Authentic Selling™ – A Model for Growth

The truth is – people can’t be motivated by just money alone. They are either internally driven to perform or not. If they have high standards, competence and confidence grows. If they underachieve, they lose confidence in themselves and the company they represent. At the same time, hiring good salespeople is much easier said than done, and companies that rely on the founder to be the chief rainmaker rarely achieve their growth potential.

Two things separate high growth brands from stagnant ones. The first is the implementation of a growth culture, and second is having a methodology that is both natural to every team member and builds confidence with each win. Success attracts success.

There are dozens of selling methodologies in the marketplace, but most are focused on “scripts” and “process” rather than performance and congruence. For a sales model to be effective in today’s hypercompetitive business landscape, the sales methodology must also be authentic and one that everyone in the company can implement.

With numerous product options and multiple methods of purchase, some think the salesperson will become extinct. It would be easy to assume that, given the ease with which people can transact business through channels other than a salesperson. But like it or not, selling is still part of operating a successful business. That’s why implementing a growth culture is the key to ensuring the founder isn’t the sole rainmaker.

“People buy for the same reason they always did, they just buy a different way,” says Terri Maxwell CEO of IGNITE On Purpose and founder of Authentic Selling™.

The challenge for organizations today is not process, but differentiation. For a company to grow, the entire team MUST differentiate your brand.  Maxwell notes: “People don’t pay more for great solutions. They pay more when they believe they are getting a better value.” So, if you want to provide more value, and thus increase profitability, implement a powerful, yet authentic sales methodology.

“Every leader needs to build both confidence AND competence,” Maxwell says, and these two things go hand in hand. To increase her own competence, Maxwell invented Authentic Selling™ because she wanted to focus on serving rather than selling, and providing value rather than pushing solutions.

Since two of Maxwell’s 4 companies have a Demand Generation function, she is frequently asked for assistance with sales training and methodology, and over the last decade has taught this methodology to entrepreneurs and corporate teams around the world.

“It’s fun to teach and easy to implement because Authentic Selling™ leverages each person’s unique strengths and personality. Rather than everyone using the same techniques, sales professionals apply the methodology in ways that are natural to their personal style.”

The Authentic Selling^TMmethodology builds confidence, and Maxwell says there are 3 critical pieces to ensure its effectiveness.

• Methodology that Matters
  • Must be natural and easy to apply, which increases competence
  • Focused on solving problems for a target market, which fosters confidence

• Tools & Training that Transform
  • Sales enablement tools that are simple and easy to use which raises the competence of any person in the company
  • Training that fits each person’s natural style which boosts confidence

• Role Play & Reinforcement for Readiness
  • Role-playing is critical for preparation and adoption
  • Reinforcement from management will accelerate and strengthen adoption

“Building a successful growth culture isn’t about commission plans or reward trips. The key to success is to build an organization that breeds success naturally by teaching all professionals how to focus on value rather than selling.” Maxwell noted.

Is your company growing? Maybe it’s time to consider a more authentic approach to demand generation. Create a growth culture.