This week I’ve been having lots of conversations with people about sales and the beliefs people have about selling.
With the current economic climate, the topic of whether people should be selling, discounting or holding back and retreating is in a lot of people’s minds.
People are wondering “Is it appropriate to sell during these times?”
There are a host of limiting beliefs coming to the surface during this coronavirus season.
This is highlighting the difference between people who truly believe they have something valuable to offer
I don’t know your unique business situation, but I wanted to offer some ways of thinking about it to help you out.
If you’re a business owner and your service genuinely helps and serves people and improves their life, sales is key.
Sales is the ONE THING that will improve your financial position and give you more of what you love.
Sales are the key to bringing you freedom in your business and in your life.
Marketing, copywriting and presenting are all things we need to do well, but ultimately if we can’t get people to put money into our bank accounts, we will never be truly free. We will always be working for someone else.
I’m talking to all leaders, coaches, consultants, educators, thought leaders and subject matter experts. If you are a heart-based business owner, this is for you.
I want to ask you a question: what comes to your mind when I say the words ‘selling is…’? What’s literally the first things that come to mind?
If you hold the belief that selling is in any way negative, such as scary of difficult, that’s going to affect your ability to sell. If you feel like sales is hard, why would you do it? You’ll avoid it at all costs. And then your business will suffer.
Your very first reaction to the words ‘selling is’ and the definition you give the word ‘sales’ is going to determine your success in business.
The number one asset that you have when you’re selling is confidence. If you’re not confident in how your product or service will help someone, no one will buy from you.
There IS a way of selling, that is enjoyable for BOTH parties; it’s authentic and exciting. It gives both parties more of what they want. But first, you need to sell YOURSELF on selling.
Here are 5 ways to overcome your own objections to selling:
1 – Write Down all the Beliefs you Have About Selling
Be honest about your current beliefs around sales and write them down. Do you hold beliefs that sales are difficult? Do sales equate to fear of rejection for you?
Two of the most important needs that we have as human beings is to belong and the other need is to be accepted and not rejected. The truth is that in doing business, you will meet people who don’t like you or what your business stands for.
If you’re not willing to be hated by at least one person, then you’re not cut-out for business.
If you are trying to be all things to all people and avoid rejection, you won’t take risks and being in business takes being willing to take risks. I challenge you, be honest with yourself about your core beliefs around sales. The first step to change is being honest about where you are truly at.
2 – Identify Limiting Beliefs and Objections to Sales
Number 2 is to write down any limiting beliefs or objections you have about sales. Some of these would have come into your list in Number 1.
Do you believe selling is hard or awkward? Or do you have definitions of sales that are positive and empowering? What objections to selling and limiting beliefs around sales do you have?
Now circle all the beliefs that are empowering and cross out any beliefs that disempower and limit you.
Consider reframing these beliefs. Where you feel selling is scary, write down what you want to believe that is empowering, like selling is exciting. Write down what the opposite is of the negative and limiting belief.
If you want to start seeing sales as enjoyable, write down all the reasons why selling is fun and exciting. It means you are helping people and you are also making money from helping people.
3 – Sell Yourself on Selling
Sell yourself on all the reasons that selling is a positive and not a negative. Selling is caring for others and helping people which brings meaning to sales.
The number one thing that you can do to increase your financial position is to get brilliant at sales. Where you’re at right now is directly in proportion to your ability to sell.
There’s many other skills we need in business such as copywriting, marketing and presenting skills, but selling is the one thing that directly brings money into your bank account.
If you don’t have money in your bank account it’s because of your mindset around selling and it’s because of your mindset around your worth and your value. If you truly value yourself and what you do then why wouldn’t you sell it?
This is why I love selling because I genuinely help people improve their lives every single day. I coach and encourage people and they improve their lives. This is the power of what I offer, so I will never stop selling because it helps people change their lives completely. It’s a win-win.
We’ve been programmed to believe that selling is a bad thing and we need to break that conditioning, People assume selling is about greed and money-grabbing. If you’re offering something to someone who doesn’t need it, then you’re not really selling, you’re manipulating.
When you overcome your fear of rejection in sales, it can become fun. Reframe your beliefs around selling to understand that you are enhancing people’s lives. The money follows when you really want to help people.
4 – Write Down Why Selling Will Give You More of What You Want
You’re improving someone’s life by selling them your product or service. You’re helping others and in return, you are also helped. You are going to get so much satisfaction and joy if you can sell during a difficult period.
The financial crisis has not peaked yet. In fact, maybe in five or six months time, the government will take away its help and banks will stop putting pauses on loans. This is the time when there is government and bank assistance so it’s a great time to sell.
Think of all the people that you can help through the lows. There is so much opportunity for freedom at this time. And sales gives you the freedom to enjoy in life what you want to enjoy.
If I didn’t know how to sell I wouldn’t have freedom. I wouldn’t be able to work full time in my business and be an entrepreneur.
Without sales, I’d be stuck in a job that I didn’t enjoy. I’ve been there and I hated life. I was miserable, depressed, moody and tired all the time. I don’t want to go back there.
I made friends with sales and I’m so glad I did as it keeps me living my purpose.
One of the best things you can do for yourself and for your business is to make selling your friend.
5 – Give Your Brain Evidence That Sales is Enjoyable
Prove to your brain that selling is enjoyable. Rather than just saying affirmations and trying to believe them, prove it by taking action.
People are always asking me how to find clients. I tell them that their clients are already out there, on their laptop or on the phone. You need to reach out and tell them that you can help them. You need to risk rejection and risk someone saying no.
Just ask questions.
For example “Are you still looking for help with growing your business or with improving your home or losing weight?”
Ask people how they are going during this time and if they need help with whatever it is you do.
You can offer a free session, and just use it to give back to people. About 90% of the sales conversations I have with people is them talking to me and me listening, coaching and helping them.
I don’t even think of these conversations as sales conversations, as I genuinely know I can help people.
It’s amazing the number of business owners that I talked to who are struggling to make money and they can’t afford to pay for Facebook ads. This is most likely because they are not having enough sales conversations.
If you want to know the best way to sell during these current times, I recently ran a FREE 90-minute masterclass called ‘Selling Equals Service’
It was a powerful session and I received lots of great feedback afterwards.
I talked through 5 keys to effective selling and shared a 6-step VALUES based selling framework that I personally use and share with my clients.
In case you missed it, I’ve created a replay which is now available for the next 48 hours. ?
? Grab Your Free Access Here
P.S. The content is a game-changer if you want to sign up your ideal paying clients, so don’t procrastinate – take action and watch it today before it comes down!
Enjoy!
Kat
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