You’re probably wondering, is this some new technique or gimmick? The answer is an emphatic, no. Techniques and gimmicks are part of the problem not part of a process that leads to increased sales, and long-lasting relationships that bring additional sales plus new sales from referrals. After all, wouldn’t you rather talk to a referral than place a cold call any day? You can develop a referral based business and it begins when you make a commitment to stop selling and start helping people to buy.

When you hear the words “sales person” what comes to mind? The car salesperson who asks, “What will it take to sell you a car today?” The real estate agent that tries to convince you that this property is perfect for you even though it doesn’t meet your essential criteria. Perhaps you think of the insurance agent that tells you that you can’t afford not to buy this insurance if you care about your family, even though they haven’t asked you a single question about your perception of the value of this insurance to your family. You know that you do not want to be this “sales” person. You know that while these sales tactics may work, they will never help you to grow a base of loyal customers that come back to you for repeat sales and freely send referrals to you.

Many of you have had extensive “sales” training. The truth is that most of that training was related to product/service knowledge and prepared you to present a scripted presentation intended to have them eating out of your hands. So, how’s that working for you? That’s what I thought. If that alone worked so well you would have stopped reading long before this point.

So how do you stop selling and increase your revenues? The answer comes from learning how to help people to buy rather than selling to them. The most significant difference between selling and helping someone buy is the mental mind set that comes from being an “assistant buyer” versus a “sales person”. An “assistant buyer” doesn’t sell anyone anything ever! An “assistant buyer” is an expert listener and focuses the conversation on the buyer, on their needs and wants. The “assistant buyer” helps the customer to buy exactly what they want in the exact manner that they have told the “assistant buyer” that they like to buy! That sounds remarkably easy doesn’t it? It is, once you’ve learned how to readjust your thinking and interaction with the customer in a manner that helps them to both like and trust you.

Start developing your assistant buyer skills today. As an assistant buyer you will want to: become a net-weaver helping others and making connections, learn that questions are the key to sales, place the needs of others ahead of your own, seek first to understand and then to help, be trustworthy and respected by everyone around you, and realize that you are making lifetime relationships. As you make changes and improvements in your skills you will begin to achieve remarkable sales while building strong relationships that lead to your long-term success with far less work.