91: Storytelling x Sales

Pattern of Purpose episode 91 with Nikki Rausch

An unfortunate result of highly aggressive, bro-tastic marketing gurus shouting at us to learn their “latest and greatest tips” is that we tune their message out completely. We associate sleaze with sales and do the opposite of what they say, nearly to the point of avoiding sales conversations altogether.

If you’re a skeptic, I ask that you give this topic another chance. As you’ll learn in this episode, selling isn’t just about bringing new people in; it’s about giving our current customers an opportunity to continue receiving highly valuable results.

For this conversation I’m joined by Nikki Rausch. Nikki uses her two decades of experience selling to organizations like The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and NASA to help business owners reframe the concept of sales and create true connection.

On this episode we discuss:

The fine line between giving too much away for for and providing extreme value,
Where storytelling and sales converge,
How your lived experience provides you with credibility, and
What you can do to avoid prospects ghosting you.

MEET NIKKI RAUSCH

After 25 years of experience selling to such prestigious organizations as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, and NASA, Nikki Rausch decided to trade in her road warrior status so she could help entrepreneurs sell in a way that builds relationships, creates true connection, and results in more closed deals and long-term clients.

Now, as a sales coach, author, speaker and founder of Sales Maven, Nikki transforms the misunderstood process of “selling” into techniques, tools, and tips that can be successfully incorporated into a process replicable by anyone whose livelihood relies on selling a product, a service, or themselves.

TOP TAKEAWAYS

Once someone says yes, avoid the temptation to keep selling.
Your goal is to move people toward a decision.
You can give away plenty of information for free, but customized recommendations should be reserved for paying clients.
Memorizing a sales pitch isn’t effective.
You have to let clients know when you’re adding something of value for free.
There is so much power in the pause. Stop talking and allow your clients to reflect what they’re feeling with you.

QUOTES BY NIKKI

“Relationship first, rapport always.”

“Sales is not something you do to someone. Your job is not to convince somebody to buy from you. Your job is not to create pain to shame someone into buying from you. Your job is to understand who the person is and whether you have a solution that can help them.”

“When people pay for something they value it.”

“When I was starting my business, so many people said to me, ‘Girl, do not put the word sales in your title. No one will hire you.’”