The Art of Respectful Selling: A Woman’s Guide to Building Trust and Integrity in Business with Dr. Nadia Brown
You have the power to make a different choice.” ~Dr. Nadia Brown
In this episode of Straight Talk About Sales, Dr. Nadia leads us on a journey into the profound impact of respect within sales interactions. Through her expert guidance, we learn how to shift from a persuasion-centered approach to one grounded in partnership and respect, enhancing both the ethicality and effectiveness of our sales conversations.
Dr. Nadia draws upon her extensive experience to offer a tailored set of strategies, particularly beneficial for women entrepreneurs. These strategies not only cultivate trust but also position entrepreneurs as indispensable allies in their clients' journeys to success. By prioritizing active listening, thoughtful questioning, and honoring the client's decision-making autonomy, Dr. Nadia showcases how genuine connections and enduring relationships can be nurtured.
Listeners are encouraged to reimagine their sales dialogues by acknowledging the often underestimated influence of respect. Through relatable anecdotes and pragmatic advice, Dr. Nadia demonstrates how to uphold integrity while navigating the delicate balance between persistence and respecting a prospect's boundaries. By embracing a respectful approach, Dr. Nadia underscores how both the sales process and client experience can become more gratifying, leading to heightened referrals and industry acclaim.
By the episode's conclusion, listeners are empowered to perceive each sales conversation as an opportunity not merely to secure deals but also to forge a reputation for excellence within their field. Tune in to Straight Talk About Sales to discover the transformative potential of integrating respect into your sales methodology, paving the way for enduring success.
Here’s the transcript:
Dr. Nadia 0:00
There are often a lot of different attitudes when it comes to sales. And sometimes a lot of women entrepreneurs like not doing it because it absolutely sucks. But here's the thing, it doesn't have to. And on today's episode, I'm talking about how to leverage the power of respect. That's right, R E S, P E, C T can make a massive difference in your sales conversations, the overall sales experience and your conversions.
Dr. Nadia 0:29
I'm Dr. Nadia, founder of the Doyenne agency and host of straight talk about sales podcast, and I am so excited to dive into this very important topic about respect in sales, let's get to it.
Dr. Nadia 1:07
What are the things that I often hear when having conversations with a number of women entrepreneurs is I don't want to have this convincing, I don't want to have to convince people to work with me, or I feel like I have to beg people to work with me, or there's some sense of energy around just it not being this cohesive conversation and really that invitation to partner together or to be a solution provider. And so one of the things that I like to talk about and really kind of point out when it comes to the sales process, is his whole idea around respect.
Dr. Nadia 1:52
And frankly, I have seen trainings and different interactions where that was clearly missing. And so I want to start by just defining what respects the definition of respect. And then just really starting to reframe what it looks like to have a sales conversation with someone, and to really be able to move them forward.
Dr. Nadia 2:17
But really doing it in a way that doesn't involve all the IQ that we sometimes see and possibly have already experienced on the buyer side. Like, I don't want to do that. So any here, the definition for respect is a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities or achievements. Another definition is to hold in high esteem or reverence or admire or honor.
Dr. Nadia 2:47
So when you look at that definition of respect, and you really start to reframe it. So if I look at going in to a sales conversation with a prospective client, and I have respect, that's part of this process, not only for them, but also for me, right, I have respect for myself, I'm respecting my values, I'm operating in integrity, but I also have respect for the person that I get to potentially work with.
Dr. Nadia 3:23
And I think that's a big piece that is often missing some times when you look at trainings and things that people have said how you approach a sales conversation, because that's a missing piece. If I go into a sales conversation, feeling like I have to go into this conversation with someone, and I have to convince them, that they should work with me, even if they're not a good fit, if I have to go in and be dishonorable, either by omission or just by how I engage with them.
Dr. Nadia 4:01
If I have to go into this conversation, feeling like I have to wear this person down to get to a yes. If I go into this conversation, feeling like somehow I have to manipulate and say certain things to elicit feelings of guilt, or to play on people's emotions, like I get like emotions are definitely part of the buying process.
Dr. Nadia 4:26
But they if I go into that conversation, it feels like some kind of like, I have to do these things in order to potentially get to a yes or to increase my chances of getting to a yes, then oftentimes I just don't do it. And that is often what I see. When I work with different entrepreneurs. It's like Dr. Nadia, I'm not doing all that. Like I just doesn't feel right. It feels out of integrity. And I also know from experience how it felt when it was done to me and I'm not going to turn around and do that to others.
Dr. Nadia 4:58
So again today I definitely want So I just have this conversation because now if we reframe it, when I'm going into a conversation, as a strategic ally, to really position myself and to really not even position to show up in service, right, I'm also coming in to ask questions. And to really understand better more fully how me and or my company, my team can best support this person and get it when getting what it is that they desire, or helping them to solve a problem.
Dr. Nadia 5:29
So we're solution provider, and we're coming in, and we're having this conversation to help bridge that gap. I'm also coming into this conversation to be listening ear like to listen to and hear what's going on. So my job isn't to do all of the talking. Matter of fact, if you're talking too much, that's probably problematic. Like you ask questions, use it, but you listen, right. So when you start to reframe it, but then I love adding this element about respect, like this.
Dr. Nadia 5:57
And like, think about it, if you go into a sales conversation, and you have deep admiration, or honor or reverence for yourself, and for the person that you're talking to, it totally shifts the energy of the conversation, because I'm not coming into this conversation, when I'm not coming into this conversation from a place of desperation, or a place of trying to do all the things where I'm disrespectful to myself, or going against my values and my beliefs.
Dr. Nadia 6:32
But I'm also not coming into this conversation to treat the person that I am having a conversation with my prospective client, like they are less than, like they like, you know, like, I'm just gonna come in because I know everything, and I know all the answers. And do you really like yes, your solution provider guess. And you don't always know it all. And you learn more when you actually listen.
Dr. Nadia 7:01
And so having the understanding the power of respect, and really reframing how you come into conversations will shift how you show up, it also shifts the experience, not only for yourself, gonna be like, Oh, my gosh, this feels so good. Let's do it again, like I can have these conversations all day long. But it also shifts the experience for your prospective client, because chances are, you've had negative sales experiences.
Dr. Nadia 7:28
So have they and they're coming into this sales conversation, bringing all of their baggage and their previous experiences, just like you're bringing yours, right, and you're both meeting at the table. And you're having a conversation, you got to sift through all of that within the conversation. So one of the gifts that you get to give your prospective clients in a sales conversation is one, the gift of presence.
Dr. Nadia 7:51
So being fully present, and able to really listen and lean in and understand where they're coming from. But then you also give to give them the gift of having a different sales experience. Because chances are, they may have never had one like this, and what a gift it is for them to come to you and your team and your company and be like, Oh my gosh, that sales experience was off the charts.
Dr. Nadia 8:21
I've never gone into a sales conversation where I've, you know, been seeking to interview a solution provider, and they actually listened to me, you know, and they asked me questions, and they wanted to know how I felt about it. And they honored me. Wait, what, what is this about? Right? And so how would that feel? How would it feel to also honor their buying process. So when you think about some of the things that we may have heard or been taught, or in some instances, we tried it ourselves.
Dr. Nadia 8:54
And I don't know about this, where we don't always honor our prospects buying process, or our sales process hasn't been set up to honor that. And so what I mean by that is not all of your buyers come to a sales conversation raw ready to go. Some do and many do, because many of us leverage inbound marketing, they've already been kind of researching us. We've educated them on some things, they've been checking some things out.
Dr. Nadia 9:22
So they they're not coming in completely cold. And they typically we have them fill out some site a form or questionnaire. So we have a little more information about them, we can come to this conversation without knowing a little bit about where we started. So we're not always starting from zero, right? So there is that piece of it, but also to now come into a conversation where you're leaning in and you're also honoring the fact that maybe they need to sleep on it.
Dr. Nadia 9:48
And they really mean it like some tell you a number of times where I've been told, well if they say that and that's just an excuse. Well, it may be I don't know, like I'm not in there. Rain. But I also know that there are people who genuinely meet it. And I've seen it happen, where I need to sleep on it. Let me you know, look at some things, and there are things that we can do to ensure we stay in the conversation while still honoring and respecting their process. Right. So I think it's important, though, to really look at what would that look like?
Dr. Nadia 10:22
So someone comes to you, and they say, Great, this has been awesome. And there's some things that you know, I want to sleep on it, I want to check on some things, I want to run it by somebody or whatever. Do you are you prepared? Do you know how you're going to respond respectfully, and to just stay in the conversation? Because there is that part about sales folks, and I can't remember this, that right off my top of my head right now. But it's pretty dismal in terms of follow up, right.
Dr. Nadia 10:48
So that is a part of the process. So you have to look at your sales process, but there's a way to do follow up. And to stay in that conversation respectfully, versus basically, you're not getting off this call until you know, we make some sort of guarantee. Right. And I have seen and I've, I've shared the story, I think on our, our blog back when we had, and it was I was I was doing sales for an event.
Dr. Nadia 11:16
And I had a woman that I had the chance to connect with England, want to say the investment was probably around 15 $20,000. Right? nothing to sneeze at. And, um, she was like, this all sounds really good, Dr. Nadia, but I want to sleep on it. You know, is that okay? And I was like, Sure. So yeah, how about you go ahead and sleep on it. And I'll just let's just make a plan to connect sometime tomorrow morning. I can't remember the exact time it was the last day than tomorrow morning would have been the last day of the event. She's like, okay, great.
Dr. Nadia 11:47
So she went, she slept on it. The next morning, I think she actually I can't remember for sure. But she didn't ghost me. Let's just say that. I don't know if I reached out to her. And I agree upon time, or she reached out to me first. But we reconnected and she, you know, week, so we get on this call together. And she's just kind of processing.
Dr. Nadia 12:07
So she's just talking about some things and I'm just like, okay, and I'm just listening. And she's processing out loud. And she goes, okay, I'm good. Let's do it. And she enrolled. Just like that, it was so easy. And then she turned around, and she goes, thank you. Thank you for listening to me and for allowing me to talk it out. And it was so natural.
Dr. Nadia 12:33
So again, had I tried to be like, Well, no, what do you need to think about? And you could just make the decision now and let you know, like, she would have been like girl calm down. And she might not have move forward. Right? But by respecting that, need to sleep on it. Great. When do you would you like to reconnect? Let's reconnect remembering to do my part, right? My partner doesn't show up, show up.
Dr. Nadia 12:58
And then allow her I didn't come in. We already talked about all the things right? I didn't come in with Well, what about this? Did you think about this? It was generally where are you? How are you feeling? Did you sleep well? any more questions you have, and then giving her the space to just think about it and talk it out loud out loud and offering a listening ear. And as she was able to make the decision that was best for her, like I already told her what I thought about I think this is great for you.
Dr. Nadia 13:26
But um, she she's the one that has to show up and do the work to write. So I think that that is an important piece that is often missing. And that goes back to a piece. And I'll definitely make sure we do an episode on this around the process piece. Because sometimes when our processes aren't in place, and we don't know what those next steps are, then we get all in our head and we just start saying they're doing stuff that doesn't always make sense.
Dr. Nadia 13:52
But I also think that it also comes down to an attitude, an attitude, and a way of being when we show up to sales conversations. And I'm in a position where I'm not coming from a place of anything but who I am I show up fully as Dr. Nadia looking to serve. If you've ever had a conversation with me, even a sales conversation, you'll know we often laugh, we sometimes people cry.
Dr. Nadia 14:20
And it's just because I'm there full service. How can I support you? What's going on? Sometimes? That's a loaded question, right? And just how can I best support you? And if I'm not the one, if I'm not the best person to support you, or our team is not the best person ordinate maybe we're not the best next step like there may be some things that you need to do in order to be prepared to work with us. Guess what?
Dr. Nadia 14:46
I can make some connections and I'm willing and honored to do that. It has to be a part of your sales process. But first is whole thing about honor and reverence and admiration. chant like it's a total attitude shift. So I don't come into a conversation thinking that I know everything for everyone. And I'm coming into this conversation to tell you all the things I know about what I may not know.
Dr. Nadia 15:14
But no, it's really, how can I be of service. And here's what I see based on the information that I have. So we do when people sign up to have sales conversations with us and our team, they do fill out a questionnaire, sometimes it's long, sometimes we've kind of played around with that. And you know, I can speak to what I know. And based on some of that information, we can go out and do some research, looking at your website, your LinkedIn, whatever information we have, right. But that's not a full picture.
Dr. Nadia 15:43
So I could come in and say, here's what I know. And here's what I may be thinking. But I definitely want to hear more about where you are and what else may be going on that you didn't share. Or sometimes things happen between the time that you scheduled that appointment and the time we actually talk. So bring me up to speed right on what's happening, like we live in a dynamic world.
Dr. Nadia 16:04
So it could have been yesterday, and things happen, right. So just being able to really come from a different place. But I think that we often overlook the power of respect. And many times, I feel it, that's a missing piece that is overlooked in sales trainings, because you're taught sometimes to show up differently, and that doesn't feel right, and it doesn't feel authentic, it doesn't mesh, you're not in alignment, and so you just show up are weird and out of alignment, or you just don't show up at all.
Dr. Nadia 16:39
There's that too. Like I did that for years, I was like I'm not gonna run out. But that wasn't my business grow either. Because I want to talk to people, it's a hot mess, hot mess, express, let me tell you. So remember, respect for yourself, really get clear on your values, and how you want your prospects to feel as they're going through.
Dr. Nadia 16:59
Or as they are on their client journey with your company, your organization, right, having respect for you in terms of what do you need to do to just protect you prepare you your mindset, all that behind the scenes work, so that you can truly show up as the expert and a professional that you are both fully being present. And being yourself like, you don't have to feel like I have to put on a mask and show up as someone that I am not having respect for the prospect and wherever they're coming from in their journey, but also respecting their buying process.
Dr. Nadia 17:37
That could be one of your questions like, you know, tell me a little bit about how you do and how you make decisions or where you are in this whole buying decision making process, you know, scale of one to 10, like there's so several different ways you can do that. They're really having respect for that. And then just having a process where you guys stay in communication, you stay connected, you don't check out of the conversation, but you respect their process.
Dr. Nadia 18:02
And right now I can tell you that a lot more people are taking their time they're doing their due diligence, they're more reluctant to just jump into something without having feeling like they've done their homework, if you will. And that can look different. Whether they've done feel like they've done enough prior to the conversation, I feel like I need to do a little bit more after the conversation.
Dr. Nadia 18:23
Where are there places within your sales process where you can be more transparent. So you can help equip them and enable them to understand have more tools and resources to understand how your company can help them with their problem or be that solution provider. Like there's so many things that go into it.
Dr. Nadia 18:42
But at the crux of it is the power of respect. How are you respecting yourself, your prospects, the way they make decisions, their finances, the way they spend and invest their money? How are you doing that and looking at how that is set up all throughout is sprinkled throughout the entire buying journey or customer journey, right? In addition to I should say, the actual sales conversation, that's just a actually that's the small microcosm of the entire sales process. This is our conversation.
Dr. Nadia 19:19
And so when you take a step back and look at it, it really starts to shift things. But one of the bigger things that really starts to shift is people's attitude and response to sales and having sales conversations and feeling like, oh, I can do this. And I don't have to become someone that I'm not an Oh, it doesn't have to be all the things that we sometimes say that sales needs to be because we've either seen people teach it that way or we've just experienced it in our own lives.
Dr. Nadia 19:47
And we're just like, I don't want to do that. You have the power to make a different choice. And so I invite you to do that. Like where can we infuse some more respect in this and knowing that it's an ongoing process like, there are always some new things, they may come up for you, you're like, oh, okay, we can do this.
Dr. Nadia 20:04
And we can adjust this. Right. And there's, again, the entire client journey, not just the actual conversation, like that's a piece of it, it's an important piece of it. But there are also other places where you can also infuse a lot more respect and transparency and support for your prospective clients to give them a different experience. Even if they don't ever do business with your company. It doesn't mean they won't refer people, right.
Dr. Nadia 20:28
And so you know, how do we infuse these different things to really make it an a pleasant experience, sales should not have to be, it doesn't have to suck? It doesn't have to be this terrible experience for either party involved? And how can we in our companies start to shift that for people so that when they engage with our companies, they do have a different experience is pleasant, whether they say yea or nay. And it's pleasant for them. And it's pleasant for us.
Dr. Nadia 20:59
So as you're taking a moment to think about that, and really reflecting on that, after, you know, listening to this episode is really important, you know, to see where can we do this and then mapping out your strategic plan. No, one resource that we do have because we all have blind spots, and you may be like, okay, definitely I think I got this but what about this, we do have our blind spot quiz, I would love for you to take it and just kind of see where you are is complimentary, no charge.
Dr. Nadia 21:28
And you can do that at discover yoursalesblindspot.com I also want you to discover your sales blind spot.com. We'll make sure that's in the show notes. And then also don't forget that if you have questions, feedback, or you want us to answer a question on an upcoming episode, email us at ask Dr. Nadia at the doyenneagency.com and we will make sure that we get that question answered on a future episode. So that's ask Dr. Nadia at the Doyenneagency.com. Now let's go out and leverage the power of respect and all of our upcoming sales conversations and infuse it all throughout our client buying journey. I'll see you next time.