Today on MoneyLife with Chuck Bentley

Today we’re going to talk to Lenann Gardner, author of the new book, Got Sales? I've wanted to have her on the program because so many people are involved in direct and indirect sales.

In today's economy especially, there’s a need for people to be excellent in sales. This book is not about motivation but method.

The Bible doesn’t give any specific instruction on being a good salesman, but there is general guidance such as the principle to love your neighbor as yourself. I've worked in sales in the past out of necessity, and God blessed me for applying that principle. I didn’t want to be trained as a salesman; I just wanted to be myself.

Here's the technique I used:

• Work with the customer to identify the real need
• Determine whether you have a product or service to fill that need
• Ask questions and listen to the answers, “Telling is selling, but asking is serving.”
• Build trust, so the customer will want to do further business

Chuck: Lenann, Is your book just for people who sell for a living?

Lenann: Sales skills are usually important to a home-based business. You have to bring in customers, so the book is not just for professional salesmen.

1. Chuck: How can workers who aren’t in sales benefit from knowing the techniques you teach?

Lenann: The book teaches communication techniques that can be applied in many ways, not just selling for a business.

Chuck: As Christians, we’re supposed to love our neighbor as ourselves, but how can someone in sales really be looking out for the other guy?

Lenann: One of my fundamental principles is the clean heart position which means that what’s in your heart when your are selling should be a sincere desire to help the other person get what they want even if they don’t get it from you. A clean heart position keeps you from taking advantage of someone, focuses on helping the person. You look to discover other people and build trust. When you follow the clean heart principle, there should be no conflict with being a Christian.

Chuck: Can you become an effective salesperson, or do you have to be born that way?

Lenann: Effective sales techniques can be learned. I didn’t set out to be in sales; I wanted to run a large company like GM. I didn’t learn sales in business school, but through work experience at Xerox and I became the top sales representative in the world.

Chuck: You include sample dialogues in your book.  Do you recommend practicing these dialogues, maybe with friends or family?

Lenann: I don't recommend learning certain sales dialogues because customers are on the alert for memorized scripts. You should learn the basic principles of sales communication and conduct your conversations accordingly. React to what the customer is telling you. One principle is to find the other person’s pain, the customer’s problems past, present, and future. When you discover something that's causing pain, focus on how you can help alleviate the pain. It’s a way to serve.

Chuck: Why do so many people dread the thought of having to sell?

Lenann: People are afraid to sell because of the fear of rejection. The truth is that everyone who sells gets rejected because not all people need or want what you have to sell. Many people succeed in sales by selling to 40% of the people they talk to, but it is hard to hear no from a lot of people. I cried everyday at first, but I realized I was getting the business of some customers, so I decided to focus on the successes.

Chuck: How important is sales to the small business owner?

Lenann: You have to respect sales as a small business owner and spend a minimum of 5% of your work week talking to prospective customers. If you’re not having contact with customers, the business will struggle.

Chuck: Thanks, Lenann.

Some people are better suited for sales than others. The key is whether God has called you to sell. If He has, pursue it, and understand that if you’re trying on your own, you may not be successful no matter how hard you work at it.

If you're gifted in sales, be sure you have the right motivation. You don’t want to sell out of greed to make money. Work hard, conduct yourself with integrity, tell the truth, and do the right thing.

You can make a great living or earn extra income in sales. If you pursue sales selfishly, you’ll offend a lot of people including family and friends. If you want to serve, you’ll bless them.

You can find out if you’re wired for sales by taking a career assessment. God can help you endure rejection, even a long season of it. Almost every business you start involves sales. If you can’t sell your product or services, it’ll be hard to be successful.

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