You can have a slew of transactions or a slew of meaningful client relationships, but you can’t have both.
What types of conversations are you having with your clients?
I’m here to inform everyone in sales: It is extremely difficult to build long-term sustainable client relationships with a transactional mindset and conversation set.
Think long and hard for a moment about what was just said. Now think about your client interactions.
Now answer me this: Are you creating transactional customers or transformational clients?
Sales and business, in general, are deeply rooted in the transaction, with many in sales taking the Jerry Maguire approach of “Show me the money!”
In other words, I give you the goods and you give me your money. Simply stated, nothing more, nothing less.
I believe that salespeople and sales managers who are focused solely on getting their ‘customers’ money in exchange for goods are entering into treacherous territory.
This territory is replaceable, unsustainable and commission breathe driven.
To further reinforce this, I will refer to Dan Sullivan who is with Strategic Coach as he goes on to say, “Savvy entrepreneurs focus on transformation.”
Let’s apply Dan’s quote to the sales world and twist it up: Savvy sales professionals focus on client transformation.
To provide your clients with a transformation is to truly serve them, go above and beyond their wildest expectations, and constantly look out for their best interests, all while providing them with the greatest results, and this would business betterment.
I believe client transformation comes with peace of mind, a sense of accomplishment and more importantly, a sense of purpose.
Transactional sales mindsets struggle with the following:
- Knowing something about their clients as a person
- Knowing about their values and trusting their good intentions
- Understanding their priorities and challenges
- A regular and consistent cadence of communication, even if there is no “urgent” topic to discuss (like trying to sell them something)
- Intentional curiosity and a sincere interest in their well-being
- High trust and deep commitment to each other’s success
Allow this quote to sink in for a moment, courtesy of Janet S. Dickens: “The wings of transformation are born of patience and struggle.”
With trust and credibility constantly being placed under a microscope, it’s imperative for all salespeople, sales managers and sales leaders to develop patience.
Transformation Starts with Patience
Patience is a virtue. We’ve all heard it. It’s a famous saying that’s been around for generations.
What does it mean to be virtuous? Or to be patient? And how can this be applied to sales?
According to Strong’s Concordance, the word “virtue” in Greek means to be of moral excellence or goodness. Being virtuous is producing goodness from the Fruits of the Spirit. Being patient is also a part of the Fruits of the Spirit. So, how many times a day do we produce these fruits? How many times a day do you produce these fruits for your clients?
To quote Galatians 6:9: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
How can you do good for your clients, look after them and then reap the rewards when many of you operate with a transactional, “all about me” mindset?
Patience and purpose-driven conversations are one of the strongest tools you have to effectively build meaningful and transformational relationships with your clients.
The way you open a conversation will directly impact what happens next. It’s the direction you take these conversations along with the strategy behind all of it, which determines a customer transaction or a client relationship.
You see, conversations build relationships, relationships build businesses and therefore, you never know when one transformational conversation will lead to exponential revenue growth.
Transactional Mindsets are Only Focused on the Sale
If you’re running around trying to find the next deal, I am going to ask you to stop and think about the longevity this has and the mental punishment you’re putting yourself through.
It’s this mindset that reduces the customer relationship to nothing more than a one-sided extraction of value. This transactional mindset based on pitch and pounce has tarnished the profession.
The race to the bottom is occurring at rapid rates within many sales channels. Undercutting and monumental discounts is not long-term business strategy. This approach is not only unsustainable but puts your customer relationships at risk.
These transactional conversations may lead to short-term growth but long-term failures—all at the expense of your customers.
Transactional Mindsets
A transactional mindset and the associated behaviors are felt by your customers. I promise you that at some point these will be replaced by a better transactional conversation.
Why do I say this? Because this mentality keeps you cruising along within the sea of competitive sameness.
How likely will your customers become clients and come back for more if you continue to deliver a transactional type of experience?
I sincerely believe you are missing out on a monumental opportunity to become a part of your clients’ lives, by operating with a transactional mindset.
Transactional mindsets alienate, transformational conversations build client communities.
Transformational Conversations are Sustainable
I believe we do need some transactional-type conversations in our daily sales lives, however; there are plenty of opportunities to move those conversations to transformational.
It’s about quality over quantity! I believe deep and meaningful transformational conversations are more powerful and effective than transactional ones.
Transformational conversations require you to be open in engaging with another individual without knowing where the conversation will go. There’s no hidden agenda or deception.
“I think for any relationship to be successful, there needs to be loving communication, appreciation, and understanding.”
— Miranda Kerr
Think about the above quote. How can you develop loving communication, appreciation and understanding with a transactional mindset? Simple, you can’t.
Sales professionals with a transformational mindset:
- Do not seek out predetermined outcomes
- They ask powerful questions
- They listen deeply
- They acknowledge and are supportive
With transformational-type conversations, you must open your heart, share your wisdom, and your purpose. You must be willing to give in order to receive.
A transactional mindset yields short-term satisfaction whereas a transformational mindset becomes a part of your foundation. It encompasses the being of who you are and how you see the world.
A transformational approach to your client conversations is where you explore…
- Dreams
- Fears
- Doubts
- Possibilities
- Aspirations
Transformational conversations, transformational relationships, transformational experiences, and Selling from the Heart is sustainable.
I will leave you with this: Transactions are replaceable, transformation is irreplaceable.
