You're Thinking About Sales All Wrong Selling is impossible if you don't understand the value you bring to the table.
By David Meltzer Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Why is it that selling can be so easy for some people and so difficult for others?
The truth is, people that sell the best, the most statistically successful salespeople, are the ones that have shifted the paradigm of value. They understand what I call the 100/20 rule.
Related: 7 Key Selling Habits All Sales Professionals Must Develop
Subconscious belief and sales
The 100/20 rule is a belief that you are providing more value than your client is asking for.
Think about it. How easy would it be to trade a $100 bill in exchange for a $20 bill? If your job was to do that all day, how would you do? That is the essence of sales: Provide more value than you ask for.
When you give more than you receive, you create a void for the universe to fill. Not only that but providing value to others helps you get what you want more rapidly and accurately.
Related: 7 Tips for Getting More Sales Meetings With Prospects
Avoiding the voids
The key is how much do you believe or carry the energy that you are exchanging a $100 bill for a $20 bill? In order to carry that energy, you need to shift the paradigm of value.
Too many salespeople have fears, voids, shortages and obstacles. They don't believe in what they're selling. They're trying to fill a void because they believe that they're exchanging a $20 for $100 bill.
That is no way to be successful in sales. You need confidence in yourself and confidence in the value of what you're selling.
Related: 11 Ways to Boost Your Sales Performance
Benefits of free
When it comes to value, what people love most is getting things for free. Period.
There are so many promotional products, free t-shirts, giveaways and other items used to stimulate consumer interest. Free is what grabs an audience's attention.
One of the best examples of how shifting the paradigm of value works can be seen with MailChimp, which started offering a "freemium" version of its email marketing product. The results? Over 650 percent growth in profits and thousands of new (paying) users. MailChimp shifted the paradigm of value. It provided tons of value for users and were handsomely rewarded in return.
Some of the biggest companies in the world have been built up with this model. Facebook doesn't charge you for an account. DropBox offers a free version of its services. They know that by providing users with value, they would get value back.
Related: The 15 Characteristics of People Who Succeed at Sales
Word of mouth and ROI
Statistically speaking, a study in the Journal of Marketing Research shows that sending consumers a full product to try is associated with 20 percent increase in word of mouth and gifting extra items also leads to 15 percent increase. That's why so many companies use this strategy to stimulate interest.
Clearly, you can see how the paradigm of value plays in here. People perceive a void after receiving something for nothing and are compelled to fill that void with some value of their own: positive word of mouth. But, in order to shift the paradigm of value, you must trust the universe and be willing to give with the expectation you will receive nothing back.
Supercharging your sales
If you incorporate what I call the 100/20 rule, the universe will provide whatever you need back in a rapid and accurate way. Get out of your own way. Drop your ego. Be of service to others. Only then can you shift the paradigm of value, supercharge your power of intention, and use your subconscious belief to drive sales.
