Owning a small business means you get to wear a lot of hats, and one of those is sales. Infact this is the most important hat, because no sales = no revenue which means no business. A lot of people absolutely dread having to make sales. I for one do not. I embrace sales as being the most exciting and dynamic part of business. Over the past 10 years I’ve sold millions of dollars worth products, out sold entire countries over my peers and kept my dignity all at the same time. I know right, sales person with dignity? The truth is, I had this success because I’m not a sales person. I’m a person with a passion for listening and providing tangible solutions. Just think of your prospects as a friend you want to make happy for a long time.
With that said, I want to share with you why some people have a hard time selling due to some preconceived ideas about sales which are total nonsense!
1. Sales is hard.
If you have in your mind the dreadful image of a pushy used car salesman or a slick snake oil peddler, you have the wrong impression of what sales is about. Most of us associate sales with being pushy and trying to get people to spend money they don’t have. Interestingly, nearly every single human interaction is a sales transaction. Really! Every time you ask your friends to join you at an event; every time you ask your kids to help around the house; every time you ask a workmate to cooperate on a project; even everyt ime you get someone to agree with you – you are selling an idea. Here are a few important tips about selling:
The origin of the word “selling” is the old English, “to give.” In Norwegian, “selge” (selling) means “to give.” That means, when your focus is NOT on your bottom line but on the customer’s happiness, you are serving someone. It’s all about them. This takes the focus off you (and your fears) and puts you in the “helper” position.
When you have a solution to someone’s problem, all you have to do is present it in the right way – with a “How may I serve you?” attitude. Remember that a business is simply a solution to a problem.
2. It takes a certain type of person to sell.
Yes – but it’s not what you think. Pushy, aggressive sales people who are more concerned with their commission are LESS likely to close a deal than people who are genuinely concerned about their customers’ well-being. It takes a NICE person to make sales. A nice, caring, helpful, concerned and enthusiastic person. You ARE that person – kind, compassionate, helpful and super passionate about what you do… if you think of it in terms of helping and educating people, then even if they don’t buy from you, you have enriched their lives. And you know what? Referrals are the single best way to get customers! Treat everyone like you genuinely love and care for them, and they will remember that and spread the word… like wildfire.
3. You need thick skin to sell.
Rejection is no fun, but let’s flip this upside down for a minute: YOU reject people all the time. You say no to salespeople, to your kids, your spouse, your friends, potential dates, even your boss. Some people aren’t very nice about saying no, but why let them get under your skin? You can choose to see it as a bad fit between the person and your product or service (and you probably don’t want them as a customer anyway – you want nice, happy people as customers!) And, you can choose to learn from any rejection. What could you be doing better? How can you make sure your offerings meet customer’s needs? Should I have better qualified if this was the right person in the first place? Tip: ASK these questions when you get a rejection – and take it as constructive criticism to help you improve and grow your business!
4. You need the gift of the gab.
You don’t need to be a slick talker to close deals. Far from it! All you need to be is a nice, caring, friendly and approachable person.There are a few keys to the sales process, and anyone – even the most reserved person – can master these:
Establish rapport. Your customer must believe that you’re just like them and you have their best interests at heart. They need to know that you “get” them, their problems and concerns.
Ask questions. This helps establish rapport and give you the best information so you can effectively solve your customer’s problem (even if you send them to your competitor, they will remember how helpful you were and refer you!).
Remember, sales is about service. It’s NOT about your bottom line. It’s about helping another person. Even if your product or service isn’t the ideal match, you will have established yourself as a genuinely caring, awesome person they won’t hesitate to recommend!
Most people find the hardest part of selling is asking for the sale. And yes, sometimes “No” will be the answer. But if you’ve established rapport, given your customer the assurance that you can help them, then it’s a natural transition to ask for the sale and if you take it as a learning opportunity, it will take the sting out of the “no.”
Establishing rapport with your potential customers is the critical step. If you approach sales from this perspective:
“Here’s what I have. Which one do you like best?” You’re likely to get FEW sales. This approach screams, “Hurry up and buy the damn thing already so I can make my numbers this month!” Quite the turn-off!
But if you approach sales from this perspective:
“How may I serve you? How can I help you solve a problem?” You’re likely to get a LOT of sales. You see, they found you and they’re in contact because you may have a solution to their problem. Through word of mouth, chance or advertising, they either opted in or walked in, hoping that you might solve their problems. What can you do, with genuine love and compassion in your heart? A lot!
Ironically, shy and introverted people often make the best salespeople because they are willing to take the time, one on one, to establish rapport; extroverts and highly gregarious people, on the other hand, rarely take that kind of care and time to build a relationship.
Remember not to OVERSELL yourself, you don’t need to bend over backwards to make a sale. Learn to say no to a deal that doesn’t serve you well and always be sure to qualify the lead a best as possible before you invest your time into a meeting. Some people are just tyre kickers so don’t waste you love on them just because you want help people.
Now that you know what it takes to make sales in any industry, you no longer have to let fear of selling hold you back from rocking your business!