Positivity & Optimism = $$$

Smile and the whole world smiles with you – well, possibly your banker will! Having a positive and optimistic attitude helps you bring in business as new customers connect with your message and are filled with excitement over the opportunity of working with you. The secret is to educate your prospect on the value of becoming your customer.

You can do this effectively by conveying a positive message filled with reward and desired outcomes.

However, be warned – too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Being unrealistically optimistic could leave you in the poor house when those good vibrations do not convert into sales. Have you ever encountered an overly positive or optimistic person and thought either A) they were heavily medicated or B) that you wanted to repeat that famous line from the When Harry Met Sally film, “I’ll have what she’s having?”

The bottom line is: in sales your attitude affects your bottom line, both positively and negatively.

Go to Rule – You’ve Got Two Customers to Close

To be successful in sales two people need to be sold – and the first person is you! You need to believe that what you offer is the best solution available. How will your customers benefit from your product or service? Be able to communicate this information to prospects and new customers. When you’re a believer, you’ll clearly know what converts your shoppers into buyers.

The second person who needs to be sold is your prospect. Customers buy results and outcomes, so this is where you need to focus your message. But remember, until you’re sold on your offering don’t expect anyone else to be.

Go to Rule – Check the Math

The most optimistic people walking the face of the earth can be found in sales positions. Unfortunately, if you’re overly optimistic it’s easy to see things as better than they are which can result in fewer sales than originally projected. Compare the number of people who say they love your business to the number of sales actually closed, is there a discrepancy?

The average close ratio is one in five clients, which means that not everyone is going to be your customer. It’s not uncommon for sales people to revisit the same prospect again and again and again because they are encouraged by good conversations. Unfortunately, good conversations do not equal a good balance sheet. You could be so positive and delightful that it’s putting you out of business! Limit your time with these prospects so that you can move on to paying customers.

Go to Rule – People Buy Results

You can be positive, optimistic AND close the deal. Simply add a couple of strategic questions to your conversations that will guide your prospects to becoming customers. Keep in mind that you won’t close 100% of prospects that you talk to – some people are simply not looking for the results that you offer.

When you find your ideal prospect, base 90% of your pitch on outcome and results. People buy what they imagine they will receive from using your services. They don’t buy eight sessions, convenient packaging, or easy payment terms – they buy into the visualization you provide, so practice verbally painting a beautiful picture of the bliss that you deliver.

Go to Rule – Stop Feeling Salesy

Don’t know what’s motivating your clients to buy or stick with you? No problem – your clients know. Simply ask them what results they’ve experienced. It’s most powerful to have them describe their “before and after” version. If you feel awkward with self-promotion, talking about someone else’s results is the non-salesy approach. Here’s an example:

“A lot of our clients said that before working with us they were struggling with X, but after they used our program they found…” (insert the amazing results and outcomes statement here)

Continue by saying “I’ve got to be honest, I’m not certain of your goals. Would having (insert your results and outcomes here) be something you’d be interested in?”

With a positive and optimistic outlook you’ll see opportunities to grow your business. But remember to see things as they are – not worse or better. When you believe in your offering and clearly know what you need to do to gain your desired results, your optimism will be based on facts. And that’s something to feel very positive about!