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I love reading books by people who are smarter than me in their area of expertise. I could definitely stand to learn a thing or two from author Julie Steelman, who wrote The Effortless Yes.
This book breaks down the selling process, and rather than focus on how to sell better, it spends a lot of time digging in to who your customers are, why they act the way they do, and how you should approach them.
Everyone Has a Different Selling (and Buying) Style
What I found unique about Steelman’s book is that she breaks down sellers and buyers by personality types. Stop me if any of her Buying Personalities sound like your clients!
- The Crystal Clear Buyer: knows what she wants and is ready to buy
- The Ruminating Buyer: is reluctant to make a decision and needs some pushing
- The Indecisive Buyer: slow to move and asks a lot of decisions
Steelman teaches you how to handle each of these types of buyers based on their personalities.
How Yes Happens
I’m one of those business people who gets frustrated when someone calls for information, sounds really interested, and then never makes a decision to purchase (from me or anyone else). So Steelman’s “Demystifying How YES! Happens” chapter really proved useful to me. I realized that part of the decision-making process for customers is about education. I’m the fount of knowledge, and no sale can happen without me imparting my vast wisdom. Even after that, the sale might not happen with me, but at the very least, I’ve armed that person with knowledge they can use elsewhere.
As the seller, you have to guide the relationship because customers don’t know what you know. If they did, they wouldn’t need you.
Getting Your Hands Wet
While a lot of business books focus on high-level conceptual stuff that’s nice in theory, but not easy to take action on, Steelman is all about real advice you can put into play today. She includes questionnaires and checklists you can fill in as you read along. She encourages you to journal while reading, which can help you better understand your selling style, as well as any fears you might have about the process.
It’s a great read, whether you’re a seasoned salesperson, business owner or a newbie to the world of sales.
