"Authenticity is more than speaking; Authenticity is also about doing. Every decision we make says something about who we are."

Simon Sinek

This powerful quote encapsulates the profound truth about authenticity, emphasizing and encompassing both your words and actions.

Authenticity, it's one of the single biggest challenges for many in a profession riddled with scrupulous, fake and disingenuous salespeople.

In a post-trust sales world, authenticity separates sales professionals from sales reps. It separates the heartfelt from the empty hearted.

I encourage you to set aside some alone time, grab a pen and paper, then start writing down these words... credibility, genuine, connect, relate and real.

Define each word, think about each word and become consumed with each word.

To have an ever-flowing sales funnel, you must build and ever-flowing relationship funnel.

Authentically prospecting is about building real relationships and changing the way people think. You must understand who you are. You must understand your sales purpose and you must understand what you personally bring to the table.

Here lies the issue, and why I believe many in sales struggle with prospecting... They struggle to clearly articulate the value they bring to the marketplace because they haven’t spent the time investing in themselves.

When your actions reflect your values and beliefs. Every choice you make, big or small, communicates your priorities and character. Now, think about prospecting.

Engaging in actions that resonate with your values reinforces your authenticity. Now, think about prospecting?

What you value, you prioritize.

AUTHENTICITY, IT'S ABOUT YOU PROSPECTING WITH IT

When I think of authenticity in prospecting, I believe it refers to a genuine, honest, and transparent approach to initiating conversations and building relationships with potential clients.

I'm not casting judgement or any ill-will here when I ask this... Are you truly a genuine and authentic person? Are you carrying yourself with a certain amount of transparency, integrity and vulnerability across your personal and professional life?

I'm asking this to get you to think about it.

Authenticity, it's making the conscious choice based on accurate self-knowledge. This means stepping outside the shallow world in which many in sales live.

Let's look at authenticity as defined by Theo Tsaousides Ph.D., a neuropsychologist, speaker, and author. His clinical and research work focus on goal achievement, mental fitness, and emotional intelligence.

"Authenticity is acting in accordance with one’s true self and being authentic means behaving in congruence with one’s values, beliefs, motives, and personality dispositions."

Are you congruent with prospecting? Does the talk match the walk?

Are your beliefs and motives in alignment when it comes to prospecting?

Prospecting is a 100% nonnegotiable activity for salespeople. Prospecting is not an easy thing to do. If it was, more of you would be doing it and more you would be achieving your quota numbers.

Authentically prospecting is a conscious choice.

This lifestyle is not easy. It's the difference between just getting by and making it happen.

Self-reflect for a moment, and now ask yourself, what does it means to lead an authentic prospecting lifestyle?

When it comes to authentic prospecting professionals...

• They forge their own prospecting paths

• They're thick-skinned

• They're not driven by their ego

• They do not try to make people like them

• They treat everyone with respect

By embracing authenticity in prospecting, salespeople build trust, foster stronger relationships, and ultimately achieve better long-term sales sustainability.

THE HARSH TRUTH

The Edelman Group is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations.

On an annual basis, they publish what is known as the Edelman Trust Barometer.

Pay close attention to the following quote from one of their past Trust Report's,

"People today grant their trust based on two distinct attributes: competence (delivering on promises) and ethical behavior (doing the right thing and working to improve society)."

How synonymous are the words competence and ethical used to describe salespeople and their actions?

Are delivering on your prospecting promises?

Are you doing the right thing when it comes to prospecting?

Furthermore, take the above quote and then honestly answer... How many of the prospects you work with are skeptical and have low levels of trust? What's worse, how many of your clients are skeptical and have low levels of trust in you? Would you even know?

Skepticism by others is peaked out at max levels with most of you in sales.

Unfortunately, very few of you realize there's some work to be done when it comes to prospecting. Many of you will point fingers and deflect the issue. Many of you feel your above it all when it comes to prospecting.

Lack of prospecting has hit critical mass for many in sales.

Spend any amount of time in sales and you will hear this... "Sales is a numbers game", "Make more calls", "Turn over some rocks", all this makes my stomach turn.

Quantity is important when it comes to prospecting but so is quality and efficiency.

Quality comes from the behind the scenes work to be able to deliver quantity.

Sales professionals do the hard work to make sure that when they get in front of a prospect, they have an opportunity to truly bring the goods.

They understand their heart is behind the hard work.

Check out the books that are transforming the sales community

AUTHENTIC PROSPECTING

The heart behind prospecting is the quality. A sales professional places heart at the forefront as they truly want to make a difference in the lives of their clients.

It's the fundamental reality that everyone in sales must prospect. Prospecting for new business... we talk about it and measure quantity but how many truly monitor quality?

How many of you place quality at the forefront when it comes to prospecting?

Those who care the most when it comes to prospecting will consistently have food on the business table.

Are you going through the prospecting motions?

How many of you even know what you're prospecting for?

Authentic prospecting is about building trust through being upfront about the purpose of the outreach as you avoid manipulative tactics or false promises.

Authentic prospecting is about engaging in a two-way conversation by asking thoughtful and insightful questions, and to then truly listen to the response.

AUTHENTIC PROSPECTING IS ABOUT MEANINGFUL VALUE

A sales professional waves the prospecting flag around value. They weave meaningful value into their communication and into their prospecting strategies.

Sales professionals have value-driven interactions that lead to profitable clients, sales reps push for a quick sale that leads to replaceability.

Each interaction with a prospect should provide meaningful value. This could be through sharing insights, offering solutions to their problems, or providing useful resources before any sales pitch is made

How many understand how to truly weave value into an effective business conversation?

To authentically prospect means to truly understand your values, what your prospect values and incorporate this into an effective business conversation.

Know thy values, know thyself when it comes to authentically prospecting

By adopting the mindset of meaningful value when it comes to an authentic prospecting approach, you create more meaningful connections, which lead to a more successful and sustainable sales career.

AUTHENTIC PROSPECTING IS ABOUT HAVING LONG-TERM VISION

An authentic prospecting approach prioritizes building meaningful relationships over immediate transactional outcomes. This approach recognizes that profitable sales often require time and consistent effort to cultivate trust and mutual understanding.

We all want short term results when it comes to prospecting. Many of you get whacked over the head for 30 day and quarterly results but how many of you add in a long-term perspective when it comes to prospecting?

What you fail to do this month or this quarter when it comes to prospecting will show up in your sales results in subsequent quarters.

Sales reps are consistently inconsistent when it comes to prospecting.

A vast majority of conversations when prospecting will not fit into a short-term window but will someday.

Authentically prospecting means to balance a short-term sales funnel with a longer-term relationship funnel. Not every opportunity will fit into the 30 day or quarterly window. Let's not ignore them but nurture them.

The consummate sales professional knows what it means to balance their relationship funnel alongside their sales funnel. With authenticity and a blend of giving a rip, they nurture their relationship funnel with education and insight.

We all have choices.

“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let out true selves be seen.”

Brene Brown

A long-term approach recognizes that while immediate results are desirable, the true value lies in cultivating lasting, meaningful and trusted partnerships that are beneficial over time.

AUTHENTIC PROSPECTING CREATES REAL GROWTH

Authenticity starts when you set the intention and muster up self-fortitude to be genuine.

You must become keenly aware of what this looks and feels like, along with the willingness to act in accordance with your genuine nature.

In an environment where many salespeople rely on generic, canned and me-too pitches, authentic prospecting allows you to stand out by being genuine and relatable.

In a world full of self-interested salespeople who look at prospects as dollar signs, an authentic sales professional stands out like a shining star.

An authentic sales professional prospects with the mindset of a sales servant. They've developed a how can I help mindset. They have a true burning and genuine desire to help.

An authentic prospecting approach creates:

• Increased engagement as prospects are more likely to respond positively when they feel understood and valued.

• Higher conversion rates as tailored communication addresses their specific needs which leads to more successful outcomes.

• Sustainable pipeline as nurturing relationships over time ensures a steady flow of opportunities.

• Positive reputation as authentic interactions contribute to a positive image about you.

Being the real you is scary while prospecting. The time is now to get real and get honest with yourself. Take off the 'bravado mask' that hinders you from prospecting. The barrier it's creating will not last forever.

Be the real you, not a prospecting imposter. Watch your sales career soar to new heights.

Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn.