SB1 - Why you fear/hate/avoid selling
So why is it exactly that you fear, hate or avoid selling?
Here we take a look at the factors that dent your confidence and hold you back.
1. You think selling is bad.
You only have to Google "salesman" to see the general imagery that comes to mind - this is how society collectively views selling.
And it's not good....
These pictures are not aspirational. They show us a glimpse of the "sleazy" and "greedy" characters we have come to know as salespeople.
This is what many of us believe selling to be and it's an incorrect, negative stereotype that is only reinforced by salespeople who aspire to behave like this as they think this is the only way to sell.
How to overcome it
You have to see selling for what it is - it's about helping people meet their needs and solve their problems.
Yes there is money involved, but the products and services you provide are required or desired by your clients. Selling isn't about pushing or persuading people, it's about supplying them the things they need and want.
If they don't need or want it, they won't buy it. You shouldn't need to convince anyone of anything.
2. You think "selling" should have an immediate payoff
Selling is portrayed in the media as a high flying, let's just do the deal now on the phone, high paced orgy of aggression and greed.
The reality couldn't be farther from the truth.
It's very rare and unhealthy to try to rush a real world relationship and not spend time getting to know one another and building trust and rapport - the same is true of selling.
Selling is about good communication and finding a connection point. It's about creating a connection with someone by way of trust, respect and rapport.
It not only takes time to create this, but your buyer's timescales should dictate the sale as you are there to meet their needs, not corner them into something that doesn't fit them.
How to overcome it
Focus on creating great connections, not closing.
Be obsessed with understanding your buyer and their situation, focus on how what you offer could help that person, but let the buyer be in the driving seat. Give them the information and opportunity to make a decision.
3. You don't think you're good at it.
Like anything you aren't sure about, it's likely that you've avoided selling in the past or have tried, but not really known what to do and thus deemed your efforts a failure.
With that thought in your mind you are reluctant to enter into any selling situations and when you do can feel awkward and behave unnaturally.
How to overcome it
As with the previous point you need to realise that selling is about providing a buyer with the information and opportunity they need to solve their problems. The imagery you see and poor examples you have witnessed of pressure selling are all the polar opposite of what it takes to be a successful salesperson.
Refer to the 10 rules whenever you get stuck:
4. You don't know what to say
This entire course was built on the need for guidance as to what to do and say when selling.
The reason you lack confidence when selling is one of the following:
How to overcome it
With a structure to follow and a mindset shift about what selling "really" is, you will change your conversations and never slip into "selling mode" again.
Knowing what to do/say when selling gives you the confidence, clarity and structure to communicate in a clear way with those around you which can eliminate the awkwardness of being in "selling mode" or overly pushy.