EMPOWERMENT through Sales

A proven, simple, and widely applicable formula to positively shape the world around you

To many, sales carries with it a negative stigma. Sales professionals are often seen as pushy, manipulative, and a suck of precious time that we don’t have enough of. Because of this, society often depersonalizes sales professionals, which also dissuades many people from actively participating in the sales profession and applying sales concepts to everyday life. We treat sales people in a way that we would not consider treating any other person we encounter. Unfortunately, just like other prejudices, the antics of some sales people ruin the reputation for the trade.

Sales is a part of every person’s life and the world we all live in. Everyone is a salesperson. How effective each person is, is up to the individual. When it comes to sales, everyone is either effective, ineffective, or inconsistent. The purpose of EMPOWERED Selling and CYFworld is to enrich life and empower people by moving individuals into the “effective” category on a consistent basis. Applying this formula will literally change an individuals profession, personal interactions, and confidence in creating meaningful impact for the positive. To truly understand this concept, first, it is important to define sales, and specifically EMPOWERED Selling (E=mcs²). 

Whether an individual wants to accept it or not, sales is a part of every person’s life and the world we live in.

EMPOWERED Selling is the transfer of a product or concept with a clearly defined mission that is relevant (connection) to the group or individual receiving it, and that results in mutually beneficial action.

The specific formula for Empowered Selling is E=mcs². The first component, mission, includes both the mission of the person selling AND the mission of the person being sold to. What are the goals of each? What drives or motivates the seller? What drives or motivates the customer? Both are important in bringing about mutually beneficial action. 

The second component deals with connection.  The person or people being sold need to understand how the product or concept is relevant to benefiting them and fulfilling an unmet need. In addition to connecting the dots of relevancy, the old adage of “people don’t care about how much you know, until they know how much you care” is also a component of connection.  This has to do with truly understanding your customer and making relevant personal or professional connections that the customer can relate to. In general, people are more open to those who share common traits, interests, experiences, or beliefs.

Simple & Specific, comprises one S and has to do with delivery of the message.  Less is more. Clarity in exactly how the person being sold to will benefit and exactly what they need to do in order to receive that benefit is crucial.

The second S signifies smother. Smother involves reinforcement, reminders, and supplementation with additional resources or knowledge needed to follow through with the desired mutually beneficial action.

EMPOWERED Selling is the transfer of a product or concept with a clearly defined mission that is relevant (connection) to the group or individual receiving it, and that results in mutually beneficial action.

Just like Albert Einstein’s breakthrough equation for Energy (E=mc²) paved the way for nuclear power by altering our view of the incredible potential for stable mass, the formula for Empowered Selling (E=mcs²) transforms the impact we have in the world run by sales.

Beyond “traditional sales” situations, consider the following scenarios:

Parenting: Helping a 6-year-old child understand why it is important to brush his teeth every night before bed to prevent cavities, toothache, uncomfortable dentist visits, and to maintain fresh breath, to the extent that the young child is moved to consistent action without parental micromanagement is EMPOWERED Selling. 

In contrast, a child that only brushes his teeth as a result threats or micromanagement, without the child gaining real understanding of relevant benefits and without the consistent early reinforcement required (smother) to form that habit is not EMPOWERED Selling. Once there is no longer micromanagement or the ability to follow-through on threats, the child is more likely to miss brushing his teeth. An example includes when your child spends the night at a friend’s house.  EMPOWERED Selling increases the success in creating positive action, regardless of individual personalities or circumstance.

Doctor’s visit: From the patient’s perspective, helping the physician understand that the trouble she has catching her breath and the fatigue she experiences with routine activity is much more than just being out of shape, to the extent that the physician is moved from just counseling her on diet and exercise to referring her to a specialist to rule out more serious conditions is EMPOWERED Selling.  The mutually beneficial component is that the patient receives the correct diagnosis and help for that condition, and the physician receives better patient outcome ratings with reduced hospitalizations, which they are measured against.

Coach: Moving a high school track athlete from words that are intended to motivate, but that fall flat, to words and actions that instill true belief in his ability to do more than he originally thought possible on the track is EMPOWERED Selling. “I believe in you. You can do anything if you work hard” can fail to have the intended impact if the track athlete’s internal dialogue counteracts those words with the self-sabotaging notion of, “I’ll disappoint them anyways, so I won’t try.” What is the difference between the two? True relevance to what the athlete needs to hear and see, SIMPLE & SPECIFIC measures of progress, and SMOTHERING to celebrate wins and reinforce the positive comments.

For more information and insight on EMPOWERED Selling and the release of EMPOWERMENT through Sales, a proven, simple, and widely applicable formula to positively shape the world around you, from Travis N. Jensen and CYFworld Press, subscribe at CYFworld.com