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Do you have an “ick” for sales? Is true sales just another form of curiosity and storytelling? What does it take to create a genuine and authentic sales plan?
In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok speaks about getting over the sales “ick” and truly promoting yourself with Dr. Cindy McGovern.
Podcast Sponsor: Heard
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Meet Dr. Cindy McGovern
Dr. Cindy, also known as the First Lady of Sales®, is a gifted public speaker, and you can find her on the conference circuit, presenting on a variety of topics. Through engaging stories, humor and even a little audience participation, she helps people to realize that they have been selling their entire lives. And they are good at it! Her energy and drive inspire the audience to embrace their inner toddler and remember that they can sell and they can get what they want in work and in life using those skills they already have.
Visit Dr. Cindy’s website and connect on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
In This Podcast
- Overcoming the ick of sales
- The basics of selling yourself and your practice
- Look for opportunities to talk about your plan and practice
- Selling yourself versus selling your practice
- Dr. McGovern’s advice to private practitioners
Overcoming the ick of sales
It’s because we think of … pushy, manipulative, kind of cheesy sales tactics, when in fact we’re all selling every single day, we just don’t call it sales.
Dr. McGovern
You know exactly which kind of salesperson you don’t want to be because we’ve all had experiences of oily salespeople trying to get us to buy things we don’t need.
However, genuine sales is about the recognition that you can help people, and that is what private practice is all about.
If you have a need and I feel like I can fill it, then I’m going to sell you something, but if I don’t think I can fill it [then] I’m also going to tell you that … that’s my definition of sales.
Dr. McGovern
A helpful, kind, and compassionate approach is the key to true sales. It makes selling something about linking a person to what they need or want to get their needs met.
The basics of selling yourself and your practice
1 – Have a good sales plan: what is the story that you want others to hear and know about you?
So often with private practice, your business is [the] referral. Your business [grows when] they tell their neighbor, “Oh, I went to this [therapist], they were so amazing.” So, you want to make sure that they have the right story to tell.
Dr. McGovern
2 – Executing your sales plan: how will you tell your story so that it resonates with your ideal clients?
3 – Define your point of difference: what is it that sets you apart from everybody else that does what you do?
Look for opportunities to talk about your plan and practice
Lean on the fact that we’re pack animals and we want to help each other [and] make sure that people can tell that story.
Dr. McGovern
Keep an eye out for the best opportunities to let people know what your superpowers are, and how they can have a positive impact on those around them.
When you hear someone talk about something that you could maybe help with, have something to say. You need to actively seek out these opportunities.
It’s more than just listening. It’s listening to understand, not just to sell.
Dr. McGovern
Openly show your curiosity to work with and to listen to other people, and these opportunities to truly share your work will become available to you.
Selling yourself versus selling your practice
It’s recommended that you build your brand around the pieces of your story and what connects you to your clients instead of you personally.
Even though you are selling yourself, you are – and should – focus more on the practice.
It’s [about] helping people to recognize the benefit that [your other clinicians] are bringing in, that superpower piece … making sure [your clients] know that this is the [clinician] for them at this stage [in their journey].
Dr. McGovern
Therefore, make sure that clients know and can easily tell that the practice is bigger than just you and that you have other clinicians or services included in your practice that they can choose from.
Dr. McGovern’s advice to private practitioners
You are selling yourself already in everything that you do (and everything you don’t do) – so make sure that you are being intentional in selling your most authentic personal brand to make sure it’s the right one!
Books mentioned in this episode:
Useful Links mentioned in this episode:
Visit Dr. Cindy’s website and connect on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Heard always has transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Sign up for a free, 15-min consult call today at joinheard.com/partners/joe
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Meet Joe Sanok
Joe Sanok helps counselors to create thriving practices that are the envy of other counselors. He has helped counselors to grow their businesses by 50-500% and is proud of all the private practice owners that are growing their income, influence, and impact on the world. Click here to explore consulting with Joe.
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