Sales Through Influence and Storytelling with Craig Wortmann – Episode 22

When you think of a professor at a business school, you may instantly think of dry, boring lectures. But that’s the last thing you’ll get when speaking with Craig Wortmann. He’s a very sharp sales professional who trains business people how to use the opportunities that sales provides to care for people in a way that serves their needs best. In that, he has come to see that the power of listening and telling stories are two of the most effective ways to do that. On this episode you’re going to hear how Craig has come to those conclusions and how you can learn to use both more effectively in your sales career.

How the power of story can increase your sales success, on this episodeClick To Tweet

If you’re going to be successful in sales, you need these three things.

Through his experiences as a sales professional and as a professor in a prestigious business school, Craig Wortmann has discovered that there are three primary things that salespeople need to be equipped for success: Knowledge, skill, and discipline. Too often the focus is on the knowledge with too little emphasis on skill and the discipline it takes to implement it effectively. Craig unpacks this powerful observation in this chat with Anthony, revealing how you can apply all three to achieve greater success in your sales career.

Most things that lead to success are not that hard, we simply don’t do them.

Craig Wortmann doesn’t think that success is really all that difficult to achieve because the things that bring success have been demonstrated over and over. The problem is not typically a lack of knowledge, it’s a lack of action. On this episode Craig chats with Anthony about the ways he challenges his students to implement the things they learn and to do so consistently. He believes (and has seen) that consistency in the little things that bring success have massive repercussions on your outcomes. Find out more on this episode.

Many things that bring success are not hard, we just don’t do them ~ Craig WortmannClick To Tweet

The pause after a prospect’s response is invaluable.

One of the important aspects of a sales professional’s personality is the ability to talk. It’s a good thing, but not always the best thing in every situation. For example, when a question has been asked and the prospect answers, it’s imperative that sales pros learn to pause before breaking the silence. In that pause most of the time the prospect will begin to speak again, revealing even more information about their need that would not have been uncovered otherwise. Craig Wortmann talks about the power of the pause and how you can learn to use it to meet your prospect’s needs more effectively, on this episode.

You’ll be more successful in sales as you learn to be more human.

When Craig Wortmann says that salespeople need to learn how to be “more human,” he means that we need to think less like a salesperson and more like a feeling, caring human being. The basis of all sales is providing solutions to the very real needs and problems of customers. Compassion and care have to be at the root of that if we are going to build the trust needed in order to provide those solutions effectively and consistently. Craig advises that sales professionals stop thinking about “getting the sale” and start thinking about “caring for the person.” The difference that little shift will make is monumental. Find out more about Craig and his philosophies surrounding sales on this episode.

We gain access to more actionable information if we keep our mouths shut ~ Craig WortmannClick To Tweet

Outline of this great episode

Who is Craig Wortmann?
Why did Craig start his book with the topic of discipline?
The power and significance of a handwritten thank you note, and what actually doing it says about you.
The framework of knowledge, skill, and discipline.
Why listening is so important and how do you do it effectively.
The power of the pause for a sales professional.
What Craig means by being human as a salesperson.
The 4 significant types of stories and why they fuel your sales career.
The best way to connect with Craig.

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