For the past year or so, I’ve been attending many of “The Art of” Events (The Art of Marketing, The Art of Sales, The Art of Small Business).

I gleefully met Seth Godin at last The Art of Marketing Event.
(I was MUCH more nervous to meet Seth Godin than I was to meet Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block!)

Screen Shot 2013-12-12 at 10.18.24 AM

The next event, The Art of Sales on January 28, 2013 features Daniel Pink (LOVE his book “To Sell is Human”), Matthew Dixon, Porter Gale, Daniel Roam, Stephen Shapiro, and Jim Fannin.

I used to work in traditional advertising sales for Weddingbells and Fashion Magazine.

I’ve always been more interested in the relationships I’ve had with my clients, than I have been about the “hard sell”.

Ensuring my clients receive results and are getting great value has always been my primary driver – sometimes at the cost by quota.

One time, as we were getting very close to sending the magazine to print, I strongly encouraged a client  (who was a bit hesitant) to renew because her ad was amazing and she needed to stay top-of-mind with her target audience.

I realized after I got off the phone with her, that I was pushing her to renew for MY agenda. I had a quota that I needed to meet that week.

I called her back to let her know that while I was sincere about my comments (she really did have a beautiful ad and businesses do have to stay top-of-mind), I didn’t want her to feel obligated if she wasn’t fully committed.

She did run the ad in the magazine that issue, and her business continued to run very well (I lost touch after I was no longer with the magazine).

Back then, I used to think that I wasn’t an effective salesperson because I didn’t consider myself a “closer”.

What I find comforting in this information-based economy, is that sales IS relationship-building and I MUST be putting the needs of my clients first.

Your client can Google just about anything, and I heard this quote somewhere and wish I could quote the source .. “People don’t buy information, they buy implementation”

People hire you as a trustworthy resource because YOU are the expert.

Can they learn to do what you do? Probably.

Do they want to do what you do? Probably not.

Having recently listened to the audio book of Daniel Pink’s “To Sell Is Human”, I’m comforted by the shift of “Always Be Closing” to “Always Be Connecting”.

DanielPink

Daniel Pink goes even further to change the ABC acronym to Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity

He states that our economy used to be “caveat emptor” (buyer beware) and we’ve moved to “caveat vendor” (seller beware).

I wholeheartedly believe that we should be collaborating with our clients and I look forward to hearing how the speakers share their advice on how to connect effectively to convert sales.

I’ve loved every session I’ve attended at “The Art of” and encourage you to attend too.

I’ve been provided with access to an Early Bird Offer – The promo code TWITTERFAN32 which will save you up to $100 per ticket until December 20!

After December 20, use TWITTERFAN32 to save up to $100 per ticket, as follows:

  • Purchase from 1-3 tickets – save $50 per ticket with code TWITTERFAN32
  • Purchase 3 or more tickets – save $100 per ticket with code TWITTERFAN32

Watch the video below and click here to get your tickets: http://www.theartof.com/sales-toronto-2014

It’s a great investment for yourself and for your business.

Let me know if you’re attending and hopefully we can connect in real life!

leslie {at) punchmedia.ca

See you there!

 

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Posted in Social Media Sales Tips

About Leslie Hughes

Leslie Hughes is a LinkedIn Optimization Specialist, LinkedIn Top Voice, and Corporate Trainer with over 25 years of experience in digital marketing and LinkedIn profile writing. As the Principal of PUNCH!media and author of "CREATE. CONNECT. CONVERT," Leslie helps executives and professionals optimize their LinkedIn profiles, generate leads, and attract higher-paying clients. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice—an exclusive honor from LinkedIn—Leslie is a trusted authority on LinkedIn profile optimization, AI-driven marketing strategies, and digital identity management. Her expertise has been featured on CBC Radio, where she was called a "Social Media Guru," and on CTV’s "The Social," where she shared strategies for managing digital identity. Leslie empowers professionals to leverage generative AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance marketing strategies, boost efficiency, and create impactful content that converts. She helps businesses understand how to use LinkedIn for lead generation and how AI can revolutionize their digital marketing efforts. Leslie has worked with top organizations like Investment Planning Counsel, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, JLL, and Franklin Templeton, optimizing LinkedIn profiles and providing corporate training that delivers measurable results. Leslie is a former college professor and co-lead instructor for Ontario Tech University’s Social Media Marketing and Digital Management Certificate. Whether you need a LinkedIn profile writer, corporate trainer, or AI marketing specialist, Leslie Hughes can help you elevate your digital presence and transform your marketing strategy. Ready to take your LinkedIn profile and corporate training to the next level? Learn more at www.punchmedia.ca.