Selling without selling 2025

Full video one hour

Resource links at the bottom

Radio interview 14 minutes

This briefing document summarises the key themes, important ideas, and actionable strategies discussed in the provided excerpts from "#1 Selling without selling." The session emphasises a fundamental shift in perspective regarding sales, moving away from aggressive techniques towards a more empathetic and collaborative approach.

Core Thesis:

The central argument is that effective selling is not about forcing or manipulating, but about understanding needs, providing solutions, and building genuine relationships. As the speaker states, the core idea is to "find out what makes their lives better by asking them and then tell them how what you do makes their lives better." This process is referred to as "selling without selling."

Key Themes and Ideas:

1. Sales as an Integral Part of Marketing: Sales is not a standalone function. It exists within the broader context of marketing, which sets the scene, determines the sales process based on the marketplace, and handles promotions and advertising to educate potential clients before a salesperson even engages.

• "sales is actually one aspect of marketing... and it does not exist independent from marketing"

1. Redefining "Selling": The traditional negative connotations associated with selling (sharks, dirty profession) are challenged. Selling is presented as a process that enables buyers to satisfy their needs, wants, and desires.

• "nothing's wrong with selling other than how you look at it"
• "it's a process by which the salesperson finds out what the needs wants and desires of anywhere anybody else are and enables those to be satisfied"

1. The Dangers of Bad Selling: The speaker strongly criticises unethical and ineffective sales practices. These include forcing people to buy, promising undeliverable results, crippling discounts, lying, being inauthentic, and misrepresenting information. These practices damage the profession and erode trust.

• "my pet hate is bad salespeople"
• "Lying about anything is the biggest sin in the book"
• "Being inauthentic because your customer will sense immediately that you're not being authentic"

1. Mindset is Crucial: A successful salesperson approaches interactions with the genuine intention to help others. This mindset is paramount and will be conveyed to the potential client, whether consciously or subconsciously.

• "if you go into it with a mindset that says well look I'm here to see if I can help you make your life better... that will come over in your first interactions"

1. Show, Don't Just Tell (The "Show and Tell" Approach): Demonstrating the product or service is presented as a highly effective sales technique, particularly in the context of the Maltix proposition using the QR site. This allows the potential client to visualize the benefits and functionality directly.

• "this is about sales techniques now again I'm going to show you how the best what I think is the best way to sell the maltix proposition... I'm using an Americanism and I'm calling it show and tell"

1. Building Rapport and Connection: Establishing a personal connection with the client is fundamental. Finding common ground helps to build trust and makes the client more receptive. This is a foundational step in any sales interaction.

• "in any sale you start the whole transaction by creating rapport in other words you find something that links that that that indicates a commonality between you and the person you're talking to"
• "This is about building Rapport because people buy from people which is sales 101"

1. The Sales Process: A Structured Approach: The session outlines a multi-phase sales process, starting with Discovery (finding needs), followed by understanding decision-makers and requirements. Key stages include Confirmation, Presentation, dealing with Objections (ideally avoided), Agreement, Closing, and Reassurance.

• "these are the phases of a sale so you start here in fact with Discovery"

1. Embracing the "No" and Elegant Exits: Salespeople should not be afraid of rejection. An elegant exit, thanking the potential client for their time and leaving the door open for future interaction, is preferable to aggressively pursuing a sale that isn't a good fit.

• "don't be afraid of the no because..."
• "you exits leaving all the doors open and respecting the fact that they've said no you don't keep battering through objections because that just makes everybody fed up"

1. The Power of Questioning (Spin Selling): While briefly mentioned as a more advanced technique, the concept of using strategic questioning to uncover needs and problems (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff - SPIN) is highlighted as a method for "selling without selling much." This approach guides the client to identify their own needs and the value of the proposed solution.

• "spin I'm going to talk about later because this is actually how you sell without selling much"

1. Focus on the "What's in it for me?" for the Client: Successful selling centers on highlighting the benefits to the client, not just listing the features of the product or service. The language used should focus on how the client's life will be improved.

• "people buy on the basis of what's in it for me"

1. Customer Service and Post-Sale Reassurance: Ensuring the customer is happy and understands their purchase after the sale is vital for building reputation and preventing cancellations. Follow-up and reassurance help to combat "buyers remorse."

• "the salesman has to ensure that the customer is happy with and understands their purchase"
• "thank them for the order... and then you reassure them"

1. Qualifying Prospects: It's important to determine if a prospect is a genuine lead. This involves asking questions to understand their level of interest, budget, and needs. Not every prospect is a potential customer.

• "what about un qualifying a lead because a um a prospect is not a lead... how how do you qualify a prospect to become a lead"

Most Important Facts/Ideas:

• Selling is about helping, not manipulating. Shift your mindset from selling to assisting.
• Understand the client's needs, wants, and desires before proposing a solution.
• Show, don't just tell. Utilise demonstrations and visuals to convey value.
• Embrace rejection as a natural part of the process. Don't waste energy on those who aren't interested.
• Build rapport and genuine connections with clients.
• Focus on the benefits to the client ("What's in it for me?").
• Ensure the client understands their purchase and feels reassured after the sale.
• Qualify prospects to focus efforts on genuine leads.
• Bad selling practices are counterproductive and immoral.

Practical Application (Maltix Context):

The Maltix QR site is presented as a primary tool for implementing the "show and tell" approach. Salespeople can use their own QR site to demonstrate the product's capabilities and allow potential clients to explore its features interactively. The QR site facilitates sharing information, gathering contact details, and even initiating the order process. The content emphasises guiding the client through the site, explaining the benefits of each feature in terms of how it improves their business.

In conclusion, the briefing advocates for a more human-centric, transparent, and service-oriented approach to sales. By focusing on understanding and meeting client needs with integrity, salespeople can build trust, achieve sustainable results, and find fulfillment in helping others. The provided information challenges conventional sales wisdom and offers a refreshing perspective on building a successful business through genuine connection and valuable solutions.