This is the number one thing I hear from Entrepreneurs about their sales process. “I cannot stand selling, I don’t like to be pushy, it is so uncomfortable.” Does this sound familiar? In this article, I am going to address the 3 most common beliefs blocking sales success, and what to do about it. I believe that anyone can sell naturally, and close in a way that feels authentic to them. The problem isn’t so much with your sales skills or personality type, as most think. It primarily exists due to your belief system surrounding sales. This is the REAL reason most entrepreneurs struggle with sales.
Here are the most common 3 beliefs that are blocking your sales success
1) You BELIEVE you have to become overly confident and/or pushy to sell:
Most entrepreneurs tell me they believe that when it comes time to sell, they have to put on their salesperson hat, but nothing could be further from the truth. If you feel like you have to act like someone else in order to sell, of course, you’re going to feel nervous and uncomfortable. Let yourself off the sales hook, you don’t have to be a smooth talker or back them into a corner.
If you have had a meaningful dialogue with your potential client, you have clearly understood their needs, and you have shown how you can meet those needs, then closing is just the next obvious step. Base your sales on attraction rather than hard-core promotion. It is possible to sell YOUR way. This will help tremendously with your confidence level and your selling ability. Give yourself permission to let go of what you think you “should” do, and explore how sales can feel natural and authentic to you.
2) You BELIEVE you don’t like sales or you are not a salesperson:
Okay, this may be hard to hear, but you cannot be good at something you don’t like. Think about it. Like it or not, sales is the lifeline for your business, without making sales, your business is over. It is in your best interest, to reframe this belief. Make peace with the selling. Begin to question why you believe you don’t like sales? Is it because of some bad experiences you have had with aggressive salespeople? What about the good experiences?
If you believe to be a good salesperson you have to be that icky “old school” sales guy then, of course, you aren’t going to resonate with it. Why not redefine the process for you in a way that makes you feel good about it and even like it? The more you open up to the belief that you can sell in a way that feels natural and authentic to you, the more comfortable you will be. What if there is no such thing as a good salesperson. What if selling is more about connecting, identifying, and meeting your customer’s needs. Does that sound like something you would like to be good at?
3) What beliefs are you attaching to the word no?
The truth about no is it means nothing more than the meaning you give it. You must detach from it, try and understand your customer’s objections, try and overcome them. If you can’t do it that is OK too, we aren’t trying to convince people. You are connecting and inspiring a person to make a decision that can change his/her life, and you aren’t going to be able to make that level of connection with everyone.
You want to work with the type of customer who is inspired by what you have to offer, one who resonates with you. In order to find the right people, you will hear a lot of no’s along the way. That’s ok. No doesn’t mean you stink, it doesn’t mean you are a failure, and it doesn’t mean you should quit. It just wasn’t a goof fit, end of story!
Take the pressure off by understanding and letting go of what the word no means to you, and you will feel WAY more comfortable within your sales process. Your job is to feel okay when hearing no and to keep going until you get your yes! The more comfortable you become with this process the more natural and confident you will feel in front of customers when asking them to work with you. You no longer have your self-worth riding on their answer!
There you have it. I hope you have a broader understanding of why you struggle and the 3 most common beliefs blocking your sales success. You too can learn to sell naturally and effectively. I hope this has opened your eyes. Your beliefs about the sales process may be holding you back. You already have the tools you need to be. You do it all day every day: With your family, friends, colleagues, etc. Your job is the change the way you see sales and give yourself permission to sell YOUR way! “That’s why I always say: “Success is an inside job”.
If you would like more information about learning to sell from the inside out, please check out my website here: http://www.jananiksa.com or please follow me on Instagram here: @jananiksa