Many people have mental barriers when it comes to selling. Perhaps they believe that selling is a manipulative business and that sales people are just out for themselves and the whole process is just outright uncomfortable. These limiting beliefs of a win-lose scenario may have been taught or shaped by a negative personal experience in the past. When these folks go into business for themselves, they find they are now faced with a dilemma… How will they will find clients or customers without having to do any of that unethical, awful SELLING?!

The reality is, everyone is selling all the time! If you’ve ever been on a date, or to a job interview, or met someone you thought you’d like to be friends with, you were selling. You were selling yourself, your story, your image, your beliefs, with the goal of connecting on some level with the other person to determine whether it was a fit… Only it didn’t feel like selling, because you were just being yourself (or perhaps your best, idealized version of yourself!) and it was completely natural, even if you may have felt a little bit nervous ‘putting yourself out there’.

Selling is about identifying and fulfilling a need.

It really is that simple. And selling in business isn’t any different than making a new friend; when you are just being yourself and sharing what you (or your business) is all about, you are putting yourself in a position to identify and fulfill a need. How will you ever know if someone may need your product or service unless you ask? So be brave, be bold, and put yourself out there. What happens next just might surprise you!

Ok, so now that you have decided to share your gift with others, what’s next?

The secret to being a natural success at sales is to be authentic.

When you are genuinely being yourself and sharing your mission with others, you will attract the right people and opportunities that are interested in your offering. Again, no manipulative trickery here, just the simple honesty of being yourself.

If being open with others is new to you, you may feel quite vulnerable at first, especially if you have an introverted personality. Feeling vulnerable can bring on feelings of anxiety and nervousness, which will limit your ability to come across as authentic… cue shaky voice and sweaty palms! To overcome this, only practice makes perfect. Get out of your comfort zone more often, strike up a convo with the stranger in line next to you, join a social club to meet new people or a public speaking group such as Toastmasters to practice your communication. Soon the nerves will subside and you will find it easier and easier to let your guard down and just be yourself in all kinds of situations.

Alright! Now that you are a confident, authentic, open book, its time to deliver your sales pitch. …W-w-ait! …What?! …NO! You couldn’t possibly pitch anyone?? …That’s so sleezy!

….But is it? …Really? If that person waiting in line next to you just so happens to need the very thing you have to offer and you don’t bother mentioning it, you are doing a disservice to both yourself AND them by not sharing. Mmmm-hmmm. Have a think on that! Remember, you’ll never know unless you put it out there.

I’m not talking about running around stopping random people in the streets to ask if they want to buy your vegan cookbook or personal training services… I’m talking about delivering your sales pitch when its appropriate. Think of how most conversations go when meeting someone new… “Oh hi, what’s your name? … And what do you do? …”

Ready yourself for this opportunity to connect with a 30 Second Elevator Pitch that answer three questions: Who are you? What do you do? and What are you looking for? If its just the words ‘sales pitch’ that are making your skin crawl and not the actual idea of sharing, just call it something else to positively reframe it in your mind… like your “30 Second Sharing Statement“.

But what if they say NO?? Fear of rejection is another major barrier for people when it comes to selling. This is another easy challenge to overcome with a little mental reframing. You just need to ask yourself, “What is the WORST thing that can happen?” The ground isn’t going to open up and swallow you whole. A crowd isn’t going to gather ’round laughing, pointing and chanting LOSER! I promise the only place that this can happen is your imagination. Take a deep breath and ask for the sale. The worst thing that can actually happen is they do say no, but then you are right back where you started. You can’t lose out on anything by asking, but you can gain the opportunity for getting to yes.

The secret to overcoming the fear of rejection is to have No Attachment.

Having no attachment to a certain outcome means there is never a win-lose scenario.

Selling is a necessity for success in business and life. If you are able to identify and address your mental barriers toward selling, you can have a rich life. Having the vision and ambition to go for your dreams will only get you so far. It comes down to taking action and doing the things that might be uncomfortable for you. Often the only thing that stands between ourselves and our goals is our fears or limiting beliefs. So, give yourself the gift of letting that go, and allow yourself to open up to new beliefs that will take you to where you want to be.

If you are interested in learning how you can master selling specific to your product or service, we can help! We offer one-on-one coaching to create a sales strategy and technique that feels authentic to you and your brand. We can also help you identify and address any barriers you might have toward your own success and walk you through overcoming them. Remember, advice is always FREE, so be brave, pick up the phone and give us a call. We are here to help you get what you deserve! kellerstrategic.com (403) 483-9446.