How to sell with authenticity and integrity

The cornerstone of the health and wellness service industry is ethical behaviour and integrity.  For small to mid-sized business owners, the business is a direct extension of us, and we want our presence to be in alignment with what we offer and how we offer it.  We want to be authentic; genuine, real and true to our selves, our beliefs and values. 

Hmmm, how much of that sounds like selling?  It’s actually the exact opposite of how most people define selling.  Well, not to me! 

I spent my 15-years of corporate sales work in the healthcare industry being highly successful because I worked in a way that was in alignment with my ethics, was true to who I was, and with honesty and sincerity.  Yes, it is possible for all that stuff to live together in harmony.

The starting point is to know yourself – so that you know when you’re in or out of alignment with who you are.

Here are 5 steps to knowing yourself better:

1. What are your true values?  These are the things that you must have in all work and personal interactions.  (eg: honesty, affection, commitment, independence etc.)  You can find values lists on the internet for ideas
2. What do you stand for?  (What do you and your business represent in the world?)
3. What will you not compromise?
4. What are your top 5 strengths? Things that come with ease, that you look forward to doing, and time passes quickly when you’re doing it.
5. What have others told you you’re good at?

As strange it sounds, sometimes what we know least is our self.  Our society is externally focused and motivated so it’s easy to lose our way.  When we know who we are and what we represent, we now have a touchstone to measure our actions against.  That’s how you sell and operate your business with authenticity and integrity.

Next time we’ll look at:  Using your Emotional Intelligence in selling!