Chris Spurvey is the author of It’s Time to Sell: Cultivating the Sales Mindset. After consciously choosing the sales profession as a means to create a better life for his family. Chris realized that negative images of sales were holding him back. By shifting his mind-set, Chris was able to transform his “inner game” and use his innate values and talents to become a top sales professional.
Chris joined a boutique IT consulting firm in 2006 and spearheaded its growth to the point it was acquired by KPMG Canada in 2013, where he now serves as the VP of Business Development for Atlantic Canada.
He has delivered talks throughout North America on cultivating the sales mindset.
Main Questions Asked:
- What do you consider the characteristics of a good salesperson?
- Where does the sales mind-set come in?
- What do you consider social selling?
- What do you attribute your success to in LinkedIn?
Key Lessons Learned:
Sales
- Sales has changed, social media and the ability to educate ourselves has made selling different in the modern day.
- A salesperson used to have to be highly manipulative since it was a very competitive environment. The psyche of the buyer has changed, they have more defenses in place against that kind of sales process. Being authentic and caring about the customer is more effective today.
- Sales are the means to acquire the skills of the entrepreneur.
- Many people struggle because of their preconceived notions of what selling means.
- Sales is about being of service, problem solving, and finding ways to bring people your true value. When you change your mindset around sales it will feel much more natural for you.
- Social selling is the way people are educating themselves via the web and the signals they are giving off. It’s about looking through the eyes of the buyer and connecting personally. If you want to grow your business you have to focus on those platforms as a strategist with intention. Stick with the platform that works best for you.
Mindset
- There are only two major ways to change, either something emotionally impactive or forced repetition and adjusting what you see on the “screen of your mind”.
- Chris formulated a motto that allowed him to focus on the energy of progress instead of just the numbers. He celebrated the small wins and focused on building relationships and the progress.
- Changing your mindset can bring your life more happiness at the same time as make your sales process easier.
- Now matter what stage your life is in, there is always a box around you determined by your mindset and perceptions.
LinkedIn
- After creating his profile as a place to put his resume, Chris realized that LinkedIn was a great multiplier effect. He used LinkedIn as a way to network with other IT consultants after learning about them personally.
- Later on, LinkedIn became a publishing platform for Chris and allowed him to start giving value to the people who would later on become his network.
- Chris has seen that posts have been the most effective effort that he has been putting in, many of which are focused on sharing the multidimensional aspects of his personality. It helps to show yourself as a person who is relatable and not just aa brand.
- Creating a nice flow and congruity between your LinkedIn profile and your website is a good way to generate leads.
- LinkedIn groups are hit or miss at this point.
- People are on LinkedIn to promote themselves but they also bring the other aspects of their life and the problems they want to solve. It’s not always about professionalism, there is space to connect.
Final Tips
- Sales doesn’t have to be salesy. If you change your mindset towards sales, it can be your greatest tool for growing your business.
- When it comes to personal branding, don’t be afraid to share the other aspects of your life.
- LinkedIn is for more than just your resume, try connecting with people on a personal level first.
Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and leave a 5-star rating and review in iTunes!
Links to Resources Mentioned
The Greatest Networker In The World
Mach 2 With Your Hair On Fire
LinkedIN Success
