Selling is one of the most AWKWARD things anyone can do. 

Because, asking someone for money is awkward. 

Asking someone you don't know for money is awkward. 

This is why so many people struggle in selling! 

(Sales managers, please read that previous sentence again!)

I was told, "Just sell better" so many times in my career. 

My problem is I've never been a "natural salesperson" so knowing how to naturally sell better was like a foreign language for me. Finally after being yelled at for the umpteenth time about my "leasing velocity" (I may not have known what that term meant at that time, but I did know I was being corrected!) I knew I needed to make a change. 

If this resonated with you, here is what helped me boost my performance in selling...

Instead of focusing on "selling" to my clients,  I focused on connecting with my clients. 

Now, the science of human connection can't really be distilled down to one blog post, however I'd like to suggest these strategies to create (what I call) connected communication. 

One: Practice "The Present Principle"

The present principle is very simple, wherever you are, be there, and there only. Whomever you're with, be with that person, and that person only. And make sure they know that you're fully present with them. 

On a scale of 1-10 how present do the people around you feel you are when you're with them?

What would you need to do to increase the score?

Two: Make Sure Your Customers Knows You're Listening

If your eyes are always darting around, if you keep glancing at your Apple Watch, if you don't make eye contact, if you get the details wrong, or ask a question that your customer already gave you information to, they're not going to feel as if you're listening.

So, the big picture idea here is make your customer has evidence that you're paying attention! 

Three: Uncover Their Hidden Desire 

The purpose of being fully present with, and listening to, your clients is so that you can uncover the hidden desire that will drive their buying decision. Just about every customer has some deeper motivation or reason for what will help them "fall in love" with an apartment (or product/service). 

Your job in sales is to discover what that is. 

Four: Decision Not Information

Too many sales pros make the mistake of focusing on giving their customer lots and lots of information, in the hope that the barrage of information will help them make a decision. While that sounds good in theory, the truth is strictly information-based selling, can actually overwhelm (or underwhelm) your customer and make them less likely to buy from you. What you want to do is provide information that is designed to move your client towards making a positive decision. 

HINT: If your customers seems overwhelmed, or doesn't seem able to make a decision (especially when the apartment is  perfect) that may be a symptom that you're giving too much information or are not focusing on the right kind of information that will help your client buy from you. 

Move Past the Awkward

The great news is that even if you don't like to sell, creating connected communication with your client will help you feel more comfortable asking for the sale, and help your client be ready to say yes when you do ask for the sale, with both of you walking away feeling "good" about it all!