#120 R2-D2 or You?
This post is dedicated to the inimitable Leo Libeson. Leo was my first real sales mentor and embodied all that I write about today and more!
In my sales life, I persisted with the notion that B2B is really P2P (business-to-business is really person-to-person). I've shaped my career with this philosophy.
Being personal is not about oversharing or prying into your clients' or prospects' lives; it is about being human in an environment that often feels transactional.
Many salespeople have the misguided notion that the product or the dollars carry the most weight, but they're wrong. The relationship is the engine that drives the financial and features conversations.
Today, in the age of AI, emphasizing only products and money will commoditize you to the point of irrelevance. An algorithm is significantly more adept at drilling down into price and product fit than we are, so those who compete on these criteria are the people AI will replace. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sales professionals who worry about being replaced by AI let their fear drive them to price as a differentiator, thereby creating the perfect environment for AI sales.
Buyers are inundated with data, most of which is available via Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, etc. They don't need you to bring them information. They need you to shepherd them through the process. What cuts through the noise is trust, and trust is built person to person, not data to person.
Being personal means listening beyond the stated problem and understanding the pressures, fears, and aspirations behind it. People make many buying decisions based on risk avoidance. Understanding the nuance of fear is something great sales professionals do. No number of five-star reviews can match the comfort of an understanding relationship that assuages fear and brings confidence to the buyer.
Personal selling also shows up in small, intentional acts: remembering a client's priorities, following up without being prompted, remembering personal facts about one's clients, or admitting when your solution isn't the right fit. These moments enhance a sense of integrity, trust, and respect, which matter far more than features or price.
In a corporate setting, professionalism creates credibility, but authenticity creates connection. PEOPLE do business with PEOPLE they trust and PEOPLE they like.
Tell the truth, advocate for your client, and align with them. Listen more than you speak and ask high-mileage questions. Remember the answers and park them in your CRM. It's easy for me to remember my friend's dog's name, but what if I have a couple of hundred clients? Can I possibly remember all the Maxs and Bellas? Am I inauthentic to have to jot down and review these tidbits of information about my client? Not at all. I am genuinely interested in them as people and professionals, and that genuine interest sets me apart from other salespeople and, of course, bots.
Being personal doesn't make you less polished or less of a professional. In the end, even the largest corporate deals are still decided by individuals who want to feel understood, valued, and confident in the person sitting across the table.
Own Your Sales Gene…