Selling is not everyone's cup of tea. Many people have developed a mental threshold to selling that can feel insurmountable. There can be many reasons. For some, it's simply a nuisance to push things on people - let alone themselves. Many people don't realise the beliefs that hold them back, but the idea of picking up the phone and calling a stranger seems almost impossible (even though at the same time we can easily make an appointment to, say, wash the carpets - so we call a stranger without any problem). The hesitation is probably due to a more or less conscious fear of being rejected. What if I don't qualify? If you recognise yourself, even partially, from this introduction, you should read on, because we want to provide a thought-provoking model that can help you overcome the mental barrier to getting started in sales.
Selling well is not really about selling, it's about serving. If sales can be thought of as service, what is a good service experience? When was the last time you were well served? What happened then?
Only one of us writers needs the services of a barber or hairdresser, but let's take that as an example. What is a good hairdresser or hairdressing experience like? Does it feel like the hairdresser is present in the situation and wants to understand what the hairstyle should look like now? Absolutely. Good hairdressers want to understand their client's needs and perhaps get to know them in other ways. When you leave such a situation, your step is light and your spirits are high.
How do you feel when a hairdresser gets an idea you don't like at all and persists in pushing it? It's unlikely to leave a good taste in your mouth if your hairdresser offers you an overpriced polish or conditioner half-heartedly, even though you're perfectly happy with your current product. In a commercial sense, after a good experience you'll find yourself going home happy with a new jar of something, but after a bad experience you may be in tears and certainly not interested in buying anything more.
So what is the most important thing when you meet a potential customer (or anyone, really)? Be present. To listen. Listen to understand. To use what you hear to offer a solution. To internalise the fact that your interests are only realised through the realisation of the client's interests.
How can thinking of sales as a service help cure people of their fear of the handset? Good question. The answer lies in what you think you are doing when you want to connect with a potential customer. If you feel like you have to push something and you're not sure if the customer needs what you're offering, it's natural to feel a bit anxious. The best cure for this is to think that you sincerely want to help the customer. To be able to help, you need to get to know the customer and understand how you can help them. And who wouldn't want to help a fellow human being, right?
If you feel awkward or embarrassed about a sale, it's worth considering what beliefs are holding you back and what is causing the feeling. What if you didn't sell, but approached with curiosity and genuine interest? When you make contact, your attitude would be that you want to get to know and learn something. At the bottom of it all would be the idea that you were giving, not taking. Would you think that the client could benefit from meeting you. And since you can't always do business, the worst that can happen is that two people meet and get to know each other.
