The thought of selling can strike fear in the heart of many – and once upon a time I would have included myself in that bracket too.
Entrepreneurs, business owners, sole traders and the like have all expressed to me at some stage in their careers that they have been scared to sell.
But why?
Of course, it goes without saying that without selling, or without being brave enough to sell, you are never going to grow your business. However the fear of selling is very common and if you are reading this concerned that you are unable to sell then never fear; you are not alone.
It does however raise one simple questions; how are you going to bring in new clients if you are too scared, or are unable to sell?
Fortunately, in this article we are not only going to look deeper into the heart of why you are scared to sell, but we are also going to look into ways you can overcome those fears and finally attract the clients you deserve.
(The team here at Paragon Sales Solutions are always here to help you sell if you ever need any support!)
Fundamentally, the reason you are scared of selling is down to one of the coming reasons:
- Stereotypes
Let’s not beat around the bush here; sales people can certainly come with some strict stereotypical traits: pushy, ‘salesly’, sleazy etc. Many of us are scared to sell because we are worried of coming across this way, and as falling into this stereotype.
- Personal Experience
It is rare to come across a person whom has not had a dodgy experience with a poor sales person. Many of us have been pressured into buying something we did not want, and were left feeling uncomfortable because of it.
- Rejection
Everyone has a fear of rejection. No matter who you are, we all have a desire to be liked. For many, the thought of being rejected, or told no, can strike a lot of fear.
- Lack of Systems or Knowledge
Entering into the unknown is always scary, and having a fear of sales can come from the fact that you do not know how to sell, or how to set up a sales process to support you.
- Lack of Assertiveness
Selling is never easy, and there will always be some form of resistance or objection. Perhaps you have a fear of minor confrontation.
In these examples, there will be one or two elements that you can relate to – there are a few in there that I too have faced over the years. It could just be that you don’t really have a fear of sales; you have a fear of one of those elements.
So how do you over come sales fear?
Firstly, you need to shed any of these limiting beliefs we have just gone through. From there, your confidence will grow. And then from there, your fear of sales will soon diminish.
As with anything in life, practicing is very important. The more you try, the more you will feel more comfortable with selling and swiftly thereafter you will lose your fear of sales.
Here are three top tips to help you firstly over come the fear of sales:
- Question and Listen
The more questions you ask your client, the more you will learn about them. Not just on a personal level, but they will also pretty much tell you what they want if you try hard enough. The same goes for when, or if, you are rejected or face an objection. If you question this objection, you will soon discover what you can do to overcome it.
- Solve Problems
As a sales person, your job is to solve your prospect’s problems. The best sales people in the world don’t push products or services on to customers; they simply solve problems for their clients. So as before, listen to your clients needs, and see what you can offer to make things better.
- Helicopter View
If you do get rejected for whatever reason, don’t forget that it is not personal. If need be, take a step back from the situation and take a look at what is going on from above. Is your prospect really rejecting you, as a human being? Or are they simply rejecting the offering. From this perspective, you should be able to become their advisor and gently lead them to a decision that will benefit them.
The fear of sales is a common fear, and if you are reading this then you should not feel alone. This now is the first step in the journey towards overcoming sales fear; get out there, and start practising!
Paragon Sales Solutions are Leicester’s leading sales consultants, offering:
– Sales Contracts
– Sales Training
– Social Media Management
– B2B Telesales / Telemarketing
We cater for any size business, and what makes us stand out is that we truly care. Our services can be catered for your business and our sales professionals will work tirelessly to ensure your sales targets are met. Be sure to visit our website for more details on how our sales solutions can help your business.
