
Sales are scary. That’s a fact that both new and old salespeople alike have to deal with everyday. It’s scary because of the risks we associate with selling and most, if not all, are fear based. Afraid of being rejected personally. Afraid of humiliation. Afraid of making a mistake. Afraid of not making a goal. Afraid of failing. These risks are very real for us everyday and perhaps more intensified then almost any other position in the company. There is a lot riding on us each day and many other people depend on how well we perform. So now you have a lot of pressure pushing on your fears as well. So how can we get past all this to get our job done successfully?
Most salespeople have or will develop some type of coping mechanisms for the risks we face. It’s not that the risks are any less real to us, we just have a different way to process them. But what about all of the other sales people, quite possibly the majority of salespeople, who have not developed these coping skills. Most of us would perform rather well if we get past the fears that hold us back. And you know what I am talking about. The reason why you won’t pick up the phone to call a new customer. The reason why we are afraid that a customer is going to gasp at our price. The reason why we avoid someone who may say, “No thanks. Not interested.” There are some easy tricks to help you develop your own techniques for getting past your fears and these 5 are the ones that will really make a difference.
- Laugh before you leap – Take a moment to relieve the stress that you are experiencing and have a good quick laugh. For instance, we all have a little YouTube clip that cracks us up every time we see it. Watch it a couple times before you approach your sales so you can relax both your mind and spirit. Easy and fun.
- Roleplay your sale – I don’t mean in your head either. Ask someone to do a run-through with you so you can work the kinks out of your process and be mentally prepared for how a customer may respond. You will go into your meeting much more prepared and relaxed.
- Just walk – Allowing your body to release energy helps to clear your mind and focus your thoughts. Just 5 minutes can make a big difference. Got a big round of cold calls to make? Take a brisk walk to energize yourself. Have a big presentation on the calendar today? Walk through the presentation as you walk down the street. You’ll be surprised how much more energized and focused you are.
- Position to listen – Adjust your approach in whatever you are doing to be more of an active listener than speaker. Listening is not only easy, but it is highly effective. As long as you know your talking points, chances are you will do very well. This is often easier than trying to remember every angle of your sales pitch and helps you to create a more intimate relationship with your customer.
- ‘No’ is okay – You can’t win them all and I’m not asking you to accept failure in advance of trying, but keep in mind that not everyone is going to be a good fit. Don’t lower your expectations, but manage them all the same. Spend more of your time on making the sale the right fit instead of just selling for the sake of selling and watch how much easier and effective your selling process becomes.