Do you hate selling?

Most people start their own businesses because they love what they do and they are good at it, however unless your business does sales training, there is a good chance that business owners do not have sales skills and many people really don’t like to sell, especially when what they are selling is essentially themselves.

Unfortunately selling often gets a bad reputation…it is seen as trying to con people into spending money they don’t have on things they don’t need, and this negative mindset holds back new business owners from success.

If you hate selling and it is preventing you taking your business to the next level (or let’s face it, even getting off the ground) I’ve got 5 great tips for how you can learn to love to sell.

Tip No 1. Reframe your thinking

When you are trying to sell something, it is absolutely essential that you believe in it. One of the reasons why salespeople and selling has a bad name is because people often take jobs selling something they don’t really have faith in, to a database of people where they don’t really know if they need it. That is NOT YOU. You are brilliant at what you do…that is why you have a business doing it. So, take a look back at your business plan (you do have one, right?) and remember all the benefits of your product or service.

Tip No 2. Talk to your target audience

Everyone has had a conversation with someone who is not interested in what you have to say…could have been about a hobby, a movie, or a holiday, but we all know that feeling of talking to someone who could not give a monkeys about what you are saying. It’s very disheartening. That is why when selling it is really important to talk to people who are actually interested in what you are selling and would benefit from buying it. Even if they are not ready/able/willing to buy, at least they will be interested in what you have to say.

Tip No 3. Start with education

No one actually likes being ‘sold to’ so don’t start there…start by educating your audience (some might say like this blog…). Ask questions, demonstrate your knowledge and experience. Your audience may end up asking you about your product or service, and that’s great – job done. However, don’t be afraid to make it clear what you are offering, don’t cop out and miss an opportunity. You’d be amazed how many people are interested, but won’t ask you because they think you are too busy, they are not the right client etc.

Tip No 4. Think about your language

This is an interesting one…if you are an expert at what you do (and if you are running a business doing it, then let’s assume you are…) then you will be using language that exists within your industry. This could be acronyms, specialist terms or words that mean one thing in your sector and something else in everyday life. If you are talking to someone within your industry or sector, then using this language will emphasise your expertise. However, our audience is often someone who is not a specialist – that’s why they need us, right? – so be careful not to use words and language that they won’t understand. Take the time to explain any difficult terms. Maybe have a practice on someone before you start on a real prospect, so you can ensure that you are not using unintelligible terms.

Tip No 5. Build trust

You do not have to go straight in with the hard sell…in fact I would advise against it. Spend some time building trust. If you are selling a low-price product this could be a short amount of time, maybe only five minutes, but the more complex and expensive your product the longer this trust takes to build…it could be months. Do not push people to buy before they are ready but remember ALWAYS ASK. Every sale you do not ask for will be a no…!

I hope these tips will help you to sell more effectively, build your business and achieve success. Always bear in mind…what’s the worst that can happen? And of course what is the best that could happen…this client could MAKE your business and change your life! It is not nice when someone says no, but remember they are not saying no to you personally, just to what you are selling. If you do get a no, try and learn from it, find out why…is it timing, is it price, did they choose another business…why? You can learn as much from a no as you can from a yes.

If you need more help with selling or any other part of building a successful business remember you can book a free business coaching session with me.