Selling can go from pushy and gross to GENEROUS and AMBITIOUS. Because offering them what they want means they’re Opting Into you just as you are. And you = awesome.
The Level-Up Happens When YOU Make It Happen
"Sometimes you need to convince your best advocates that you can do the new thing before they let you be the new thing. And proving it is going to take action."
So what's the action?
It's simple and challenging at the same time.
Simple because they will need to believe in something that doesn't exist.
Challenging because to do this, you'll need to get good at selling your future. We're talking about learning how to sell your ideas.
I can hear you groaning already.
Selling is gross.
Selling feels manipulative.
Selling feels selfish.
Of course, it does. Why? Because the abundance of content and insights created over the last several years has taken our blinders off. We can now see when someone uses "sales tactics" to get us to buy their product. You've probably heard the expression, "No one likes to be sold to, but everybody likes to buy."
We have a visceral reaction when people try to sell us cars, TVs, and toilet paper. Why are we surprised we get uncomfortable when it comes to selling ourselves and our ideas?
Except there's the second part of that sentence. "Everybody likes to buy." Look at my shoe collection, and you'll see that's true. No, it's not because I'd LIKE to have more shoes; I WANT more shoes.
And that's where the mindset needs to shift when selling yourself when selling new ideas.
If someone WANTs your ideas (the Future You), offering them what they want is a generous act. A generous act for both of you.
EXPERIMENT
As you discuss ideas and solutions this week with your colleagues, run a simple survey. When someone shares an idea, I want you to answer this question.
Do I like it, or do I want it? Would I share the idea with someone else? Do you see any patterns? I hope you do.
When you like something, you’ll take it if offered, but you won’t ask for it. When you want something, you’ll ask for it. When you share something with someone else, you’re amplifying it.
AMPLIFY
Use the same “Like, want, share” exercise when you share an idea with your team. See how they both individually and collectively respond.
You want them to Opt Into a Future WITH you, not because you told them to. This is the easiest way to make confirm that they are.
INVEST
We can help with the shift from Like to Want.