WCS Podcast 04 - Sales Is Service
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[00:00:04] Will: Welcome back to another episode in our World Class Selling series, where we explore the principles of effective and ethical sales based on Roy Chitwood's insights. I'm your host Will, and today we're diving into a simple yet powerful truth, Sales Is Service. And I want to emphasize that word "is" because at its core, selling isn't about pushing products or persuading customers to buy something they don't need. It's about serving them, helping them make the best decisions and ensuring their purchase continues to provide value long after the deal.
[00:00:41] Will: To unpack this concept, I'm joined by our two speakers, Marissa and Jason, who will explore how professional salespeople build trust, provide solutions, and sometimes even turn down a sale to do what's best for the customer.
[00:00:54] Will: They'll share stories, insights, and a case study of a salesperson who skyrocketed her success by putting service first.
[00:01:02] Will: So get ready to rethink sales, not as a transaction, but as a partnership built on integrity and long-term value.
[00:01:10] Will: Let's dive in.
[00:01:15] Jason: Ever buy something and instantly regret it.
[00:01:18] Marissa: Yeah.
[00:01:18] Jason: Maybe it just wasn't what you expected or maybe you realized later you didn't even really need it.
[00:01:22] Marissa: Oh yeah, totally. Impulse buys end up in the back of the closet, right?
[00:01:26] Jason: Exactly. And wouldn't it be amazing if every purchase felt good? Not just when you buy it, but like for a long time after. That's kind of what we're looking at today.
[00:01:35] Marissa: We're gonna dive into this whole idea that Sales Is Service. It's a concept from Roy Chitwood's book World-Class Selling. It kind of flips the script on how we think about sales, you know? Mm-hmm. It's not all about pushing products and just closing deals.
[00:01:49] Jason: I like that. Especially because so many people think of salespeople as being pushy or manipulative,
[00:01:53] Marissa: Right? And that's where Chitwood's idea of a professional salesperson comes in. He defines it as someone who helps the prospect "buy now and wear well, meaning the sale is good for both sides, the buyer and the seller. So everyone's happy and they come back for more.
[00:02:09] Jason: Okay, wear well. I like that. Can you break that down a bit? What does that actually look like?
[00:02:12] Marissa: Think of it like a really nice piece of clothing. You want it to look good, feel good, and last for years. Sales should be the same. The product or service should do exactly what's promised. Delivery is smooth. And the customer feels good about their choice.
[00:02:30] Jason: It's not just about making the sale, it's about making sure they feel good about it later on too.
[00:02:34] Marissa: Exactly. Chitwood uses this example of a salesperson selling medical textbooks. It makes sense to sell them to a medical librarian, right? They need those resources for students and faculty.
[00:02:46] Jason: Makes sense. It fits their needs.
[00:02:48] Marissa: But Chitwood says that same sales person shouldn't be trying to push those textbooks onto a doctor who's already practicing. Even if they could be convinced to buy, they wouldn't get the same value.
[00:02:58] Jason: So it's about knowing your customer's needs and only selling when it's truly beneficial for them.
[00:03:02] Marissa: Exactly. That's what separates a true professional. They're not just trying to hit quotas, they're focused on providing value and building trust.
[00:03:09] Jason: Chitwood actually talks about a time he turned down a sale.
[00:03:12] Marissa: Yeah.
[00:03:12] Jason: He knew his training program wasn't right for the client, walked away from the commission. That's pretty bold.
[00:03:17] Marissa: It is. But you know what? A year later, that same client came back to him for a much bigger project. They were so impressed with his honesty.
[00:03:26] Jason: Wow. Talk about long-term payoff. Honesty and putting the customer first can actually lead to bigger successes down the road.
[00:03:34] Marissa: It's about playing the long game. Building those relationships and sometimes knowing when to say no to a sale, that just isn't right.
[00:03:42] Jason: That's a huge shift from that whole "always be closing" mentality.
[00:03:45] Marissa: Exactly. Chitwood says, "A real pro believes in their product or service more than the commission they'd get from selling it."
[00:03:51] Jason: So they're not just selling a product, they're selling a solution, a benefit, an outcome.
[00:03:57] Marissa: Your commission gets spent, the customer uses their purchase for years to come. That builds loyalty, a good reputation. You can't buy that kind of goodwill.
[00:04:06] Jason: A bit like investing in a relationship instead of just a transaction.
[00:04:09] Marissa: Exactly. And you know what's interesting? Chitwood talks about a woman named Leanne Sippel who put this philosophy to the test and she saw amazing results.
[00:04:16] Marissa: So Leanne, she worked for this transportation company. And at first, she was really struggling to meet her sales goals, but then she started using these Sales as Service techniques. Yeah. Really trying to build real relationships with her clients, like actually understanding their needs, acting like a consultant to help them find the best solutions.
[00:04:34] Jason: Okay, so what happened to her sales numbers?
[00:04:36] Marissa: It's crazy. She increased her sales by like 300%.
[00:04:39] Jason: 300%. That's not just like a little boost, that's a total transformation.
[00:04:43] Marissa: It really is. It shows how powerful building trust is. And providing real value, caring about your client's success.
[00:04:49] Jason: Okay. But was it just because of the Sales as Service thing or were there other things going on too?
[00:04:55] Marissa: Well, it's hard to say for sure, but her mindset definitely played a big role, you know. By focusing on service, she stood out in a crowded market and she built this loyal base of clients who trusted her.
[00:05:06] Jason: That makes sense. Especially these days. Customers are so much smarter, they can see through a fake sales pitch. They want realness expertise. Someone who actually wants to help them.
[00:05:15] Marissa: For sure. People want real connections, and solutions that fit their needs. By being a trusted advisor, Leanne cut through all the noise and built relationships that lasted.
[00:05:24] Jason: It's funny, it seems counterintuitive. You'd think a salesperson who's just focused on closing the deal would be the most successful,
[00:05:30] Marissa: Right! But Chitwood and others are saying that the sales come naturally when you focus on service first. It's about building that foundation of trust and connection.
[00:05:39] Jason: So everyone wins. The customer feels valued and heard, and the salesperson gets those strong relationships.
[00:05:45] Marissa: Exactly. It's better for everyone. Chitwood talks about how pros go beyond knowing their product. They become experts in their customer's businesses. They take time to really understand their needs, their challenges, their goals.
[00:05:58] Jason: So they become a partner. Yeah. Instead of just a vendor.
[00:06:00] Marissa: And that lets them guide the client to the best solution, even if it's sometimes a competitor's product.
[00:06:06] Jason: That takes confidence.
[00:06:07] Marissa: Yeah.
[00:06:07] Jason: Believing in what you offer. You're not selling a product, you're selling your expertise, your integrity, putting the client first.
[00:06:14] Marissa: It's a whole new way of thinking. It takes commitment and a long-term view, but like Leanne's story shows, the rewards are huge.
[00:06:22] Jason: This is making me think about my own interactions. Like at work and in my personal life. What if instead of trying to "get" something from every conversation, like a sale or an agreement or a favor, what if we focused on — giving?.
[00:06:39] Marissa: I like that. What if we all ask ourselves, "How can I be helpful here? How can I add value? How can I help this person reach their goals?"
[00:06:46] Jason: It changes everything.
[00:06:47] Marissa: Yeah.
[00:06:47] Jason: It takes the pressure off trying to win. And opens up the possibility for real collaboration where everyone benefits.
[00:06:53] Marissa: That's where the magic is. When we come from a place of generosity, wanting to make a positive impact, it goes beyond a simple transaction.
[00:07:00] Jason: It's about building those connections, creating something positive that goes beyond that one interaction.
[00:07:05] Marissa: Exactly. It's like creating a web of positive experiences that makes our lives better and the lives of those around us.
[00:07:10] Jason: This has been so insightful. It's made me rethink my own approach.
[00:07:14] Marissa: Mm.
[00:07:14] Jason: And really see the power of service.
[00:07:16] Marissa: It doesn't have to be this big thing. It can be small: listening to a friend, helping a coworker, going the extra mile for a customer.
[00:07:23] Jason: Those little acts of kindness and service can really make someone's day. And create that ripple effect of positivity.
[00:07:29] Marissa: Exactly. And who knows? Maybe by embracing this Sales as Service idea, we can change how people see sales instead of something pushy or manipulative, it can be about truly helping others.
[00:07:41] Jason: That would be incredible. Imagine the impact on businesses, customer relationships, even society as a whole.
[00:07:47] Marissa: It's a great goal, right? A world where sales is a respected profession, focused on building trust, creating value, making a real difference.
[00:07:57] Jason: It's definitely something to strive for. So as we wrap up this conversation, what's one key takeaway you'd like our listeners to think about?
[00:08:04] Marissa: Yeah, it really is. It makes you think like, why isn't this how everyone does business?
[00:08:07] Jason: Right? It seems like so many people are just focused on the short term, hitting those quarterly goals.
[00:08:12] Marissa: Yeah. And that leads to prioritizing those quick wins instead of building those lasting relationships.
[00:08:16] Jason: But like we saw with Leanne. In the end, playing the long game can be so much more successful.
[00:08:21] Marissa: Exactly. It's about changing your focus from transactions to relationships, from selling to serving, and that's something we can all do no matter what our job is.
[00:08:30] Jason: Totally. Whether we're talking to colleagues, clients, friends, family, that whole mindset of, "How can I help?" can change everything.
[00:08:39] Marissa: Imagine if everyone thought that way, it would change how we do business, build communities, even connect with people we don't know.
[00:08:45] Jason: That's a powerful thought. And I think it starts with each of us, making that effort to bring that service mindset into our everyday lives.
[00:08:53] Marissa: It doesn't have to be this big, grand thing, right? It's the small, consistent things that show you care. Your empathetic, you want to contribute.
[00:09:01] Jason: Like offering to help someone. Listening to them, going above and beyond for a customer. Those little things add up. They make everything more positive and supportive.
[00:09:10] Marissa: I agree. So as we wrap up this conversation about Sales as Service, I wanna leave our listeners with one last thought.
[00:09:16] Jason: Okay. What's that?
[00:09:17] Marissa: Think about a time when someone really went out of their way to help you. How did that make you feel? Did it change how you saw that person or that company?
[00:09:25] Jason: Oh yeah, for sure. It made a huge difference. It made me trust them more.
[00:09:28] Marissa: Yeah.
[00:09:29] Jason: And wanna work with them again.
[00:09:30] Marissa: Exactly. So as you go about your day, ask yourself, "How can I do that for someone else? How can I be the person who makes that kind of positive impact?"
[00:09:39] Jason: That's a great challenge for all of us to think about.
[00:09:41] Jason: Thank you so much for sharing all this with us and for helping us see sales in this new way through the lens of service.
[00:09:48] Marissa: It's been my pleasure. And remember, a little bit of service can go a long way.
[00:09:55] Will: Thanks for that insightful discussion on what it truly means to sell with integrity.
[00:10:00] Will: We've heard how shifting from a "closing the deal" mindset to a "serving the customer approach" leads to stronger relationships, greater trust, and ultimately more long-term success. Marissa and Jason highlighted how true professionals focus on value, not just the sale, because when you prioritize your customer's success, your success follows naturally.
[00:10:22] Will: Next week, we're going even deeper into the fundamentals of selling with an episode titled Selling Is Selling is Selling. No matter the industry, the product or the customer, the best sales professionals follow a structured approach that leads to results. We'll explain why the sales process remains consistent across different fields and why mastering that process is the key to success.
[00:10:47] Will: Thank you for tuning in. As always, we appreciate you sharing this journey with us. If you enjoyed today's conversation, subscribe, share, and let us know how you're applying these insights in your sales journey.
[00:11:00] Will: Good luck and good selling.
