The Beautiful Business Podcast

Blair Enns, the visionary behind Win Without Pitching, joins us to chat about how creative professionals approach sales. Sharing his insights from a tranquil mountain village in British Columbia, Blair challenges the traditional sales narrative with integrity-based selling and value-based pricing. With his latest book, "The Four Conversations," Blair encourages shifting from providing solutions to probing with the right questions, setting the stage for those eager to refine their sales strategies in the creative sector.

We tackle the stigma around sales roles, redefining them for experts, advisors, and practitioners. Blair advocates for a shift from sales pitches to advisory roles, focusing on establishing trust and authenticity from the get-go. This approach not only secures more business but also leads to richer collaborations. By maintaining an expert persona throughout, we explore how genuine connections lead to more successful client partnerships.

Explore the nuances of avoiding needy sales dynamics and the significance of listening over persuasion. Blair delves into the power of maintaining authority without desperation, navigating the delicate balance of desirability and desire. Recognising the pivotal "flip" moment, where one transforms from vendor to expert, we discuss how this can shift the entire sales process. Whether you're grappling with the fear of narrowing your focus or striving to become a trusted advisor, this episode offers valuable frameworks to master the art of expertise-based selling.

Blair's new book 'Sell and Price Like the Expert You Are is available here.

Takeaways

• Establishing oneself as an expert in the sales process is crucial for success.
• The sale itself is a sample of the engagement, and the roles are established in this conversation.
• Behaving as an expert in the sales conversation sets the tone for the engagement.
• Not establishing the expert self can lead to decreased odds of winning, higher costs, and a less impactful engagement. The book introduces a new approach to selling based on four conversations: value, qualification, discovery, and closing.
• Shifting from a vendor mindset to an expert mindset is crucial in selling.
• The 'flip' moment, where the client sees the seller as the expert, is a key turning point in the sales process.
• Selling in a tough market requires maintaining confidence and expertise.
• Niching down and focusing on a specific area of expertise can enhance credibility and attract clients.
• Listening is more important than presenting or convincing in sales conversations.