Whether it’s being bullied around on a used car lot, harassed on the phone by telemarketers, or stopped in our tracks by the mall kiosk lotion guys, all of us have had a bad experience with sales at one time or another. Being on the receiving end of a bad sales attempt is annoying at best and downright scary at worst. Unfortunately, a few bad experiences with sales have led some people to believe that sales is bad.
That makes me sad because it’s simply not true. Sales isn’t bad at all. In fact, sales is about helping others. It’s about meeting needs, solving problems, and taking care of people. Those are all good things!
But because we may have had a bad experience or two, we’ve got some ideas about sales that can really hold us back in building our business. The reality is, if you can’t make sales in your business, you’re out of business! Here are the three most common slipups I see when it comes to sales and some tips to help you.
Slipup #1: Acting Sorry
I’ve seen women who are so afraid of annoying others that they basically talk people out of doing business with them! They shrink back, slump their shoulders, and speak with a weak and timid tone in their voice.
Here’s the thing you need to remember: You teach people what to expect. You teach them what the value of your product or service is. By acting like you have something to be sorry for, they are going to think you have something to be sorry for! If you don’t believe in your business, no one else will. Instead, stand up and speak up on behalf of yourself, your passion, and your business. Friends, you are serving the marketplace with your gifts. You have nothing to be sorry for!
Slipup #2: Not Asking for the Sale
This is the number one mistake I see in women I coach! They may talk about their products, share their story, and put themselves out there. But when it comes down to actually closing the deal, they toe the line but never work up the nerve to actually cross it. They are missing sales simply because they aren’t asking.
Here’s the great news: There is an easy fix for this, and it’s as simple as having a closing line ready. You can say something like, “Would you like to place your order now?” Or, “Can we get you on the calendar?” These are simple and direct ways to close the sale and create action. Remember that on the other side of every sales transaction is a person that you’re helping and serving through your business. That should give you the extra boost you need to close the deal!
Slipup #3: Giving Up
Even if you muster the courage to put yourself out there and go for it, you’re still going to get turned down sometimes. You will get rejected and people will tell you no. And it will hurt. It’s not easy or fun, but it is a reality in business.
But when this happens, you don’t have to tuck your tail and slink off to soothe your wounded ego by curling up in your pj’s with some Ben & Jerry’s and a rom-com. (Wait, am I the only one that does that?) Instead, you can dust yourself off and try again.
Did you know that over sixty percent of sales transactions happen after the fourth interaction? Sixty percent! People buy from those they know, like, and trust. So maybe the problem with that first attempt wasn’t that you weren’t good enough or the product wasn’t right. Maybe it was just that the person needed a little more time to get to know, like, and trust you. So instead of giving up, I want you to follow up!
If you follow these three tips, you’ll fix your slipups and be well on your way to closing more sales. And before long, you’ll begin to realize what the best sales people have known all along: Sales isn’t about being pushy or aggressive at all. Sales is about serving. And that’s something we should not only be willing to do, but be proud to do.
