
Jeffrey gitomer's 21.5 unbreakable laws of selling
Proven steps for bigger, faster sales
Description
In the ever-changing world of sales, Jeffrey Gitomer emphasizes the importance of adhering to the 21.5 universal laws of selling. These laws, applicable in all situations, are the key to success or mediocrity. While rules can be bent, these laws must be followed to ensure progress and build a solid foundation for a successful sales career.
Gitomer's four-decade experience in sales has led him to understand these unbreakable laws that guarantee the desired outcome - a sale. Mastering these laws, he asserts, makes selling easier and faster.
Table of contents
01Attract, don't pursue
To attract new clients, consistently provide value to your current customers, encouraging them to refer you. Use social media to share valuable content and showcase the benefits you offer. Build a stellar reputation by speaking at industry events, writing articles, and sending value-driven messages to customers.
02Embrace positivity
Embrace a steadfast YES! mindset in all you do, harnessing its power to achieve greatness. Your attitude, positive or negative, underpins your actions and successes.
Cultivate positive thoughts consistently and let a default YES! attitude guide you. To sustain this outlook, perform a daily act of kindness or inspire ten smiles from those around you.
03Believe to achieve
Your conviction system is crucial for boosting sales and income, as it's believed that your convictions stem from the heart and influence your faith in your product, company, and self. Jeffrey Gitomer emphasizes that your faith and convictions are pivotal to your success or failure in sales. To strengthen your convictions, engage in self-improvement by learning continuously, setting personal and professional goals with deadlines, and working towards them.
04Use humor
Laughter is a potent tool in sales, as it can significantly increase the likelihood of securing a purchase. To effectively use humor, start by recording funny personal anecdotes, which can be great for breaking the ice. It's crucial to write these down to avoid forgetting them and to opt for relatable humor over generic jokes, as the former is more likely to foster a genuine connection.
05Create unique brand
In the digital era, your online presence essentially serves as your resume. Employers often explore your digital footprint, including social media profiles, LinkedIn connections, and personal websites, to gauge your professional persona. Cultivating a personal brand is vital for broadening future opportunities.
To enhance your personal brand, consider launching a weekly e-zine featuring valuable content and client activities, which can impress potential employers. Investing in a domain with your name for a personal website is a cost-effective way to make a lasting impact. Start with a compelling page about customer treatment and expand over time.
06Uphold integrity
Your brand communicates your message, but your reputation is defined by others' perceptions. It's crucial to maintain an excellent reputation, as it precedes you. Being known for reliability, meeting commitments promptly, and being approachable enhances your reputation.
Distinguish yourself by exceeding expectations and providing exceptional customer service, which fosters positive feedback and referrals. Aim to be a valuable resource for your clients by offering leads and networking opportunities, which can lead to mutual benefits and attract significant business collaborations. Protecting your reputation is foundational for future success.
07Assertive persistence
Assertiveness in sales is a strategic approach that balances between being passive and aggressive. It involves being well-prepared, delivering a confident sales presentation, and following up persistently yet professionally. This approach is built on understanding the value of the product or service and being ready to meet customer needs.
08Show excellence
Establishing a benchmark for excellence in all aspects of your work, especially in execution, earns customer respect and positions you as a trusted consultant. Excellence is a blend of past achievements, current efforts, and future readiness. To boost sales, aim for enduring excellence.
09Value before sale
To effectively sway a potential client, start by offering value, setting yourself apart from competitors. Understanding and aiding in achieving their goals makes them more likely to buy from you later. Value, being subjective and tied to the client's objectives, when aligned with, becomes a compelling reason for their purchase.
10Speak their language
It's interesting to see many promotional messages focus on "We offer this." Yet, customers look for benefits, not just features. When a customer asks for a drill, instead of showcasing your products, ask about the hole they need to make.
Questions about the hole's size, the material being drilled, depth, and whether it's an indoor or outdoor job help understand their goal. This approach allows you to recommend the best solution, leveraging your product knowledge for their benefit. Jeffrey Gitomer emphasizes shifting focus from product features to the post-sale outcome, ensuring your solution meets their desired result.
11Inquire, then inform
In sales, the power of inquiry is paramount. By posing compelling questions that stir up emotions in potential clients, you increase your chances of success. Sales are primarily driven by emotions, later rationalized by logic. This is why open-ended questions are crucial. They foster a conversation that engages the client's emotions. By asking the right emotion-driven questions, you allow the client to convince themselves to buy. They self-qualify due to your engaging and sincere interest in their needs.
As Dale Carnegie once said, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." Avoid questions like, "What's your budget to solve this problem?” or “What are your present payments?” or “Do you want to lease or do you want to buy?” These questions are seen as intrusive. Instead, ask questions that evoke their emotions, such as, “Is this the kind of outcome you had in mind?” or “Would something like this be useful in your business?” or “How do you see this impacting on your profits?”
12Memorable customer service
Delivering exceptional service to your customers is a strategic investment for your future. It's a precursor to sales - when you exceed your customers' expectations, they'll return the favor by referring their friends and colleagues to your business.
So, how do you offer such service? Begin every interaction on a positive note, regardless of the customer's mood. Ask how you can be of maximum assistance, focusing more on what you can do rather than what you can't. Offer an excellent solution and help the customer understand why it's the best choice.
13Customer loyalty
Investing in marketing is one option, but providing your current customers with exceptional experiences can be even more beneficial. Happy customers are likely to bring in new ones through word-of-mouth, which is a cost-effective and efficient way to grow your business.
To achieve this, set clear benchmarks for outstanding service and ensure your team knows how well you're meeting these goals. Adopt a can-do attitude towards customer requests and instill this mindset in your team. Continuously train your staff to enhance their skills and teamwork, and equip them to address customer complaints effectively. Assess your company's strengths and weaknesses, focusing on leveraging those strengths.
14Trust building
Trust isn't something you can demand from people – it's something you must earn through your actions. Consistency in your actions over time will instill confidence in others that you will act in their best interest. Trust cannot be imposed or required. It is earned through your words, deeds, and how you interact with others. If you consistently demonstrate high-quality actions, provide reliable advice, and remain truthful regardless of the circumstances, you can expect a high level of trust in all your interactions.
To improve your personal trustworthiness:
15Leverage customer testimonials
Customer testimonials are a powerful sales tool that provide authentic proof of your product's value. To effectively utilize them, encourage customers to create video testimonials discussing their experience with your product, its benefits, and after-sales service. These videos should be prominently featured on your website, serving as tangible evidence of your commitment to customer satisfaction.
16Understand non-buyers
When a potential client says they need to "ponder on it" before deciding, it's essential to uncover the real reasons behind their hesitation.
This insight allows you to refine your sales approach to preempt similar objections in the future. Instead of asking "Why?", opt for open-ended questions that delve deeper into their thought process. Understanding the customer's buying motivations and reservations helps speed up future sales cycles and craft more compelling calls to action.
17Clear intentions
Setting goals is crucial, but it's the underlying intentions that drive their achievement. To ensure determination, examine your intentions. Intention is the first step toward meaningful accomplishment.
When your goals align with your passions and you love what you do, it shows. Your enthusiasm becomes contagious, leading to successful business dealings and setting you apart from those driven by profit alone.
18Stand out
To captivate customers, it's crucial to be seen as unique. As Jeffrey Gitomer wisely advises, "Differentiate with value, or die with price." The customer's view is what counts, so to stand out, streamline your ordering process. Ensure your voicemail and customer service are engaging and easy to use. Provide corporate materials that are clear and helpful.
19Master presentations
Transform your presentation skills by starting with a simple task: write a weekly blog post of 500 words on a topic you're passionate about. This year-long commitment will build your confidence for public speaking.
Additionally, seek opportunities to speak publicly every week by joining groups like Toastmasters, participating in local organizations, or speaking at company meetings.
20Smart social media
Social media is essential for businesses today, serving as a critical platform for interaction and brand visibility.
Previously, business cards were the standard for professional networking. However, platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube now offer dynamic opportunities to forge and expand connections. These platforms enable the cultivation of enduring relationships that surpass traditional networking methods.
21Earn referrals
Before they even evaluate your product, make sure you deserve their confidence. Offer such a high perceived value that they are amazed and enamored with what you provide. The best way to secure a referral is to give one to your customer first. This will naturally encourage them to return the favor.
While it may require effort on your part, the effects can be long-lasting. The key is that if you have to ask your customer for a referral, you are missing a step. Instead, offer them exceptional service that builds trust, loyalty, and leads them to recommend others who could benefit from your service. Once you win their trust, success is guaranteed.
22Love or leave sales
To overcome burnout and reignite your passion for sales, start by prioritizing your most important tasks each morning. Eliminate unproductive meetings and avoid discussing irrelevant topics. Dedicate time for reflection and identify your main distractions to eliminate them.
After work, engage in reading material that enhances your career instead of watching TV. Document your daily successes and work towards becoming an expert in an area you're passionate about. Maintain self-belief and approach each day with a positive, achievement-oriented mindset.













