Sales vs Soliciting vs Marketing:
I wrote the article “The Silent Killers of Business: Are They in Yours?” on Biznik last November (it’s also a blog post here) and a businesswoman commented on the article and asked me a great question about soliciting and marketing. Here is her question and my response, I hope you find the distinction helpful!
Question: “One thought that has been bothering me lately is that marketing is soliciting in disguise. I do not like trying to convince someone that they need my services, even if I feel they do. I figure that if they wanted a website or brochures they would ask me. So, I guess my question is, how are marketing and soliciting different?”
My Response: ”I looked up ‘solicit’ in the dictionary: “to try to obtain by earnest plea; to entreat or petition; to lure or entice”; solicitous: “anxious or concerned; anxiously desirous.”
Certainly marketing has some aspects of enticing people to use or consider your product or services. However from what I’ve studied, and agree with, marketing is about creating connection and educating potential clients and customers about yourself and your business–it is not sales.
I think what you are really confusing is soliciting and selling. In my mind helping a person to decide whether or not they need and want what you have to offer–without attachment to whether or not they actually buy, is selling in it’s highest form. It’s helping people make a decision based on a need or desire they came to you with–not the other way around. When we come to others and try to convince them they need or want what we have and we are anxious (i.e., attached to the outcome) that’s soliciting or being solicitous, and that feels sleazy, salesy and gross. So marketing is creating connection and opening the door to having a sales conversation. A sales conversation is one in which you offer to help solve their problem or pain through your products or services–and to do that, you must be confident enough in yourself and your abilities/services/products to convey that confidence to the prospective client. Which brings us back to the silent killers–because those are the things that destroy our confidence from within–and they can be transformed. I hope that helps…thanks for asking such a great question!”
Wouldn’t it be great to have a fresh perspective around sales and begin 2012 with some tools for overcoming your fears and limiting beliefs around promoting yourself, your products & services, and asking for the sale (or a raise)?
Yes! I thought so too—it’s why I’m offering the following class!
Join us this Friday, January 20th for the first teleclass in a 4-part series:
“Sales Without Baggage”
Truthfully, it could be called “Life Without Baggage” because the fears that get in our way of marketing and promoting ourselves are the fears that also show up in other areas of our lives—especially in communication and relationships–at home or at work.
For more information or to register click here:
http://speakfreelynow.com/sales-without-baggage-teleclass-series/
The energy of 2012 is all about choice, it’s all about making a decision to do things differently than you’ve ever done before. This class will approach sales and marketing from a perspective many of you may have never consciously considered, but often felt was missing.
Sales is an inside job, and this class will offer tools and insights that will help you navigate the interior landscape that manifests your outer world.
Join us. Learn the tools and tricks necessary to navigate the current energies in business and our rapidly-changing world. If you’re not taking action in your business, something is holding you back. Decide now to let go of the baggage that weighs you down…
If you are in business, you are selling. Do so with heart & soul, and you’ll transform not only others, but your bottom line as well.
http://speakfreelynow.com/sales-without-baggage-teleclass-series/
See you in class!
From My Heart to Yours~
Kris
