Welcome to another edition of my “Tell Your Brand Story” Weekly LinkedIn newsletter.
Last weekend, a gym buddy unleashed a smile’s formidable power, and I learned a new sales technique from our small talk.
While having a five minutes aerobic pause, a bubbly dark-complexioned lady walked up to me and introduced herself as a dentist who had recently registered at the gym.
We made small talk, and she said my smile drew her to me.
I told her it was my secret sauce and my most important accessory. I also revealed how my smile had opened doors for me in the past.
Growing up, all I needed to do was flash a glittering smile, and I would disarm my siblings. They ended up sharing most of their snacks and allowances with me. Yeah, my smile had that charming effect 🙂
“I couldn’t agree more, Nora. I know many business owners who use smiles to close sales”, she said.
Instantly, my senses were on full alert. I needed to learn how to use my superpower to get more than snacks and handouts.
“Tell me more,” I said.
“After they’ve done all the persuasion, you know, like a sales pitch, and it seems the client is adamant, they flash the perfect smile, extend a handshake, and walk away.”
This was beginning to sound exciting, and I knew that a free lesson in marketing wouldn’t hurt my sore muscles.
I took a beat. “So how does this smile help their business”?
“The smile is a superb way of talking without talking. You’re saying: ‘I know my onions, and my offering is worth its weight in gold. So by walking away from this, you could be losing out on an incredible opportunity to change your life'”.
“A game-changing confidence that makes the client reconsider the offer, right?”
She smiled and gave me a thumbs up.
“Nora, your smile is beautiful,” she said. “But you know, our teeth typically crowd as we age, and our smile loses some sparkle.”
In the past two years, I’d begun to see some crowding in my lower teeth but didn’t think it was that obvious. But here was this dentist agitating an already delicate situation.
Had it become that obvious? Could it be that my smile had lost its luster, and I was just a crocodile with a crooked smile?
I think she read my thoughts.
“Don’t get me wrong, Nora. You still have a beautiful smile. But imagine restoring the sparkle in that beautiful smile.
“Imagine walking up to any client, flashing the perfect smile, speaking like an authority, and closing deals like a pro.
“Imagine walking into a room with poise and beaming with a smile that tells them you’re in charge.
“That’s what a power smile does for you and your business.”
She paused. Then said in a hushed tone, “sister, allow me to restore your sparkle.”
She flashed a bright smile, hugged me, and walked away.
I knew that grin. I felt it in my bones. It was a silent way of saying “walk away from this offer and keep battling with confidence issues”.
I was sold, and before long, we exchanged phone numbers. And guess who has been booked for orthodontic treatment next month? Yup, me!
Whatever you do, sell a feeling.
“You sell on emotion, but you justify a purchase with logic” – Joseph Sugarman.
Whether you sell a product or service, a compelling way to close deals is to sell a feeling, an emotion. That’s because buying decisions are often a result of a change in the customer’s emotional state.
Professor Gerald Zaltman of Harvard Business School says 95% of our purchase decision-making occurs in the subconscious mind.
So tap into the power of emotions. Let your ideal customer feel something. That feeling, not your product feature, is what closes the sale.
To sell a feeling, know your product and understand its purpose.
Ask yourself these two questions and write down the answers:
(a)What am I selling?
(b)What problem does my offer solve?
Here are a few examples to guide you:
- A dentist? You’re not selling orthodontic treatment. You’re selling confidence.
- A copywriter? You’re not selling words. You’re selling a vision and emotions.
- A teacher? You’re not selling education. You’re selling a bright future.
- An architect? You’re not selling buildings. You’re selling lasting family memories
- A chef? You’re not selling food. You’re selling happiness.
- An insurance broker? You’re not selling insurance. You’re selling peace of mind.
- An employer? You’re not selling jobs. You’re selling hope.
Let your story sell a feeling, position your product as the answer, and watch your prospects convert.
As a rule of thumb, remember that your audiences don’t care about your product. They care about how your offering can make them feel.
Let’s play a quick game.
Comment below what you do and what feeling you’re selling. This should be fun. Let’s go.
Thank you so much, and I will see you next week.
P.S. If you’re ready to create the income you deserve by taking your LinkedIn to the next level, check out my Tailored 1:1 LinkedIn coaching. It’s just a click away.