Speaker 1: 0:00

The Surviving Outside Sales Podcast, hosted by Mike O'Kelley, presented by Sales Builder Academy, the goal is to survive and thrive all phases of outside sales, whether you're getting in, dominating or getting out. Surviving Outside Sales now on with the show. Welcome to the Surviving Outside Sales Podcast. I'm your host, mike O'Kelley, still in Q4, and I'm going to be hammering this home for the rest of the quarter. I'm going to be like a dog on a soup bone, because it's really important. It really is important. It's setting yourself up for a strong start to 2025. It's also going to set you up with your company, with your employer, with your bosses, that you are a person that can get the job done and you're a person that knows how to handle the pressure and stress, because your competition is out there working just as hard to try to close those deals. And really, when it comes down to it, I want you to think about this. Keeping it very simple is you are an agent of change. All right, if you're in sales, you are an agent of change. Whoever you're talking to, whoever you're trying to influence, what you're trying to do is get them to do something they've never done before, or you're trying to get them to change their habits, change their thoughts, change their processes and systems by utilizing your product or service. You're an agent of change, and so think through the lens of being an agent of change. Somebody comes to you, they have a problem, and you're the person that's going to solve that by having them do something different than they've done before. It really is as simple as that. It doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be easy to get them to change, convince them to change and to have them pull through, but it really is as easy as that. I'm sorry, it's really as simple as that. You're an agent of change.

Speaker 1: 2:02

So whether you are cold calling a prospect, whether you have a lead that's inbound, it doesn't matter. You are there to change something, and in order to do so, you've got to grab their attention, and one of the ways to grab their attention is to either frame something that's never been framed before or it hasn't been framed that way before. Get them to start talking in a way that they probably have never talked to other sales people before, or get them to start asking you questions and move them with thought-provoking statements, facts, questions, scenarios, stories whatever it is testimonials. But you have to get that person to change. And if you can't, it'll be another one of these. Let me think about it. And just so you know I'm not perfect. There are still times where I feel like, after I'm done with the sales call, I feel like, oh man, I could have done that better. You're always looking to get better, always, but that is fundamentally.

Speaker 1: 3:15

What is happening is, you are trying to become an agent of change. You're not pushing something on somebody. If you are, you're just wasting your time. What you should be focusing on is you should be focusing on the future state, going back to the P3 method, potential state, and you explain to them what their potential is going to be, while also framing how will they be in a worse position if they don't go with my product or service? Show them the potential of two, two different scenarios, one with and one without you. And and folks, we do this on a day. We do this on a daily basis. It's our friendships, it's our romantic interests.

Speaker 1: 4:14

The goal is to present yourself, your life, your business, whatever it is, that the person that's with you is going to be in a better position than if they're not, and that's really comes down to. So if somebody right now, if they need your product or service. Why do they need your product or service? What does it matter to them? How is it going to make their life easier, better, more financially strong, less stress? I can tell you, the stress as a sales professional does not even come close to 1% of that of a business owner and I'm not talking a small business, I'm talking. You know you employ 10 to 15 people. You know million-dollar business, especially in the retail world. But if you've got employees and you've got so many moving parts, the stress level is through the roof and there's different ways you can cope with that stress. But as a sales professional the level of stress is not that high. Now you might think to yourself oh well, the stress of going out there and hitting my numbers.

Speaker 1: 5:26

I believe, looking back on my career, that was the easy part. It really was. The hardest part was just learning what to do. I didn't have podcasts when I was out in the field, when I started my career, I didn't have podcasts. I had a handful of people that I could reach out to and I just hoped and I prayed that they were giving me the right advice. And some of them were and some of them weren't, and a lot of it was trial and error.

Speaker 1: 5:55

I used to use the dreaded phrases circle back, follow up, checking in. I used to use those. That's why I tell people now stop using it, because I realized after a while it doesn't work and it makes you sound horrible. It makes you sound like everyone else, and that's not what you want to do. And it makes you sound horrible. It makes you sound like everyone else, and that's not what you want to do. And that's not who people connect with. They don't connect with average salespeople off the street. They connect with people who they believe are thought leaders, who are trustworthy, are going to be there for them.

Speaker 1: 6:26

When stuff hits the fan, you're not going to run and you're going to support them and help their business um survive and thrive. That's what people relate to and that's what people are drawn to, and it starts with a mindset. You know it's the. It's the attitude and the aptitude. If you've got the right attitude, you're going to go far in sales. But if you constantly are worried, you're wringing your hands of who have been wildly successful, who believe that their product is too expensive. There are price points and there are markets for every product. You just have to be willing to look for that market and if you believe your product is too expensive, then find a market where the people that are buying it don't believe that. It's as simple as that, because people will pay. Believe me, people will pay. It doesn't matter what the price tag is. People will pay. Now you might not get as many, but you just have to swim in the circles, or you just have to swim in the seas where people can't afford that.

Speaker 1: 7:52

It starts with change, being comfortable with change. If you really enjoy just going out there and doing the same old thing and you expect different results, I have a newsflash for you it's not going to work. So, as the rest of the quarter continues, I would highly recommend you become comfortable and adaptable with change and realize that is what you have to bring to your clients. It's painting a picture of a better future state, better potential state, while simultaneously telling them I will be here the entire way to make sure you get to where you need to go. That is what motivates people to say yes.

Speaker 1: 8:51

Thank you so much for everybody who's been reaching out. Thank you for everybody who's been listening. Today's a short one, but hopefully it's impactful. I want you to really think about that, chat with some friends about how to become agents of change. You can start today. It's very simple to just put your foot down on the ground, pivot and move in a different direction. Like I said before, things that are simple don't necessarily mean they're easy. Thank you for everybody who's been listening. Really do appreciate it. If you're interested, you can reach out to me on LinkedIn or email me at Mike at survivingoutsidesalescom.

Speaker 1: 9:23

If you're interested in coaching, if you're interested in some of my programs, I'm going to be launching new programs, starting probably in December, but definitely by January 1st, and if you want to get a jumpstart on that, please reach out to me. I know dozens of people have already. So I'm very excited for what is coming at the end of this year and also the beginning of the year. So thank you everybody who's been listening. Share this with a friend, please download and, if you can, please give a review on these platforms. The number two or the top two are Spotify and Apple podcasts, if you could have really appreciate getting a review. So if you enjoy listening to the show, if you have gotten anything out of it, please share that with the audience because it can help other people. It helps with that algorithm push this show higher, so appreciate it. Thank you so much. Have a great day and we'll see you next time Surviving outside sales Cheers.