Professional selling and marketing are much more effective when you educate and inspire. Here’s how.
Without exception, the best professionals effectively persuade and inspire through education, however subtle or detailed. A doctor might “educate” a diabetic that they’ll die if they don’t lose weight, stop eating bad carbs, and if necessary take insulin. Enough said—sold! Other patients may need to hear it umpteen times, read books or start suffering before they alter their behavior and “buy” the doctor’s good advice. Sadly, some, never learn.
Without exception, the best professionals effectively persuade and inspire through education, however subtle or detailed. A doctor might “educate” a diabetic that they’ll die if they don’t lose weight, stop eating bad carbs, and if necessary take insulin. Enough said—sold! Other patients may need to hear it umpteen times, read books or start suffering before they alter their behavior and “buy” the doctor’s good advice. Sadly, some, never learn.
As a professional in your field you can diagnose a client’s or prospect’s “tragedies” before they occur. I’ll use the word “tragedy” in a broad business term—not life or death perspective. Tragedies can be missed opportunities, needless waste or costs, physical discomfort, or financial loss. Consider the prime benefits of the product or services you provide and you’ll personalize this message.
Best advice, chart a progressive path on how you can best educate and inspire a sufficient quantity and quality of people to take proactive action and utilize what you have to offer. That’s part of what we do in developing a Lead Generating Magnet (LGM).
Easy, right? Well, it’s not too difficult to understand; let’s
do a quick review. Over forty years ago, Gordon Training International defined the four stages of learning that are
now universally accepted. For our purposes, it serves as a perfect template because we all learn this way throughout our lives.
Consider which stage your client or prospect is at:
Best advice, chart a progressive path on how you can best educate and inspire a sufficient quantity and quality of people to take proactive action and utilize what you have to offer. That’s part of what we do in developing a Lead Generating Magnet (LGM).
Easy, right? Well, it’s not too difficult to understand; let’s
do a quick review. Over forty years ago, Gordon Training International defined the four stages of learning that are
now universally accepted. For our purposes, it serves as a perfect template because we all learn this way throughout our lives.
Consider which stage your client or prospect is at:
- Unconscious Incompetence. They don’t know what they don’t know—incompetence. As a knowledgeable professional with experience, you can help them identify their need(s). Life lesson: Realize and accept that everyone has some level of resistance, stubbornness or lack of knowledge. Only basic commodities will “sell themselves”.
- Conscious Incompetence. They become knowledgeable or aware of what you have to offer—competent.
- Conscious Competence. This person “gets it”. These are your best clients and referral resources.
- Unconscious Competence. No explanation required.
Hint: As you talk with clients and prospects, listen closely. They will express to you exactly what stage they’re at—either intentionally by their knowledge and awareness, or unintentionally by their “incompetent” behavior and explanations. This is when your tact, charm, and ability to educate persuasively pays off.
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