The Simple Formula for Success at Work and In Life w/ Keith Ferrazzi [Episode 588]

Keith Ferrazzi, Founder and Chairman of Ferrazzi Greenlight, and author of NYT bestsellers, Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success One Relationship at a Time and Who’s Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep Trusting Relationships that Create Success and Won’t Let You Fail, joins me on this episode.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Keith says the single biggest challenge facing salespeople today is loneliness. Sales is a team sport and not enough salespeople know how to lead sales teams and to collaborate and elevate individuals critical to a sale.
• Sales today is focused more on the activities, metrics, and methodologies and less on the relationships to create. Keith sees an awakening of salespeople to creating value for people by being of service to all the parties to the sale.
• Keith describes the first question a salesperson needs to consider at the first prospect meeting, “How do I make their career successful?” It means recruiting them as an evangelist of a solution that lets them look exceptional.
• Have you earned the permission to shift the way they buy? Relationships include permissions, and even forgiveness if you misstep and ‘stub your toe.’
• Keith creates a pyramid of value for a sales rep to work through: social value, product value, and co-creation value, to make the client personally successful. The pyramid combines personal and professional value.
• Too many reps don’t believe they have enough to offer. Don’t rely on charisma. Sit your team down with the client team and ask what value looks like to them. The art of the facilitator is the art of the salesperson.
• Keith explains what drove his search for authentic relationships from a young age, and how that has become his business success. Keith gives a thumbnail sketch of the chapters of Never Eat Alone and his success.
• Build relationships abundantly with meticulous planning. Build a strategic alignment of your goals and your relationships. Be generous, authentic, humble, and vulnerable. Your relationships do not let you fail.
• At some point in a strong enough relationship, you can be vulnerable enough to ask them for help. That solidifies the relationship. Keith talks about asking for help. Keith does deep talk, not small talk, creating mutual empathy.
• Keith says networks replace what we used to depend on from company loyalty. Relationships between companies consist of individual humans, not the companies themselves.
• Connecting with others is the most challenging part of sales. Keith tells how he will manage a 15-minute introductory call with an important prospect. It’s all about the prospect. Let them ask about you when they’re ready.
• Keith talks about his practices in reaching out to people. Build your brand. A sales rep must be a thought leader. A LinkedIn link isn’t permission. Find more joy in your life and more abundance through leading with relationships.