MARCH 2009 | AGENT'S SALES JOURNAL8
SalesReview
You Can't Always Get What You Want...Or Can You?
BY AMY BELL
Think about the most accomplished
people you know. What makes them
so successful? Is it their intelligence?
Their dashing good looks? Their undeni-
able charm? While these qualities are
certainly valuable, some believe that
success comes down to a single trait:
persuasiveness.
"Deep down, we want everyone to
listen and do exactly what we want,"
Kurt W. Mortensen writes in "Persua-
sion IQ: The 10 Skills You Need to Get
Exactly What You Want" (Amacom,
2008). "We have learned from society
to use intimidation, coercion, control,
force, or sometimes compromise to get
what we want. Why settle for short-term
compliance when you can have lasting
long-term influence?"
The founder of a training organiza-
tion called The Persuasion Institute,
Mortensen has spent 17 years research-
ing the art of persuasion. Along the way,
he has discovered that, contrary to past
studies, success depends on much more
than simply IQ and EQ (emotional intel-
ligence quotient).
"My studies show that those who enjoy
greaterhappinessandwealthinlifepossess
a high ability to persuade, influence, sell,
negotiate, motivate, lead, and understand
human nature," he writes. "I call it your
`Persuasion IQ' (PQ).
In his book, Mortensen reveals how
readers can tap into their persuasive pow-
ers and triumph in both their professional
and personal lives.
Talk less; listen more
Far too many agents and financial advi-
sors believe they can talk their way into
any sale. However, Mortensen points out
that if you want to persuade and prevail,
you have to shut your mouth every now
and then.
Let's say a client calls your office. Be-
cause they took the time to contact you,
they probably need something. However,
if you spend the entire call running your
mouth, you'll never discover what the
client needs. On the other hand, if you
shut up and listen, your client can talk
through what they want -- and they
may even persuade themselves that they
need your services.
"Remember, it's about them, not you,"
Mortensenwrites."Greatpersuaderslisten
more than they talk. When you do have
to talk, be succinct and to the point. A
good rule of thumb is not to talk more
than 30 percent of the time."
Stop beating yourself up
If you have low self-esteem, you may
have a hard time persuading others.
"Studies show that high self-esteem
strongly influences your success and
your ability to persuade, lead, and
influence," Mortensen writes.
Unfortunately, giving your self-esteem
a lift is easier said than done. If you want
to defeat low self-esteem, Mortensen
suggests that you stop making illogical
and irrational comparisons.
"We are constantly bombarded by
advertising messages telling us how we
should look, dress, and smell; what we
should eat; and what we should drive.
We can never measure up to these stan-
dards because they are false hopes or
expectations," Mortensen writes. "Stop
using phantom measuring sticks. You
are in charge of your life."
Learn to enjoy objections
We all run into objections on a weekly, if
not daily, basis. Whether it's a client turn-
ing down a new product you're selling or
SALES DARK SIDEFROM
THE
your boss rejecting a business proposal,
objections are just a part of life. Although
most of us despise dealing with objec-
tions, Mortensen says we should learn
to enjoy them.
"When you become a great persuader,
you will view objections differently than
most people do," Mortensen writes. "You
will even welcome objections and enjoy
handling them ... It may be surprising, but
when there are no objections during the
persuasionprocess,thepersuader'ssuccess
rate actually drops dramatically."
In "Persuasion IQ," Mortensen reveals
that with the proper training, the right
mind-set, and an arsenal of winning
tactics, anyone can master the art of
persuasion.
"Lack of persuasion, lack of trust, old-
style persuasion, and lack of people skills
cost businesses billions of dollars a year
in lost revenue," he writes. "How much
has lack of persuasion or a low PQ cost
you? Now is the time to upgrade your
skills instead of relying on techniques
of the past."
Amy Bell is a freelance writer and frequent con-
tributor to the Agent's Sales Journal. Visit her Web
site at www.writepunch.com or email her at amy@
writepunch.com. "Persuasion IQ: The 10 Skills You
Need to Get Exactly What You Want" is available
at www.amanet.org/books.
Jill's Presentation Misses the Mark
As a rookie, I once was so terrified of a prospect yelling at me, I
literally passed out from sheer fear and intimidation. One minute
I'm cowering, the next the lights go out. But that was nothing
compared to my first days in selling with the Professional Selling
Skills (PSS) program.
The PSS training came from that big copier company Xerox.
They had one of the first truly great sales training systems. It was
spun off into a separate training firm. I was excited to start my
career with an organization that invested in PSS and gave great
sales support to its reps.
There was one particular rule that my manager enforced: No-
body goes on a sales call alone until they have memorized their
presentation, word for word.
I stayed up late at night and read my script over and over and
over. During the day, I would ride with experienced reps or my
manager to observe the sales skills of our firm's financial services
professionals.
I would stand before my sales manager and practice my pitch.
I'd blow it, just something small, and still be told, "Keep working
on it, Jill. See you later." One day I finally nailed it. My manager
smiled and said, "Looks like you're ready to go solo!" I would be
handed my leads the next day.
I was as nervous that day as I would have been on a blind date
(which seems to be a perfect description of most early sales calls).
Standing before a businessman, I began to speak. The memorized
script was perfectly imprinted on my brain.
So throughout my presentation, I called him, just as the manual
read, "Mr. Prospect."
I felt both humiliated and stupid. No sale, of course.
The Moral: Jill's blunder should help you think about how you
view and treat your prospects. Do you respect them as individuals?
The way you show respect is by working to discover their exact
needs and to address those specific needs before switching on
your autopilot pitch. By contrast, do prospects view you as an
individual? How do you strive to be memorable, standing out
from thousands of sales animals badgering buyers each day?
Your actions and attitude should reflect who you are and what
you have to offer -- you, and you alone.
Sales from the Dark Side is compiled by speaker and trainer Dan
Seidman. For more tales, visit www.salesautopsy.com.

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