Marketing vs. Selling

Make no mistake, marketing is mission-critical to grow your business. But so is selling. All the marketing in the world won’t help if you fumble closing the deal.

That’s why Jonathan and I focus this week on selling, including how to amp up your track record (hint: think consultative selling):

The difference between sales and marketing—and why both are necessary to run a sustainable authority business.

How aligning sales with your values allows you to sell in line with who you are (and avoid those slimy sales tactics we all hate).

Why one part of successful consultative selling is reserving your right to say no—that this client, this work is not the right fit.

When your prospective clients arrive with different mindsets about their presenting problem that have nothing to do with you.

How successful consultative selling makes your ego disappear as you put yourself in service to the client’s vision of the future.

Quotables

“You don’t have a business if you don’t sell stuff.”—JS

“Marketing is creating demand. Selling is closing the deal.”—RM

“If you don’t like sales, then you’re gonna have a problem running your own business.”—JS

“Are you reacting to what’s coming in or are you going out and killing what you eat?”—RM

“Sales mode is not synonymous with trying to close the deal. We’re talking about a potential engagement here, but either one of us can walk away from it.”—JS

“Know that they (people who enter your sales stream) come in with ideas and expectations that have nothing to do with you…along with what they think might be possible with what they’ve seen of you.”—RM

“I’m the type of “shopkeeper” that is perfectly happy to send somebody to the shop across the street if I think they’ll find what they want over there.”—JS

“In the best consultative selling, your ego goes away. Your client feels that you are there for them to succeed.”—RM