86 - Becoming a Million Dollar Sales Producer w/ AJ Vaden

Our guest today on She Sells Radio is AJ Vaden. She’s the CEO of Brand Builders Group and was instrumental in that company hitting multiple 7 figures in its first calendar year. AJ went from making $24k in a year, ready to quit because she felt so misaligned with other’s sales strategy to becoming a million-dollar producer, growing the company to 8 figures. She’s sharing with us how she found her groove and how she uses systems and structure to support her creativity and relationship building with her clients. AJ started her sales journey in college where she changed her major from Art to Advertising. She dove into the creative aspects of the major but noticed she wasn’t happy with entry-level salaries. She asked, how can I make more money? The answer was sales. From there, AJ attributes her progress to divine intervention. She met her to-be husband after being asked to start a company across the country. AJ has sold in a variety of ways and has pioneered just as many strategies in sales. The truth is, selling is not a universal world where there is one “correct” way. Times are changing and will continue to change. What has stayed true, though, is that AJ is not a transactional salesperson. It just doesn’t fit with who she is, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t be a successful saleswoman. The pressure and urgency that comes with transactional sales work can limit some women’s growth. When she decided to sell in a way that was aligned with her skills, she had to go back a few steps, but the growth she saw came this time in quantum leaps. AJ suggests trying a few versions of sales to find what your sweet spot is, and make it your own. When those leaps happened, AJ was going for quality over quantity. She decided who her ideal client was and surrounded herself in those networks. She didn’t want the relationships she built to be flat--she found that her best clients were not one-off engagements, they were much more robust. When that happens, you find new opportunities with existing clients. Think about what you can provide of value to your customer. They can help find your uniqueness--sometimes they need something you’re good at, you’re just not selling it yet. Relationship building is a superpower of AJ’s. Tactically, there are a few core beliefs: one is the choice to be niche. Find clients that you can go deep with. Once a client, always a client. A crucial part of relationship-building is responsiveness. By doing this, you stand out against the crowd. The customer shouldn’t have to chase you down to give you money. Balancing being present in what we’re doing and our inbox can be a challenging task. There are a few things you can do, and first, it’s not varying communication styles. Have an avenue for business communication--this will allow you to become more efficient. When you have checkpoints, you give yourself the opportunity to touch base. You don’t always need to solve a problem, just send a short, quick acknowledgment to let that person know you’re on it. Set expectations early! Additionally, no matter the circumstances, no matter how bad it seems needed or how unnecessary it may seem, having a monthly check-in call is crucial. Even if it’s automatic, make sure you’re making that routine, proactive communication--it’ll save you potential problems. By doing this you can confront problems you might not even see. Another tool AJ uses is her creativity, but it doesn’t come without structure. The small touches she gives her clients can be automated, it can be as easy as making a note and following through. There are a lot of great intentions, but the execution is what makes it real. Create intentional conversations that allow you to get to know your clients. Learning to trust yourself is a difficult, albeit necessary part of the puzzle. For AJ, she had people in her life who encouraged her to trust herself with their actions and their receptiveness. It is validating! Find a point of reason and let them help you find your own way of doing things. Tune in to hear AJ’s final thoughts on breaking through six figures in an authentic way! LINKS @aj_vaden on Instagram brandbuildersgroup.com elysearcher.com/training elysearcher.com/sixfigures