"Average players want to be left alone. Good players want to be coached. Great players want to be told the truth."

Doc Rivers

Such a powerful statement about the mindset of players at different skill levels. 

The above-mentioned quote emphasizes the importance of honesty and constructive criticism in personal growth and development. 

Great players understand that facing the truth, even when it's uncomfortable, is essential for improvement. 

Coaching and feedback are invaluable tools in their journey toward excellence.

Let's apply all of this to the sales world, as I believe the consummate sales professional understands the importance that client feedback provides in how they run their business.

They seek to uncover the truth.

Sales professionals proactively listen to the voice of their clients.

If your desire is to stay one step ahead of the sales wolf pack, then you should never, and I mean never stop listening to client feedback, whether it is positive or negative, prompted or unprompted.

If you struggle to discover what your clients think about you and how you've been helping them, then you will never be able to provide them the inspirational experience they deserve.

It's their opinions about the experience they have with you that becomes helpful, as you adjust your support to fit their needs more accurately.

Sales professionals seek the truth from their clients. Sales reps struggle to ask their clients for the truth.

This comes to life even more in John 8:32,

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

As this speaks to the idea that knowing and understanding the truth can lead to liberation or freedom from falsehoods, ignorance, or oppression. 

This emphasizes the importance of seeking truth and knowledge as a path to freedom.

Can seeking truth and knowledge from your clients create a pathway to sales freedom? I believe it can.

CRAVE FEEDBACK

"When we make progress and get better at something, it is inherently motivating. In order for people to make progress, they have to get feedback and information on how they're doing."

Daniel H. Pink

To be able to adapt to changing conditions and ensure that your client's continue to feel supported, you must understand what you’re doing well and where you’re falling short. 

Asking for clear, actionable feedback allows you to make better, more informed decisions and to pivot when necessary, in how you take care of your clients.

Asking for feedback creates an environment of trust and transparency between you and your clients.

When your clients feel like their input matters, they’re more likely to remain loyal and engaged. 

They’re also much more willing to share valuable concerns and suggestions, as all of this leads to relational betterment and client sustainability.

To truly serve your clients is to listen to them. 

Intently listen to their voices through consistent and constant feedback. Treat your clients like royalty, providing everything to match their wants and needs.

Time for a mirror moment:

• How do you know if the level of support you're providing to your clients is working or not working?

• How do you know if your clients are happy with their experiences?

• What do they like and dislike?

• How are you keeping up with what's going on inside their company?

I believe client feedback is the breakfast of sales champions. The single best thing you can do is connect with your clients and ask for feedback.

Forget about Wheaties, Cheerios or Oatmeal, Selling from the Heart Champions eat feedback for breakfast.

Check out this excerpt from Deb Calvert in her book, Stop Selling and Start Leading,

"When you give your buyers feedback, you are giving them a gift. In turn, they'll understand what works and what doesn't work in your interactions. When you seek and respond to feedback from your buyers, you differentiate yourself, set an example, and make it easier for them to hear your suggestions."

I encourage you to seek honest, candid and sometime uncomfortable feedback from your clients. Why might you ask... Because this helps you to become better. 

To receive great feedback, one must become vulnerable. Shall I say, surrender.

Surrendering to vulnerability can lead to growth and improvement. It takes courage to become vulnerable, but it's often through vulnerability that we forge deeper connections and gain a better understanding of how to meet the needs of our clients effectively. 

Embracing vulnerability becomes a powerful tool for personal and professional development.

Click here to order the advanced readers copy of my new book. This officially released August 13, 2024.

BECOME COURAGEOUS AND ASK

James 4:2 says,

“You have not because you ask not.”

How can you take your sales game to the next level? Quite simple, ask for feedback from your clients and watch your career soar to new heights.

It's the feedback you get from your clients that provides you the avenues to grow the relationship.

In these instances, courage must become your best friend. A sales professional with courage asks those tough questions and welcomes the answers to improve their performance.

If you can listen with humility and capture the opportunity to improve yourself, the truth from your clients becomes a gift. And it is this gift that will set you free.

Sales professionals embrace courage and interact with vulnerability.

Here is a quick tip to start you on your way. 

Place your clients into three buckets:

• You love them and they love you

• Challenging

• Middle of the road clients, ones you just don't hear much from

The best place to start gathering feedback is from those clients who have been placed in the "middle of the road" bucket.

Here's the deal. You may not see them on a consistent regular basis, and you might be telling yourself, "All is well" but in actuality these are the clients who become vulnerable to a hostile competitive takeover.

It's these "middle of the road" clients which for some of you might make up 75% or more of your account base, that needs the love, attention and an enhanced inspirational experience. This only happens by unpacking what they crave from you.

FEEDBACK RENEWS THE RELATIONSHIP

The opportunities for growth with these "middle of the road" clients is ginormous.

I'm quite confident you've established some kind of a so-called relationship with them, but the question becomes... How credible is the relationship?

With these clients you must courageously dig in and ask...

• What can I do differently?

• What can I do to improve or enhance my service to you?

• What can I do to help you do better business?

People, I'm asking you to rock the boat on this one because a comfortable mindset with these clients is a terrible thing to waste.

Think of all the competitors out there as they circle your clients just waiting for the right moment to reel them into their establishments of paradise.

The voice of your clients is priceless, never stop listening to them.

Deepen, strengthen and cement the relationship with feedback. Show you care. Show you mean it. Give a rip about your clients as they are your most precious asset.

INVEST THE TIME

Take care of your clients and they will take care of you.

Invest the time to create an inspirational experience. Investing in client feedback becomes a monumental source of business growth. 

Asking for feedback from your clients isn’t easy; but you risk more, both in terms of personal growth and professional prosperity, if you shy away from it.

Think about living up to the promises you made and what was expected of you when your clients decided to do business with you.

Your clients, they are the most important stakeholders. It is mission critical to listen to their feedback. However, collecting client feedback is the first step to ensuring an outstanding experience. It’s what you do with the feedback that truly matters.

I will leave you all something to think about...

Let's say 5% of your client base are raving fans. My challenge is for you to set a goal. The goal is to double the number of raving fans you have by a certain date. 

Then once this happens double it again and double it again.

I encourage to you to develop a client feedback plan.

Watch what happens to your sales growth. Need I say any more?

Unleash the power of truth, seek feedback from your clients.

Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn.