Savvy business owners know that real success goes beyond the numbers. It’s all about understanding the buyer’s emotional journey.

Numbers, quotas, monthly reports, and sales figures have always driven sales strategies. However, the concept of using monthly sales figures, which is tied to the rise of commerce in the 18th and 19th centuries, shows how outdated these methods have become.

As business owners, we can extend our thanks to pioneers like Luca Pacioli, an Italian mathematician and Franciscan friar often called the ‘father of accounting’. Without his publication on double-entry bookkeeping in 1494, we wouldn’t have had such a comprehensive way of managing our money.

Advancements in accounting and managerial practices have also benefited millions of businesses worldwide. However, how we buy and sell has changed significantly, and business owners must look closely at their strategies today.

I gained my experience and knowledge from over 30 years of selling. I’ve sold a diverse range of products, from stainless steel to Yellow Pages and baby products to my more recent retail business, Floofsville. Add to that my successful pitch on Dragons’ Den, where I won investment from Peter Jones for my business Truly Madly Baby.

What I learned is what I show my clients—that sales is all about connection, relationships, and being the true you—without the monthly sales figures!

B2B and some high-ticket B2C environments are no longer all about closing deals. Business owners are starting to recognise the importance of fostering trust and understanding how the buyer feels throughout the experience.

How can you rethink your sales strategy?

It’s time to ditch outdated systems like the monthly sales figures and rethink your sales strategy, but how can you do that?

Step 1: The Emotional Experience

Your buyers’ decisions when choosing a product or service are influenced by their emotions. Whether they are considering a new subscription, luxury item, or software upgrade, emotions such as trust, fear, excitement, and anticipation play an essential role.

Every touch point with your client matters, from marketing materials to customer service. It’s all about them!

How can you positively influence them?

Make sure your client feels heard and valued. This will build confidence, and they will be more likely to buy from you.

To fully help your ideal client, you must move them from a pain point (challenge) to a solution (your product or service). In my book, Live It Love It Sell It, I refer to this transition as the one from Hell to Heaven – you have to acknowledge the hell in order to sell!

Step 2: Patience

A common frustration in sales is the time between that initial discovery call or connection to closing the deal. Many business owners get stuck in the mindset of ‘I need to close the deal to hit my monthly quota’, which leads to pressure on the customer and can damage any relationship building.

Remember, you ideal client’s journey doesn’t align with your desire for a quick sale. You might have a fabulous conversation with a prospective client in July, but they may not be in a position to buy until September. Buyers need time to process information and feel confident about their decision.

Understanding this takes patience. Respect your client’s emotional process and give them enough time and space. Nothing is stopping you from continuing to nurture the relationship you’ve built, but don’t pressurise them for an instant response.

How can you understand your client’s emotional journey?

What makes focusing on the emotional journey of your client a better strategy?

  • Building trust takes time
  • Emotions drive decision-making
  • Buying is a journey, not a transaction!
  • Loyalty comes from personal connection

None of us like being ‘sold to’. Our data is accessible everywhere via social media and newsletter subscriptions. Even your local New Look will ask to email you the till receipt to get your data so they can sell to you.

Trust is essential these days, and it takes time to build. When you invest in the connections you make instead of focusing on the sale, you will build your credibility as a business owner and grow a loyal customer base.

Even in B2B, emotions play an important role. How does your audience feel about your brand? Are they intrigued, excited, or reassured? Or maybe they feel overwhelmed and pressured? Understanding these emotional cues will help you tailor your messaging.

When was the last time you reviewed your customer journey? Long before your audience buys from you, they might engage with your online content, testimonials, blog posts, newsletters, and lower-ticket products and services. They are looking for proof that you can be trusted. Understanding where the buyer is emotionally at each stage helps you better meet their needs and create a seamless sales funnel.

Value your clients, and they will feel more understood. Respect follows from the know, like, and trust elements of sales, and loyal customers come from emotional connections.

Shifting your sales mindset

Breaking old patterns and adapting to a more modern sales process and strategy can be challenging. Consider these key mindset shifts:

  • Focus on the long-term relationships. Move beyond the quick-win mindset and invest in the connections you are making.
  • Train yourself to spot those emotional cues. How is your audience feeling about the process, product, or service? Adjust your approach to meet their emotional and rational needs.
  • When setting your sales goals, consider quarterly or yearly goals instead of monthly. This will give you more flexibility and relieve some of the pressure.
  • Remember to tap into your skills of actively listening, empathy, and emotional intelligence.

It’s time for a change.

Sales is not a sprint! When you love what you do, your job is to provide a solution for your client, taking them from their hell to their heaven.

If you make a sale, you make a living. If you make an investment of time and good service in a customer, you can make a fortune” Jim Rohn.

Are you ready to understand your client’s emotional journey?

Does selling your product or service make you shiver with fear or horror? If you’d like not only to sell but to fall in love with sales, grab a copy of my book.

Live It Love It Sell It is for anyone interested in making sales in a human, non-sleazy, non-pushy way, whether you’re male or female, working for yourself or working for an organisation.

Grab a copy of Live It Love It Sell It.

“This is a book written by someone who *really* knows her stuff. But that doesn’t make it dry and worthy – far from it. It’s like Jules is by your side, talking you through the process and getting you really comfortable with the secrets and knowledge you need to get really good at sales. There are no uncomfortable, pushy tactics that belong in a past era – this is about truly understanding your niche and the value of what YOU offer, so you can fully understand how you can help your client.

Live It, Love It, Sell It is full of Jules’s passion for what she does. Though it’s a short book (just over 140 pages), it’s crammed full of practical activities and steps to help you start seeing sales in a whole new light. My copy is now dog-eared and highlighted throughout, and I’m certain I’ll be dipping back into it at regular intervals when I need a reminder.

As Jules herself says: “Sell with integrity, stay true to you, and sell with soul.” Amazon Reviewer

Want to find out more? Schedule a virtual cuppa with me, and we can have a chat about my coaching services.

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