Hey There,
When I was in my early 20’s, a boyfriend of mine forced me to read “The 5 Love Languages.” I BEGRUDGINGLY did as requested. While reading, I found myself riveted and glued to each page, thinking to myself the entire time, “My God this is going to change the entire trajectory of my career.” Sounds dramatic, but while I was reading I could NOT stop thinking about how The 5 Love Languages in a romantic relationship translated to building trust quickly in a professional relationship.
Once I saw it, I could never unsee it. That relationship didn’t work out, but by golly, I started selling more than ever. Let me give you an example. If I would go to coffee with a prospective client and they were facing me with great eye contact and their phone was nowhere to be seen, I would bet my bottom dollar that their love language was Quality Time. If the waitstaff would come over while we were in the middle of conversation, and you could see that they were physically flustered by the interruption, Bing bang boom. Quality Time it is. Nary a distraction could be had by me. Going forward, I would make sure to reserve their time in a calendar invite with an agenda and give them as many in-person meetings as they wanted. I wanted them to know that I was trustworthy and willing to give them what they needed to feel comfortable doing business with me.
When we deliver content around The Psychology of Selling, this topic is always a favorite. Why? Because it translates. Everyone is always selling, whether that’s their job or not. Could I have sold that guy into dating me forever after reading that book? Absolutely. But not all clients/relationships are good fits. And not all relationships/clients speak your language back to you reciprocity.
What’s your Love Language?
-
Lisa Proeber | Owner, The Middle Six