How to Overcome Common Negative Beliefs About Selling

The number one thing that keeps people from engaging in selling interactions is their negative beliefs about selling.  Having these beliefs is no surprise really.  We’ve all heard the negative terms used to describe sales people and the sales process.  When we’re putting people down we use terms like; huckster and used-car salesman.  Then there are the parody’s on TV like Herb Tarlic the salesman from WKRP, or the tragic protagonist that almost kept me out of my sales career – Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman.

No one wants to be “sold to” or “taken”, which are things that we associate with the sales process.  As a matter of fact, right now in North American society one of the most maligned and despised groups of people are telemarketers!  Am I right?  So much so, that in both Canada and USA our governments are even stepping in to “protect” us from their calls!  As if they’re dangerous to our well-being.  We need protection from them.  So no wonder we all want to shy away from, in any way, shape or form, being even remotely connected to this sales image.

Underlying our distaste for the sales process is the feeling of powerlessness.  What we hate most of all is feeling that we’re being forced into a decision that we will later regret.  There’s even a term for that – buyers remorse – because it happens so often.  We feel bad about ourselves as if it’s a poor refection on our intelligence or our decision-making skills.  “We should have been smarter about our decision.”  “Why did I let him/her talk me into that?”  These are some of the things we may say to ourselves after we consider the item back in the comfort of our own home.

As a service provider who needs to sell their services and products to grow their business, how does one get past this belief that is so ingrained in our culture?

Redefine what selling is to you.

When I started my career as an Athletic Therapist I never imagined I would have a sales career.  When I naively got into my first sales position, I struggled primarily with my negative beliefs about selling.  My big turning point was when I redefined myself as an educator.  I learned that when I was speaking to the right person, at the right time, and giving them the right information, they could decide if my offering would work for them.  This took the pressure off me to “make them buy” from me. My approach changed, and I grew my business.

If you struggle with negative beliefs about selling, here are some steps you can take:

1. Describe all the things you hate about sales people and being “sold” to:
2. Describe all the ways that you and your business are different from that image:
3. Think of a recent positive selling interaction where you were purchasing a service or product.  What did the person you purchased from do well?  What could they have done differently?
4. How will you change your approach in selling interactions for your business?

The primary way to avoid making a potential client feel uncomfortable in a selling interaction is to ask for permission before sharing information.  If someone says “Yes, I’d like to hear more”, or “No, I don’t have time”, you can avoid what I affectionately call “telemarketers syndrome’!

Join us again soon!  Next time we’ll be talking about “Selling with authenticity & integrity!”

What is Selling?

Selling, at its essence, is a conversation with a purpose.  Really, that’s all it is.  What that means is that whenever you are having a conversation with anyone related to your business, it could be considered a selling conversation.  These can happen anytime, anywhere.  The purpose of a selling conversation could be to build relationships, understand clients’ needs, or to promote, advocate or gain acceptance for what you offer.

How does that fit with your approach to selling?

The barrier that many people who may define themselves as “sales reluctant” come up against is the view that selling is separate and isolated from everything else they do.  Selling becomes this whole other awkward, uncomfortable thing that happens under only certain specific conditions.  Seeing selling as an integrated part of what you do every day makes it much easier to incorporate into your skill set naturally and authentically.

My definition of selling is broad and continuous.  Having had very successful corporate sales career in healthcare, I have learned a thing or two about how to build strong relationships and make selling a win/win for all parties.  They key is to make it a natural, ongoing part of your business relationship.  And I don’t mean that you should be selling to your client in every interaction 24/7, but that you can flow in and out of various stages of selling at any time.

Most business relationships start with introductions and getting to know the person.  If there may be a fit to work together, you flow into asking and answering questions.  The next phase is asking your potential client if they’d like to work with you.  This basic formula can happen in as short as a couple of minutes or go on as long as it takes.

The important take-away from this, is to begin to shift your perception of what selling is, so that it works for you.  No one is telling you what you should or shouldn’t do; after all it is your business.  These are just clues to give you ideas and perchance to reframe past negative experiences.  The goal is to offer you the greatest opportunity to grow your business and have the success you desire!

Visit us again soon!  Next time we’ll be discussing “How to overcome common negative beliefs about selling!”

Why Bother Selling?

The million dollar question!  Can’t we just avoid it?  Service providers in the health and wellness fields especially, would rather do just about any thing else than talk about their offering and…gulp…ask someone to work with them.  I’ll bet you’re cringing already, just reading that!

The thing is, if you are not seeing the level of clients that you deserve to be seeing in your practice, by finding a way to comfortably speak about your offering and then ask someone to begin working with you, you will likely continue to struggle.  One of the key areas we work with clients on is just that, and it makes a tremendous difference to them and their practice.  Not only does their practice grow, but they learn how to have these conversations comfortably and confidently.

So to answer the question about why we need to have selling interactions we focus on two main areas:  What’s in it for you (and you’re business), and what’s in it for your clients.

To get some insight into why it’s important to promote your business, write down your answers to these questions.

 

Do you know what’s in it for you to gain new clients?

• What are all of the benefits to you, and to your business by increasing your client base?
• What is the average value of one client? (average of how many visits x cost per visit – per contract or annually)
• How many clients do you need to see to pay your bills?  Earn a living?
• What are any additional benefits you receive by working with new and existing clients?

Do you know what benefits your clients receive from working with you?

• From your point of view, what benefits do your clients receive from working with you?
• What have your clients told you they value most about working with you?
• From a client’s point of view, what are any additional reasons why they should work with you?

The perspective generally held about selling, is that it’s “taking” something from someone.  By looking at selling as a way to “give” to yourself, your business and to your clients, it shifts the focus from greed to generosity.

In closing, think of a time when you purchased something of great personal value to you.  It may have been a service or product that improved the quality of your life.  How did you find out about it?  What was the process from when you first heard of it to when you purchased it?  What did you like about the process?  What would you change if you were leading the process?  Think about how your life may have been more difficult or complicated without it, and how grateful you are to have it.

Your offering is solving a problem or improving the life of someone who uses your services or products.  Sharing your gifts with the world is a form of honouring what you’ve been given.  Share your blessings!

Check back soon!  Next time we’ll further define, “What is selling?”

Are You Struggling to Fill Your Practice?

Would you consider yourself to be “sales reluctant”?  Are you a health and wellness practitioner running a small to medium-sized business that is not seeing the level of clients that you deserve?  If so, then you are not alone. As a matter of fact, one of the top reasons that small businesses stay empty is due to poor promotion of their offering.  There is a plethora of ways to promote your offering yet for health and wellness providers there is also a belief that doing so is contrary to what healthcare is all about.  I’ve heard many practitioners say things like, “I want my work to speak for itself” or, “If I’m doing good work, people will find me.”   Although these may be true, in many cases “doing good work” alone won’t fill your practice – especially if no one knows what you’re doing.

I know this intimately as I started my own career as an Athletic Therapist treating clients, then spent 15 years in corporate sales to return to the service industry again in my current practice.  I’ve struggled to find ways to promote my services and products in the way that is in alignment with my values.

People who work in the healthcare field commonly believe that there is a division between healthcare and business – and never the two shall mix!  Unfortunately, when you are in business for yourself it’s impossible to avoid.

My mission is to take relationship-building and selling to new heights of authenticity and integrity by providing coaching, tips and tools to help you overcome your sales reluctance and grow your business effortlessly and enjoyably!

Check back regularly as I post information and answer your questions to help you build your ideal practice and share your gifts with the world.  After all, that’s why you got into business for yourself in the first place!

Next time we’ll answer the question, “Why bother selling at all?”