be generals than privates. Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Life 4 Chapter 1 SERVANT Selling
SERVANT Selling: Seven Principles of Selling As I mentioned, the word SERVANT is also an acronym. The letters represent Seven Principles of SERVANT Selling. These habits or principles must be understood and mastered in order to achieve maximum success in selling. The word SERVANT is easy to remember. This enables the salesperson to recall each of the seven principles very easily. Those seven principles are: SERVANT Selling: Seven Principles of Selling 5
The Foundation of each of these Key Principles is Good Character. Benjamin Franklin found great success in business, science, and government. He was said to have more friends than any man of his century. All this, he believed, was due to his lifelong efforts to become more virtuous. He believed that those who will work each day to practice virtue are sure to be both happy and successful in life. Building Character Builds a Happy Life In today s business world the evidence of the need for character abounds. Exaggeration, manipulation, and even outright lying are all too common in sales. SERVANT Selling is different. SERVANT Selling is Character-based. SERVANT Selling applies the wisdom of people like Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin and Jesus Christ specifically to the noble profession of selling. SERVANT Selling utilizes several Character is Success character qualities, as defined by Character First (www.characterfirst.com), as the foundation for each of the Seven Principles of Selling. This explicit emphasis on character provides a solid foundation for true success in selling and in life. A Character Foundation So exactly what does an emphasis on good character accomplish in the area of sales? It accomplishes much. 6 Chapter 1 SERVANT Selling
1. Strong character develops a moral compass to guide all behavior. Outside sales people are, well outside; they are away from the office and out in the business community. Character is defined as how you act when no one is looking. So when a person of good character is representing a company out in the business community, his behavior will be consistently good. His behavior will follow his character. 2. Good character creates a positive, joyful attitude. Serving others is a more profitable way to live than being served. A person who is other-centered rather than self-centered will experience more joy in life. This positive, joyful attitude will show through. Consequently, the person of good character will be more effective in dealing positively with others, including prospects, customers, and fellow employees. 3. Good character influences others for Character good and builds lasting relationships. A person of good character is sought out Creates Lift by others. People talk about a person of good character positively. Word gets out. Others are challenged and encouraged to raise the bar on their own conduct and speech. A viral effect results which creates lift. 4. Good character provides a basis for future leadership and management. Many company presidents and CEO's began their career in sales. Most companies place a high value on people of good character. These people become strong candidates for increased responsibility within their companies. A Character Foundation 7
5. Good character builds a foundation for success in ALL areas of life. As sales people focus on improving their character related to business, they will see this spill over into their personal lives as well. Family and friends are impacted. People of good character become leaders in their communities, recognized for their good judgment and character. In summary, SERVANT selling is more than a set of seven selling principles. It is a system for selling that is based firmly on good character. I believe that the implementation of these principles and the foundational character qualities will assist you in your efforts at selling but in so many other ways as well. With a foundation of strong character you can build a successful career and a successful life. Four Key Success Factors In order to achieve True Success in life it is important to recognize FOUR KEY SUCCESS FACTORS: Character, Purpose, Knowledge and Skill. 8 Chapter 1 SERVANT Selling
Let s take a look at these four factors. We ll be using them throughout this book: CHARACTER: As was mentioned, you will find that specific character qualities provide the foundation for each of the Seven Principles of Selling. PURPOSE: The second factor that will be covered in each of the Seven Principles is Purpose. Purpose drives behavior. If there is no Purpose or Passion, the behavior that follows will be mediocre at best. Once the foundation of Character has been laid, it is important to address the question of Purpose: What is your purpose in mastering this selling principle? Why is it important? How will this principle help you to accomplish your goals in life? KNOWLEDGE: Each of the Seven Principles involves specific knowledge about that principle. You must acquire that knowledge in order to grasp each of the principles. You will find that much of the knowledge in this book is borrowed from other authors and resources. This is important because this information is based on solid research rather than on anecdotal evidence. In other words, the knowledge base that is established for each of the Seven Principle is well documented and not merely someone's opinion. You can be confident in the knowledge that you are learning because it is well researched and well documented. SKILL: Knowledge alone, however, does not an effective salesperson make. Knowledge must be transformed into Skill. Skill comes as a result of practice, coaching, and trial and error. For example, you can learn about the four Behavioral Styles in the ENGAGE section. You can even memorize how to effectively Four Key Success Factors 9
sell to each of the four behavioral styles. However, this knowledge will not increase your effectiveness as a salesperson one iota unless you can put that knowledge to use by transforming it into SKILL. Once you are able to actually identify a person's behavioral style and adapt your behavior to the other person's style, then, and only then, will your success be impacted. SERVANT Selling Takes Discipline I must warn you, however, that simply reading this book cover to cover most likely won't increase your sales by a plug nickel. You must discipline yourself to go back after reading it and work through the entire selling system step by step. You will need to commit the seven principles and some of the details to memory. They must become second nature if they are to be effectively implemented. Achieving True Success Requires Discipline Benjamin Franklin had this type of commitment. He spent seven days every week concentrating on one specific character trait. At the end of each day he would actually sit down and evaluate how well he had demonstrated that particular character quality on that particular day. He kept these notes in a journal. At the end of each week, he would move on to the next character trait on his list of twelve. He continued this pattern for twelve weeks, working through twelve essential character qualities. At the end of the twelve weeks, he started over again. 10 Chapter 1 SERVANT Selling
This continued for a considerable period of time, namely, a lifetime. I'm certainly not brash enough to suggest that the seven principles in the SERVANT Selling system will have the same impact on your career and life that Mr. Franklin's twelve character qualities had on his. I do believe, however, that the implementation of these principles or habits certainly will help you to become a more faithful steward of this thing called life, which in your case happens to involve selling for a living. If, and only if, you give it your all as Mr. Franklin did. Find Partners to Help You One more caution before we Accountability is Critical continue. Let s say you actually read the whole book and you actually go back and work on implementing each of the seven principles. One more thing is necessary. If you come to believe, as I do, that these seven habits have the potential to positively impact your sales career and your life, you will need to find a partner or two who are also committed to growth. You will need to sit down with these partners and lay out a plan for how you are going to hold each other accountable for the implementation of SERVANT Selling. Everyone Needs Encouragement along the way Four Key Success Factors 11
That plan might include a weekly meeting, perhaps over breakfast, where you will ask each other tough questions and agree to answer them honestly. This is necessary (not optional) because learning anything new takes hard work. A recent experiment demonstrates the power of accountability and encouragement. Subjects were asked to stick their hand into a bucket of ice water and to leave it there as long as they could tolerate the pain. The average length was around one minute. Next, a friend was invited into the room and asked to encourage the subject as they put their other hand into the same bucket of ice water. The average length of time nearly doubled. You may be a disciplined person and on your own you may achieve a 6 or 7 on a scale of 0 to 10 in maximizing your growth. With a little help from your friends, however, you may move up to an 8 or 9, maybe even occasionally a 10. What kind of additional impact would that increase make on your sales career and on your life? The choice is yours. You will need encouragement along the way. With that in mind, let's get started with the First Principle of SERVANT Selling: Search for Qualified Prospects. 12 Chapter 1 SERVANT Selling