Two scenes from last week:

One: I was doing a Selling Boldly speech for an audience of executives in Indianapolis, getting ready to call one of the member’s customers live, in the room, to demonstrate how to obtain testimonials and for the customer to glow about the member. I asked the member how he was feeling. He said he was really nervous. He looked terrified. I asked what he was afraid of. He said, honestly, that he didn’t want to lose the customer.

There was no chance of this. The customer was incredibly pleased and talked about what he loved about this provider, the member, at length on speaker phone, for the whole audience to hear. It was all about the relationship, transparency, trust, and incredible value. The member was thrilled, but he was far more uncomfortable than the customer with this conversation.

Two: As part of revenue growth project for a client, I was doing a launch workshop in the middle of Wisconsin (I drove a lot last week). Here, we show your people how good they are, and then teach them how to behave accordingly, which means boldly. At the workshop, I played recordings of customer interviews I did in the weeks leading up to the session. The customers glowed. But more than one person had trouble accepting this positivity.

One woman raised her hand and said: “I’m dubious because they are never this positive when we talk to them.”

Me: “That’s because customers only call when there is a problem or urgent matter. When there is not, they do not call.”

Her: “Why did he tell you all these nice things.”

Me: “Because I asked.”

Her: “But why didn’t you ask about the problems.”

Me: “You don’t need me for that. When there is a problem, they call.

You know exactly what the problems are, but you do not know what they like and appreciate and value. They don’t communicate that proactively.”

Lessons:

Your customers speak more positively about you than you speak about yourself.

Therefore, your customers sell you better than you sell yourself.

Further, there’s a good chance you are more comfortable with feedback about what can be improved (because you hear this all the time) than feedback about what you do well, and what your customers value.

Customers are happy to tell us what they value and appreciate about working with us, but we do not ask.

We do not ask because of fear. Fear of upsetting the customer. Fear of taking their time. Fear of losing the customer.

It is this same fear that keeps us from picking up the phone instead of emailing. It is this fear that keeps us from asking for the business.

How do we overcome this fear?

Marinate in the positivity of your happy customers. Ask them what they like best about working with you. It will make you more positive, more optimistic, more grateful, more confident, and more bold.

And when you are this way, you will always sell better.

My new WSJ Bestseller, Selling Boldly, is all about how to become more positive, optimistic, grateful and happy, so that you can immediately sell more. Buy it here.

To grow your sales by 10-20% annually, which is what my clients average (some add 30% or more!), call me directly at 847-459-6322.