Tao Te Ching of Sales Fundamental Principles for Sales Professionals

By Patrick Helmers

Based on the teachings of Lao Tze

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Tao Te Ching of Sales €2013 by Patrick Helmers All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address Big Rock Creek Publishers, LLC 13725 E. Main Street, Plano IL 60545

First Big Rock Creek edition published June 2013

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To Denise

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Forward

Over twenty years ago I read an article that contained two quotes: “A leader is best when people barely know he exists” and “When all is done the people say, We Did It”. As a new manager these quotes created possibility for the kind of boss I hoped some day to be. I later learned these ideas are attributed to a man named Lao Tze, a Chinese teacher who 2500 years ago authored the “Tao Te Ching” or in English “The Way”. These ancient writings are incredibly insightful and just as relevant to the human journey now as it was back then.

As a salesman and sales manager, I was intrigued on how to apply these ideas in the context of the sales process. Using the Tao Te Ching as a model, I’ve crafted these ideas into a set of universal principals for sales professionals. They are shared to anyone involved in the process of selling and desires to learn by unlearning.

It is my hope the reader finds value in these words and they enable wellness and success in the profession of sales.

Pat Helmers – Plano, Illinois

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The Trade The Trade

Where one person has something another wants

The foundation of economics and business

And when done well a success for all parties

But sometimes at first its not obvious

Sales is the craft of making trades

Of listening and understanding,

Of solving problems and serving

Of ensuring a transaction

That pleases all, building relationships for all time.

And when done well

It’s selling without selling

Closing without closing

Both seller and buyer assured

They chose wisely.

This is the Tao Te Ching Of Sales

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Listening The Master Seller listens before talking

Sells without effort

Sharing without preaching

Explaining without judging

Demonstrating without closing.

Never assuming the sale,

the Master never loses one.

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Understanding Troubles Both bartender and psychologist

The Master Seller listens.

With warmth and compassion they ask

What troubles you at night?

How are you frustrated?

Why are you down and out?

With a clear listening the Master responds

I might be able to help you,

I might not,

But maybe, just maybe, I can make your troubles go away.

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Proper Preparation Fill your presentation to the brim and it will spill.

Keep sharpening your pitch and it will blunt

Chase after money and the deal will spoil

Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back and it will all work out.

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Being a Cousin Be a stranger to no one, a cousin to all,

Like family you see rarely at the wedding or funeral.

Respectful yet genuine

catching up on their lives.

Gregarious while authentic

Accept them for who they are.

The Master Seller is easy to know

Trusted at the start.

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Selling While not Selling When the Master sells, prospects are hardly aware of it,

To them it's just a conversation about their lives.

Next best is a seller who is loved.

Next, one who is feared as sleazy.

The worst is one who is considered a huckster.

If you don't trust the customer, you make them untrustworthy.

The Master Seller doesn't talk, he acts.

When the sale is closed the people say, "We chose wisely"

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Owning Up to Mistakes A Master Seller knows their not perfect.

When they make a mistake, they realize it.

Having realized it, they own up to it.

Having owned up to it, they correct it.

They consider clients who point out their faults as their teachers.

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Discovering Leads The great Marketplace flows everywhere.

All business is born from it.

Though it doesn’t consciously create new markets

It pours itself into its work.

It makes no claim this business is good or bad

Yet it nourishes emerging markets

And doesn’t hold onto them.

Some grow and some vanish,

Yet all are contained within it.

The Master Seller is aware of its greatness.

Never “lead poor” they find leads like shells on a shore.

Daily they walk the beach to uncover new business

And Delight in new opportunities.

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Advancing the Sale Questions leads to sharing

Sharing leads to appointment

Appointment leads to possibility

Possibility leads to belief

Belief leads to a quote

Quote leads to purchase.

The largest of sales begin in response to the smallest of acts.

This is called Advancing the sale.

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Controlling the Sale Crooked with words

the sale goes sideways.

Rushing the close

the deal comes to a halt.

Showing off and preening

Shows little.

Clinging to a few leads

Chases business away.

By not controlling the sale, the sale is controlled.

Each deal has its own course

Just do your job , then let go.

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Elephant in the Room At the first scent of objection

The fool avoids it

Deluding themselves the deal is won.

Like rotten wood covered with new paint

The sale soon crumbles when bearing weight.

Better to shine a bright light on issues

Addressing them as best able

Accepting the truth for what it is.

A destination can be reached by more than one path.

Seek the truth and let the sale be.

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Benefits Know the features

Yet focus on benefits.

What the buyer values, exceeds detailed minutia.

Listen for goals, needs and problems

Repress lofty orations on specifications.

Elicit emotion and the sale will advance.

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Emerging Markets As the seasons change

So does the Market place.

Both creating and destroying opportunities

Revealing new problems and challenges.

Like water seeking it's own level

The market seeks balance.

Today's solutions are tomorrows problems

The Master Seller is awake to possibility.

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Forcing Decisions Whoever relies on Master Selling

doesn't try to force decisions

or beat down buyers with  logic and fact.

For every force there is a counterforce.

Even if  well intentioned, force rebounds upon oneself

Placing the sale in peril.

The Master Seller does their  job and then stops.

They understand the sale is never completely in their control,

To dominate events goes against the will of the buyer.

Because they believe in themselves

They don't strong arm buyers.

Content with themselves they trust the process.

Because they accept themselves,

the whole world accepts them.

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Dwelling in Reality Concerned solely on making sales

The Master Seller doesn't get caught up

With pomp and theatre.

Focusing on the essence they avoid the fluff.

Dwelling in reality they can do no other.

Letting all illusions go

They see the situation as it is

navigating rocks and reefs as necessary.

To some it appears they do nothing

Yet they accomplish much.

While others busy themselves with activity

They are never

done.

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Buying Signs If you want to demonstrate a solution

you must first allow the buyer to question it.

If you want to generate curiosity

you must first allow them hold it.

If you want them to understand

You must first let them describe how it will meet their needs.

Look for subtle behaviors of ownership.

To close a deal you need ask,

will this work?

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Trying On A Coat To purchase  a new coat, the buyer must first try it on.

Reflecting on the style and color

They view it from all angles

Looking to see  if it will fit their  needs.

The Master Seller knows

Some coats fit, some do not.

They have  no desires of their own

They dwell in reality.

If they can help, they will.

If not, they leave it alone.

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Craft of Sales Like a watchmaker building precision timepieces

The Master Seller hones their craft to exact perfection.

When hunting, embrace cold calling

When meeting, listen deep for understanding

When negotiating, be patient and kind.

In speech be honest

In judging be fair

In business be competent

In action, watch the timing.

The Craft of sales is for few,

Unfit for many.

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Dive Into the Deep Give up memorizing closing techniques and sales scripts

And your skills will multiply a hundred fold.

Give up professional handshakes and business etiquette

And you will rediscover connecting with buyers.

Give up number crunching and counting commission pennies

And your fears and concerns will disappear.

These tactics are outward forms only

Common and conventional in practice

They are not sufficient in and of themselves.

Instead seek simplicity in selling

Realize who you really are as a person

To cast off self, temper your desires.

The master seller wades from the shallows

And dives into the deep.

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Imperfection Accept lost sales willingly

Accept failure as the human condition

Accept your own fallibility

Nor be overly concerned with wins and losses

Imperfection comes with being a human being.

Perfection is an ideal never obtained, yet always in mind.

Surrender yourself to your own limits

Then you can be trusted with the tools for making sales.

Once you appreciate your strengths and weaknesses

you begin the journey to becoming the Master Seller.

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Three Greatest Skills Patience, Simplicity, Collaboration.

These three are the Master Sellers greatest skills.

Patient in understanding needs and desires

Frame your solution with context,

Simple when delivering your pitch

Return to the language of the buyer,

Collaborative in finding solutions

The sales closes itself.

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Goals No progress occurs without goals

Guideposts on the path of discovery.

Each sale a series of steps

A trek to the final purchase.

As weather and obstacles appear

The path is re-charted

Like stars to ancient navigators,

Providing guidance.

The destination has immense value

Yet it pales when compared to goals.

It’s the journey that matters

The rest fleeting.

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The Path To Success If you wish to quicken a sale

you must give it time to breath.

If you want to dispel objections

you must allow them to flourish.

If you want to create new business

you must give it time and patience.

This is the path to success.

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Seeking No Some prospects can be served, some not.

When hunting,

most leads end in No.

While others wither at rejection

The Master Seller smiles with each No.

The more No’s the more Yes’s

Seek the No

to find the Yes.

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What Would You Do If Like a flashlight in the dark

The Master Seller sheds light on problems.

When muddled and confused

They ask the buyer,

What would you do if you had more time?

What would you do if it was easier to do your job?

What would you do with the money this solution would save?

By asking, the buyer reflects,

With reflection, comes understanding

With understanding, a decision

And the decision to purchase.

By asking you receive.

By questioning, you are answered.

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Seeing Strangers As Yourself

See strangers as yourself.

Trust they will treat you as you would be treated.

Knock on the door, pick up the phone

Expect rejection,

But also and leads that come as consequence.

The Master Seller revels in shaking hands,

Meeting strangers,

The opportunities it may bring.

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Fear of Cold Calling Striking up a conversation

Building rapport

Qualifying their needs

Asking for an opportunity

Is a common dreaded fear.

Friend or stranger, all are just people,

Two sides of the same coin

Why be afraid?

They are like you.

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Pitfalls of Comfort Like water seeking it’s own level,

people seek comfort.

The Master Seller knows there is no learning in comfort.

They leave each morning

Seeking challenges

Advancing sales

Uncomfortable

Yet knowing the axe is sharpened

with the rough stone.

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Dropping Something Everyday

When first learning sales

each day something is added.

As the Master Seller matures

each day something is dropped.

Tricks and slight of hand are let go

Advancement occurs at its own pace

Faith in closing business.

True mastery is gained by listening,

and letting things go their own way.

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Sideways Deals When a deal is in harmony

It advances with ease and grace.

When a deal goes sideways

There is confusion and doubt.

The changing of the guard,

A block on funding

Or stakeholder grudge can create the Great Illusion called fear.

Like a filled cup,

You must empty your thoughts and start over,

Allowing for possibility not yet revealed.

People often fail at the verge of success,

Give as much care to the end, as to the beginning.

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Overcoming The Gatekeeper

Water is soft to touch

Yet can overcome the hardest of granite

An authentic desire to help

Can overcome the hardest of Gatekeeper.

I was in the area.

Thought I would stop by.

Here is some information, you may find of value.

Would you like to learn more?

Not pushing, not bullying, not rushing the moment.

A genuine desire to help and befriend

Opens doors to opportunities.

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Qualifying

Not-knowing is true knowledge.

Presuming to know is a fools errand.

First realize that you don’t know

then you can move towards understanding.

Listen,

Open your ears.

Awake to needs of the buyer.

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Difficult Prospects If the buyer is difficult,

don’t cast away the opportunity.

Awaken them with your demonstration,

Elevate them with your clarity.

Repay their rudeness with patience.

Don’t lose the opportunity,

Gain their trust.

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Learning From Failure A lost sale is a failure

And an opportunity to learn.

If you blame someone else

Or the circumstance

There is no end to the blame.

Like the seasons

Deals are won and lost.

Make failure, the opportunity to start again,

Yet this time more intelligently.

The Master Seller

Meets their own obligations

Corrects their own mistakes

Doing what they need to do

Demanding nothing of others.

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Making The Hard Easy Nothing in the world is as weak as water.

Yet for dissolving granite mountains

nothing can surpass it.

The soft overcomes the hard;

the easy overcomes the difficult.

Everyone knows this is true,

but few can put it into practice.

Therefore the Master Seller remains cool under fire.

Prepared they are ready for all objections.

Because they have stopped avoiding work, their work gets done.

See the world as it is

Focus on the hard, until the hard becomes easy.

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Awake To Competition Awake to the marketplace

Never underestimate the competition

Respect their strengths

Yet remain keen to their weaknesses

Ever watchful of impending threats.

Underestimating your competition

means thinking that they are evil.

They are but a peer

In search of the next sale.

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Making the Unknown Known

At first a secret

a new product’s value is questioned

The market unaware

Remains wary and skeptical.

Like rushing water

Wearing away granite

Persistent ads bring awareness

Messaging that speaks to the buyer

THIS can help

This can make a difference.

Knowing the audience

The Master Seller makes the unknown known.

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Credible Possibility Considered a stranger

The buyer is quick to judge the seller.

From dress, to speech, from handshake to eye contact

Credibility starts.

Considered an unknown, the buyer measures the company.

From experience, to brochures, from references , to network

Credibility proceeds.

Considered a possible solution, the buyer vets the product.

From ease of use, to flexibility, from meeting specs, to cost,

Credibility is cemented.

Seller, Company and Product,

This is the path to credibility.

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Elevator Pitch

Brief in words

Yet long in substance

Tuned for the ear of the listener

The Master Seller makes their pitch.

Both concise and precise

Asking questions that elicit response

in search of a gap

to be filled.

Quickly they intrigue the listener.

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Credibility Belief in you

The Lead wants to buy from friends.

Belief in your company

The prospect can defend their choice.

Belief in your products

The buyer can sleep at night.

You are a reflection

Of the power, quality

and capability to elicit belief.

This is called credibility.

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Time To Quit Some deals close

Some not

Some clients are loyal

Some not

Some problems solvable

Some not

Despite tenacity

You can’t win them all.

When the time comes

Quit

Another opportunity awaits.

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Story Telling The nature of the world is beyond description

Yet stories can shed light.

With the art of narrative,

the buyer identifies with your characters.

Compelling in action,

they see the struggle in their lives.

Clear in thought,

they embrace the moral of your story.

Obvious in solution,

they are drawn to your products and services.

By shedding light

on what was once nothing,

The Master Seller becomes storyteller,

Creating possibility in the buyers’ mind.

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The Perfect Apology I was wrong

Completely wrong.

At the time I had my reasons

But it doesn’t change the fact

I was wrong.

How can I make this right?

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Advancing the Close With each question

Comes an answer

The Master Seller

Advances closer

Finding common ground.

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Cold Calling The journey of a closed deal

Begins with a single cold call.

While some fear it

Others embrace

Knowing that while those who can manage others is powerful

Those who manage their fears is mightier still.

The Master Seller anticipates the difficult sale

The cold call is but a step.

By separating the wheat

From the chaff

They use a numbers game

To create opportunities.

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Know Your Audience First listen

to learn their language.

Then question

to understand their lives.

Next seek

to know, what they know.

Then frame how best to express solutions.

The Master Seller

Walks in their shoes,

Listens without judging

Building credibility and trust.

Marketing the buyer with relevance

Spoken in the Words of the audience.

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Awake Unconscious

I drift through life unsure

Confused where to go.

Conscious

I consider choice

Choose with open eyes.

The total cost of ownership

Weighs both pros and cons

It considers trade offs and dwells in reality

And possibility.

No longer asleep

The automated machine

Is turned off

Replaced with wakeful decision-making.

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Wake Up Asleep

I am dumb to the world

Decisions of ignorance are folly.

Awake

I am informed and observant

Decisions are wise and thoughtful.

Better the sage than the fool

With an ear to reality

A listening for knowledge.

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Finding Your Niche

The ocean is vast

But the wise fisherman

casts nets in narrow waters.

Serving every market

Serves no one.

Listen to the niche

Decipher its unique language

Focusing on needs

Deeply personal

Providing products and solutions heartfelt.

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Advancing The Close With each question

Comes an answer

The Master Seller

Advances closer

Finding common ground.

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Following Up The buyer has needs

Yet they are ephemeral

Wants desired today

Can vanish in an instant.

The window of opportunity

maybe wide,

It maybe narrow.

The Master Seller makes no assumptions

And follows up quick.

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True Power Knowing your product is intelligence

Knowing your market is true wisdom

Mastering selling is strength

Mastering yourself is true power.

Tenacity, Patience, Focus,

Discipline and Confidence,

Empathetic with Humor

These are the keys

to true power.

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Tenacity Accept long sales cycles

Patiently uncover needs

Wear away objections

Closing deals with resolve.

Persistence overcomes impatience

And wins deals.

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Patience Inch by inch

The young sapling reaches great heights.

Steadfast

The Master Seller sees Patience as power,

They wait for the right time to act.

With steady follow-up

they advance the sale,

Guiding the Close with a steady hand.

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Discipline Sales mastery is clear and concise

yet people prefer the side paths.

Avoiding discipline,

They are out of balance.

Lacking organization,

Deals are lost.

Where skill lacks,

Hard work steps in.

The daily grind

Polishes the professional.

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Focus Money blinds the eye

Objections deafen the ear

Boredom numbs prospecting

Distractions weaken follow-up

Desires wither the pipeline.

The Master Seller is awake

Participating in every moment

Staying on track

Keeping focus.

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Confidence The path of trial and error leads to mastery

By accepting fear as true

Or soon come to pass

Confidence arrives.

Believing in themselves

The Master Seller allows things to unfold.

Not forcing things

They embody confidence, abundance, and mastery.

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Empathy If you want to earn trust

You must listen,

If you want to earn faith

You must sympathize with distress,

If you want to earn loyalty

You must desire to alleviate pain.

Repeated sales are the fruit of repeated compassion.

This key opens doors.

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Humor What is black

and white

and red all over?

The Tao Te Ching of Sales

Bearing gifts of amusement

Brightening the buyers day

Finding common absurdities in life,

The Master Seller

Generates trust with fun.

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About The Author Pat Helmers is the Vice President of Sales at Common Goal Systems, a software company that provides database services for the elementary and secondary education market. Prior to that he was a technical manager and engineer for Bell Laboratories who specialized in deploying new technologies within the telecommunication industry. He holds two patents in wireless communication and has a Masters Degree of Science in Computer Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois and a Bachelors of Science at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Mr. Helmers is an avid golfer, bicyclist, jogger, cook, home-brewer, father and husband.

Mr. Helmers can be found blogging his thoughts regarding sales and marketing at the Tao Te Ching of Sales (taotechingofsales.com). For his random musings refer to pathelmers.worpress.com or @pathelmers on Twitter.

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