⚡️ Today’s level up ⚡️
In this edition, we’ll dive deep into why the best thing to do to elevate your sales craft is to treat yourself like a brand. I’ll also share a simple system to help you think of yourself as a brand.
The mission:
→ Read this in <7 minutes right now
→ Rethink your approach to selling as if you were a brand
→ Develop your own brand by using the simple system below
Let’s go…
What if your buyers rated your performance? What would they say about you?
When I posted this image on LinkedIn yesterday, my friend Jen Allen-Knuth commented something very interesting which provides a good place for me to start this article so that you can reframe how you think about your craft as a seller:
“Imagine if there was a Yelp for sellers. Customers could rate their experience with individual sellers and that ranking would be shared with the prospect before the seller’s call connected.”
Wow, that would be quite something, especially in SaaS, right?
Things would have to change pretty quickly. Lots of sellers would get exposed. Training and skilling up sellers would take on a new dynamic.
So let’s try something – think back on all of the deals you’ve closed over the past 6, 12, 24, or 36 months.
- ‣‣ Why did your customers buy from you?
- ‣‣ What would they say about their interaction with you?
- ‣‣ How would they rate their overall buying experience with you?
Go ahead, take a few minutes to really think about answers to those questions. I suggest you write down your thoughts – I’ll wait.
Ok, what did you discover about yourself and the buying experience you design for your prospects and customers?
High quality brands all have this one thing in common – do you?
What exactly is a brand?
“A brand is a product, service, or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services, or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and marketed.”
Think about some of the top brands today:
→ Nike is not a sports apparel company, they sell greatness
→ Volvo is not a Swedish car company, they sell safety
→ Apple is not a technology company, they sell privacy
Great brands sell a transformation, not a product.
What do you sell?
When I ask this, what I hear from most sellers – from the loads of Gong and Chorus recorded calls I’ve listened to over the years or through the coaching and mentoring sessions I run – is a lot of the same stuff and boring jargon.
They position themselves simply as a representative of the company that employs them to sell a product, instead of describing a distinctly different experience that elicits a desire to buy a transformation, and buy it now.
Stop being a seller and start being a brand. Here’s why.
Why developing a brand is important in strategic SaaS sales
Listen, you’re not reading Be Focused. Live Great. to be mediocre. You know there is something special inside you and you’re ready for bigger things.
It’s time to tap into it.
Just look around at people doing huge things at the top of their craft – Serena Williams, LeBron James, Gary Vaynerchuck, Oprah Winfrey. They are all brands, generating way more traction than the companies they represent.
Why not do the same in SaaS sales?
I’m not yet talking about how to turn your personal brand into a product, say like some of us have done like Jamal Reimer, Kathy McFee, Ian Koniak, Amber Deibert, Jeff Riseley, Tim Perreria, myself, and others. No, I’m talking about while as an active seller, you come across as the Serena Williams or LeBron James of your industry.
And when you’re ready to make that leap to doing your own thing (more to come on that in future editions), you’ll be ready. But first, you need to build your brand as a strategic seller.
When I reflect back on the most prolific period of my sales career from 2018 – 2022, I achieved brand status. I thought of myself as a brand (not just a representative of my company), I operated like a brand, and generated business repeatedly like a high-quality brand.
As a brand, I designed a buying experience centered around helping contact center leaders lead a transformation inside their organization that helped their company build better relationships with all of their customers.
I didn’t sell the “best-in-class Forrester leader Conversational AI software.” No, my brand sold the limited opportunity for the right executives to fundamentally take the reins of how to deliver the ideal experience with every single one of their customers. And I found enough leaders that really wanted to do that sh*t!
There’s a big difference, and it paid me handsomely.
That 4 year period generated over $50M in sales with net new logos and pocketed me over $3.7M in personal income.
Stop being a seller and start being a brand. Here’s how.
A simple system to help you think of yourself as a brand to remember
Step 1: Analyze your past wins
As a starting point, complete the audit I mentioned above from your customer’s perspective. It’s important to take the time to objectively try to rate why executives cared enough to buy from YOU.
→ Why did your customers buy from you? (In other words, what were the exact things that made them want to say yes and commit to paying big sums on a legal document?)
→ What would they say about their interaction with you? (In other words, if they were talking to a peer, what would they say about working with you?)
→ How would they rate their overall buying experience with you? (In other words, if they were to grade how you designed a buying experience to remember, what score would you receive from them?)
Step 2: Analyze your unique value
This is how you set your brand foundation. It’s important to identify what makes you unique and what drives you.
→ What are your top skills and credentials? (In other words, what have you been recognized for by others – other than hitting 434% quota last year?)
→ What are your passions and interests? (In other words, how would you spend your time when you’re not selling or dealing with other obligations like family?)
→ What are your core values and beliefs? (In other words, what are you not willing to compromise on because these things are woven into your personal fabric?)
Step 3: Deep dive on your vision
Now it’s time to think of the future. It’s important to solidify what you want others to say about you when you’re not around and the impact you want to make on the space you occupy.
→ What do you want to be known for? (In other words, what would your customer’s end customers think about the experience you helped deliver for your prospect – does it enhance their life significantly?)
→ What do you want customers to say about you? (In other words, think less about President’s Club and snagging the MVP plaque this year and more about what your customers will say about you 3 years from now.)
→ What kind of legacy do you want to leave at your company? (In other words, when you leave, will people still be talking about you and your deals?)
Step 4: Identify your ideal customer
Take what you’ve learned about yourself and use that as a filter for the type of accounts you want to work with. It’s important to align yourself where you can bring your brand to life and it will be fully appreciated on the other side.
→ Which companies or executives share your vision? (In other words, who are those that also share the same vision of the world you’re trying to build?)
→ Which companies or executives share your values? (In other words, of all the companies you have sold to or aspire to sell to, who has the same values as you personally?)
→ Who do you like working with the most? (In other words, if you were to invite 10 of your favorite executives to an awesome dinner where you were host, who would get the invite?)
Step 5: Develop your unique value proposition
Remember, a great brand sells a transformation, not a product, and can easily be publicly distinguished from others. It’s important to bring together why people buy from you, what you care deeply about, and who is best to receive these benefits so you can clearly distinguish what you do to make this a better world.
→ What is the big problem you help solve? (In other words, don’t describe the product you represent, position the big transformation you will help guide them through.)
→ What is your unique process for solving this big problem? (In other words, you need to give your prospect a glimpse into what it will be like to be a partner – how exactly will you help them make this transformation possible?)
→ Why can they only solve this big problem with you? (In other words, how can they save time by not having to vet others in this space and work exclusively with you to bring this transformation to life?)
Step 6: Define your message to the right people
Remember, a great brand makes you feel like you can enter a special club by being associated with you. It’s important to get your message out to the right people so that you don’t waste time, energy, and attention positioning your brand to people that don’t care.
→ Where do your ideal customers spend their time? (In other words, where are these executives sharing their own expertise with peers?)
→ How can you be included in that space? (In other words, what’s something you can do that will add value to that space?)
→ What can you say that will get them to pay attention? (In other words, what’s your refined elevator pitch?)
Step 7: Deliver the message
Now it’s time to execute on your brand’s engagement strategy. It’s important to say the right things, to the right people, in the right places, at the right time.
→ How do you like to best communicate with others? (In other words, do you prefer to write, talk, or create videos?)
→ What tools will you use to communicate with your ideal customer? (In other words, are they engaged on LinkedIn, Twitter, professional groups – go get acclimated with being engaging there)
→ When will you start and how often will you engage? (In other words, do you have a plan in place, how will you stay consistent, and who will keep you accountable)?
I recommend completing this once, editing, and then keeping a refined version by your side as you take on a whole new approach to your strategic selling over the next 12 months.
I’d love to hear from you and can keep you accountable – text me your completed brand system: (917) 810-2325.
TL;DR
- ‣‣ To reach new heights in sales, you need to treat yourself like a brand
- ‣‣ Great brands sell a transformation, not a product – do you?
- ‣‣ Develop your brand system using my framework
See you next time!
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When you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
1. Get the exact system I’ve used to go from earning $200K to over $1M a year in SaaS sales without burning out here. (3,000+ students)
2. Join a community of Purpose-Curious™ sellers in the Make More Hustle Less Club where we develop a personal operating system together here. (300+ members)
3. Book a 1:1 coaching session to up-level your performance here. (Limited spots available)