Lessons

Lesson Info

1:45 pm - How to Stop Feeling Awkward About Sales

Here are kind of some basics about how to stop the awkward part how that actually stop it instead of instead of saying ok, we all feel it how do we stop it? That assuming reporting is huge most people who feel shy or uncomfortable when a conversation is starting many of the issues is that you have this disconnect between who you are and who you believe you're talking to and what you believe they're thinking about you yes, carrie right? Um one quick question can you grab the mic for a second and one of the reasons I'm really glad you're here? Is that because I think you can talk very candidly about what a lot of people are feeling, but this idea of sitting down with someone and feeling like guilty about taking their money do you feel at all from any of the conversation we've had this morning how that that shift can happen? Oh, absolutely you do. Yeah, what do you think might be a barrier to you between? I want to find the barrier between getting inspired and exciting from this class, wa...

lking out and putting it into a real life situation now it's just changing my own mindset, I think on it and which I am in the process up so thank you very much and then other than that at this point it's just getting the business usually helps you feel like that this quickly you'll have you'll sit down with your next client and be able to really comfortably interact and have a poor and I don't think it'll be like a light switch but I think it is going to be over the course of like the next six months or something slow like hopefully not that slow but easing into it and I'm already feeling like I'm in a better place to do it okay and more prepared so all right well good problem solved were slamming through this other really really simple things in terms of assuming report and building up a client relationship where you don't have to get stumbled across all these little things feeling bad asking for money feeling concerned that you're pushing something is to sit there and just quickly dive into anything that you guys have in common and start there if you're feeling at all awkward or weird or like this is now taking a turn for the worse otter because you're a friend of mine and now I'm trying to sell you something what have you just started from a place for you both felt like a common thing you could discuss and feel comfortable and whether it's like a restaurant in your neighborhood or movie that every scene or something on the news or whatever I know we all know that you start a conversation out comfortably and then you move into sales but it's, surprising to me how many people started conversation out, make it most of the meeting do a little bit on sales, and thank you. Please go away now, right? Because you feel like it's, almost like awkward to bring up now, because you're talking, I'm saying, start with a commonality, address it, and then quickly pace yourself to move on, get right into the appointment and that's also just respecting the other person's time eye contact is gigantic. The eyes have it. If I'm talking to you and you keep looking away while we're talking, I don't think that you're being shy or reserved. I think that you're hiding something, of course, if you stare at me the whole time, I'm getting creeped at being aware of that, and the other thing, too, is the people you know, this phone addiction, we all have, we're on the ipad, et cetera, I would strongly advise you if you're conducting sales session holding electronic device, that this is something that people have an association with if they feel like you're holding your phone to track an order or you're holding your ipad to track an order, I'm not saying that it isn't a very convenient way to process an envoy start to track an order, I'm saying that it feels like today the person that you're on twitter or facebook or texting a friend or on email right because that's all we think when we see something in your phone oh you're out there on the internet with all these internet people I have gone full circle back from where I used to do things on a laptop track it in pro selector in a system to just using paper and a pen luckily that gets photograph and put into every note because here's what I have discovered about writing things in a piece of paper and in a variety of notebooks that when you walk in and you look at your twenty stacks of notebook and then you try to search for a tag word in your note books they don't respond to yelling in the middle the room client order fifty six nobody comes to the top and yet if you photograph something you write in paper or you even better you scan it in its pdf searchable its word searchable so you can tag a client reference have it at the ready whenever you want it you don't have to do extra work and go invoice it again it's kind of a nice little tip by the way um so talking we talked a little bit about conversation and drawing people out stop talking stop talking joy and jules bianchi did a great talk about is called wait why am I still talking and there was also a photo thing, but the idea that we rush to fill the silence is because we feel like that is something that will make the other person comfortable and yet nervous chatter could become exhausting and also doesn't give the other person any time to think if we want them to feel and if you want to have them experience with his images we can't keep rushing to fill every silence they're like little things we do when we're awkward like that conversation you have in the elevator with the person that's weirding you out you're just talking, talking, talking, talking to you get off and then lastly I would love you to think about returning to the the idea that this language is killing us these preconceived notions in our head are killing us. If I were to start a sales organization, I would not have a director of sales running the sales organization I would have a director of client relationships running my cells organization I would put the emphasis on where sales really are which is managing great relationship, not selling, selling, selling I'm making sure that you're having a great experience we talked a little bit before about having a passion for your work I want to talk about why it's so important to share that at the very beginning and that very first conversation you have because the word this is I love this the actual word enthusiasm believed the greek interpretation is the god within enthusiasm the god within and enthusiasm completely translates into encouragement if I am so enthusiastic and I think this is awesome and let's talk about it, let's get together and let's go through why this is such a fantastic thing for you, you feel encouraged encouraged to actually join me and getting excited about these images correct, I have been accused of being encouraged before personally I've been asked before do you honestly believe that if somebody puts their heart, soul and everything into trying to, they knew that they can succeed? Why wouldn't they not saying they wouldn't stumble along the way? I'm not saying this succeed twenty four seven and every step of anything they dio, but they put their heart and soul and mind completely into it. On the whole, that is a success. Of course, sometimes we're so scared of being seen is like fifty or two or, you know the cynicism is just so out of control right now, I think forget the word sales you're not selling your client, you're encouraging them to invest in what they love and this whole idea that you are trying to push your client into something we're all connected right? Every single one of them it's, not us versus them client collaboration is where we make our sales we're never competing with the client and that happens in the actual shoot in the shoot when the dad says to you, you know, I'm not into this what can we do together to make us a better experience for all of us? You were telling him right there that you totally care and want to collaborate with him it's not us versus them ever let's walk through these objections here, but I wouldn't pay for it. Have you ever had that experience? I think my called it out, somebody said there the idea that, like it's hard for me to sell something that I actually don't know that I would pay for. I want my client to buy three thousand dollars of portrait work, but I don't know that I would pay three thousand dollars for portrait work, is that you? Do you mind if I throw a question from? I don't know, okay glimpse, photo says all right, I totally get the consulting in person though uncomfortable with it, I can push through I struggle with anyone spending that much because I would never spend that I think I have trouble value my own work that much maybe how do you get to the point where you know your work is worth that awesome, wonderful question, so timely way air on it? How can I ask my questions too how can I ask my clients to pay for something that I don't think I would? Okay, so everything being equal it doesn't matter if you will spend it of course it matters of they will we know that, right? Like technically we know that the point is to know your target market know what they'll spend no what they value and charge accordingly so take all feeling or fear out of it and let's start with those little fax no your target meant market understand what they value and price accordingly. So I have a neighbor literally where I live right next door to me. I wonder if she's watching this would be weird if she is I have a neighbor dashi, but she's the one on the left that's what I'm talking about, who has told me before that she would never pay for a cleaning service she never would she thinks that's a ridiculous amount of money to spend to have people come in and clean her house for her when she could just spend some time every day cleaning it herself. Why would she write a check to somebody else to come in and clean her home when she's already there all the time? Ok? Meanwhile, they drive a vehicle that is a significantly expensive vehicle and I wouldn't see why I would ever spend that much money on a car it doesn't make any sense to me it's not where my priorities lie it's not what I really value I want something safe good mileage hopefully nice, environmentally friendly I got the airbags I'm good that is not what she values and I don't buy what she values I have a cleaner come in twice a week I so value that I write that check and I kind of saying when I do it I'm not doing the showers and I am worked up to that I have I have references before I've had a cleaning service since will before I could ever afford a cleaning service I paid somebody to clean my home back when I had to work three hours for every hour was paying somebody because I valued it that much and I so didn't want to do it myself here's another thing my mom hears that the great example my mom who I love very much she has no idea why I pay so much to get massages to me I feel like taking time out to care for myself and pamper myself to give me the strength I need to keep going and stay up and feel good about myself is so valuable I have got massages about once a month for a very long time I love it, I lay down I said the pill I'm like you don't have to touch me I'm good we're going to start with that one. My mom, however, has probably gotten five massages in her whole life. I bought them all for her she doesn't understand at all she has a gorgeous backyard they spend older free time tending to it. They plant these flowers and these trees and they have like vegetable gardens with like fences and really pretty little twinkly things in the class blowing stuff that hit the sunlight on the it's a beautiful rest ful war just backyard they check out of lows once a weekend with a bill that would dwarf the cost of my massage is right. What is she that you would lie about you I mean go on and on like this when I was in australia I went to see a movie I paid for gold class I guess more gold class okay australia's watching they know what I'm talking about gold classes basically you go into the cinema and they have like sixteen seats and old cinema and they're all like massive lazy boys and you lay back like this on the super snugly like bid like dreamy chair and then they come around and bring you drinks and food and whatever you want and you sit there and watch the movie and I went with my friend sally's are good melissa jonas we all sat there, looked across each other and like and it was amazing it was triple the cost of a movie ticket plus drinks and food ridiculous my brother if I want to tell him that he would be like I don't go to movies I have netflix I'll wait for to come out I paid twelve dollars a month thank you very much I will watch it when it comes out that's insane and ridiculous I would never do that he goes golfing for the weekend with his friends and drops a thousand bucks for a weekend of golfing and it's like a beautiful thing to him and why wouldn't he do that? This is what he loves you're getting what I'm saying right on and on and on you can find anything in the world that you value and will pay a lot of money for and smile while doing it that the person next to you will say I would never do that stop thinking that everybody's going to dio what you d'oh stop thinking that everyone's going to spend how you spend and stop thinking that I was going to value things at the same price point that you would value them that is wasted thinking and it's putting some sort of major line between you and your clients you're not giving them the opportunity to sit in gold class and order wine and say this is the best two hours I've had and I don't even know I log why would I want someone to come in and say, you know what? I wouldn't do that, so I'm not going to offer it to you? What? What are right that would rob me that be like my mom walking into this file where I'm sitting in my robe and drinking my tea and thinking about how the next hour and a half is going to be just unreal and saying you can't do this, I would never do this come out with me right now intend to my garden, do you see? Like when you think about it that way, how wow, why would I stop you from investing in what you care about? And why would I put my priorities on you, my values and where I choose to spend it's apples and oranges they should stop being compared that makes sense minds blown out of control? I know confidence is everything and all, but honestly, I don't really feel that confident this this is a perfect because I've had people say to me, you know what? I keep hearing everywhere I go when I'm trying to learn how to be a better photographer and I'm trying to learn howto make it in this industry and I want to stay in business never and keeps saying be confident I'm like, uh huh, I got it, sorry, I'm not I got it, I hear your words now that are so what you're saying I see your mouth moving instead of worrying about being confident instead think about the level of confidence you have and how appropriate is to each situation and what I mean by that is when you're listening to your client and they're telling you what they need invest all your energy into thinking about what they need don't worry about how confident you are just be confident about the fact that you're listening to them start there, ok, ok, I just did that, okay, are you with me? Number two let's talk about the level of confidence we're even discussing. I think sometimes people here be confident and they think they've got to be so I know everything I could do everything and I can handle myself in every situation that's not what that means be confident is like there is that there's a variance horribly unconfident and has not announced a confidence over the top crazy overconfidence jumping off a building and saying I can fly. There is a large spectrum in the middle here of what confident is the most successful sales people in the world when you look at who they are and what kind of confidence they exude most of their confidence is just enough to get in the door and make the sale, but not too much that they just guess you know they just think that I am so awesome the client's going to go with me when they when they're overconfident most people are overconfident lose sales because they don't try hard enough they don't put a tana effort into creating a presentation for their client that's fresh and new and exciting and hopefully will have an impact they just think I got this and they roll out the same crap that's overconfident there's a big difference we're talking about be confident I would comfortably put myself lower on the spectrum of confidence I have enough confidence to say I feel like I've got great information that I want to share with you but I don't have too much confidence that I'm not still building this presentation minute by minute that's everything at creative life can attest to I am constantly thinking what more can I say that makes that how can I say this in a way that resonates more? That isn't just the words you always hear how do I put this in a real life situation? I don't have enough confidence to just roll out old content but I think that's good so don't get caught up and you know be confident because if you're too confident that kind of sucks too but I know how much the lab charges may is my time really worth that much more my clients understand what the cost of a print isthe how do I reconcile that against the price I'm trying to charge? This is another big runner up I think the number the to everything around pricing is I don't know that I would pay for it so how can I sell it? I know how much it cost me so and if my client does to oh crap because I don't want to be seen as a charlotte id we'll show what's that word ok charlotte in should be one of our words it's right there was smarmy or or huckster so I would strongly suggest first and foremost that you value your time very, very much that's just a statement I'm not gonna go more into that because you guys know that I think that I think that's so ok let's, move on to the next thing this this image that I want to show you is the most expensive photograph ever sold because creative live has a different usage legally I can't actually show it here the print that I cannot show you is called rhine too like the rhine river rhine tio it was shot by andreas and girsky in nineteen ninety nine it was finished in voter shop it was amounted to plexiglass and in an art an artist frame and sold at the size of eighty one by one hundred forty images it was sold off at the christie's new york auction for four point three million dollars it was the most expensive photograph that's ever been sold if you were lucky enough to flip over to creative lives blogged and see it within the next few minutes or via the link I'm gonna give you for wikipedia you will see basically an image that is simply green grass in the foreground a river green grass behind it and a blue gray sky it's a wide long er for all intents and purposes one might go judge it I'll let you judge it it's a pretty simple image have you seen it? You've seen it okay did I describe it well thank you um why do you think it's sold for four point three million dollars there's one really simple answer someone say it again please someone valued it someone died it at the price point of four point three million dollars how much do you think he spent on plexiglass? Is it relevant in any way it's relevant in no way how much did you spend on the actual print of eighty one by one hundred forty inches was that like four point two million of it it's irrelevant doesn't matter somebody valued it how much do you think our photographer andreas girsky would have spent for the same photograph do you think he would've spent the same amount of money let's just answer that other question that we talked about already what do you spend half that money a third attend doesn't matter no so the other image that I'm not showing you but you'll see soon enough is a two part image that's a photograph inside a grocery store this was entitled ninety nine cent to dipped a con and actually if you're online you conflict over a wikipedia and look up most expensive photographs ever sold and you also see these that's actually the easiest way to say it just do that um this is a two part photograph that was created in two thousand one okay, so these air worthy reason it's an interior of a supermarket with multiple aisles showing colorful objects that is what is in the photograph it was sized by six point seven feet by eleven feet was pretty big that's a lot of money to print that big this became the most expensive photograph from the world in two thousand seven when it's auctioned at sotheby's for three point three four million dollars there were six prints in all of this inside of a grocery store another one was sold for two point two five million also at auction and a third sold for two point four. Eight million in two thousand six to a gallery three versions of this two point part photograph of the inside of a grocery store with colorful objects was sold for more than eight million dollars why? Because several people believed it was worth it believe they were worth it now I've got exciting news for you I have an image to show you it's called the pond moonlight it was created in nineteen o for which is why I get to show it to you public use it. It was photographed by edward steichen, who has lived from eighteen, seventy nine to nineteen, seventy three, and in two thousand six it had been holding the record for the most expensive photograph ever sold when it was sold for two point nine million dollars. What do you guys think of that? It kind of looks like an instagram photo too, doesn't it? It's not it actually with super cool about this image is that it wasn't actually a color photograph because the first true color photographic process hadn't even been created yet. The auto prone process that was created in nineteen oh seven so this which was shot in nineteen o for was basically layering high sensitive gums to paper by hand early three known versions of this print, which is why they're all hand layered and so unique and so that's why this one was sold for two point nine million dollars just take a moment and sink that in that is one expensive pon and three photographs I just showed you in did not show you sold for ten million six hundred thousand dollars would you like to pay for that? Why? Because many people believe they were worth it not just that one guy or the several guys of those few galleries many people over and over believed they were worth it. None of them thought about the cost of the plexiglass or the printing on the paper or maybe the frame it was irrelevant, but they purchased was what they felt when they looked at the art, what they thought was unique about it, what was different, which was compelling that's what they're purchasing? Do you see how that question just dissolves? When you think of it that way it dissolves because your clients not sitting there saying that that's the paper with no it's, your family it's what I was able to pull out, how is able to pull them together? It's your wedding day it is a different equation entirely it's time to stop comparing because these air just different things and the lovely thing by the way of me talking to you about this and going over it again and again is hopefully it gets in your head in such a way that it doesn't matter if they still think that because you don't anymore. It doesn't matter if your clients did still think that way. If you don't think it anymore, you change their mind with your passion and enthusiasm do you really see how true that is? Because if you don't, I will get up there