10 Tips To Overcome Your Fear Of Selling
by Dr. Rachna D. Jain
Ahh. Selling. Sometimes, this is a word that
is dreaded and feared by all but the most intrepid business owners.
It seems that, even though we all know we need to "sell"
our products and services, many of us feel fearful or anxious about
actually doing so.
These 10 tips are designed to help you shift out of
your fear, and into excitement, about sharing your product or service.
1) Know the source of your fear. This tip reminds us
that it is
necessary, first, to know what we're afraid of. Most often, fears
of selling come in several forms. Either we worry about not being
liked, or being perceived as pushy, we (secretly) worry that our product
or service might not perform as we say, or we struggle with the idea
of rejection. Knowing the source of your fear (sometimes it can be
a combination) is an important part of overcoming your fear of selling.
2) Take action to address the source. In this way, you
are
taking action to overcome your fear. In some cases, this might mean
that you improve your product or service (you can use customer feedback
for this), or you can find ways to share your product/service in a
way that feels more authentic and natural to you. You can also find
ways to "bounce back" after rejection which is easier to
do, by the way, if you don't take "no" personally.
3) Find enthusiasm for what you offer. One of the best
techniques I've ever used to overcome my fear of selling has been
to tap into my passion and enthusiasm for what I'm offering. I make
a list of all the really wonderful benefits and successful outcomes
of past customers. I hang this list nearby where I can see it everyday.
Try this for yourself - your confidence will skyrocket.
4) Shift your perspective. How would it feel to think
of
yourself as "sharing information" about what you do? Or
"showing benefits" or "sharing your passion?"
If you feel uncomfortable or anxious about "selling"- find
a way to shift your perspective to one of sharing information rather
than "convincing someone to buy."
5) Start small. Very often, people tend to tackle projects
much
larger than they can comfortably handle. When you want to overcome
your fear of selling, start small. Maybe you will share your new business
with a few trusted friends first and then gradually find ways to expand
your sharing to include a larger circle. The most successful business
people are those who interact with others in an authentic, passionate
way so find a way that feels comfortable with you and stay with it.
6) Keep track of your successes. Keep a "wins"
or success
journal nearby and record your achievements in it each day. This will
help you stay aware of just how much you do right. We sometimes forget
this.
7) Have fun with it. Rather than approaching this from
a heavy
"have to", "doesn't feel good" perspective find
a fun, interesting way to share your knowledge or passion. Some of
my clients have thrown parties, offered free giveaways, donated products/services
to charities - all of these were easy, fun, and income generating.
What would be fun for you?
8) Stay focused on your desired outcome. Most people
take
actions and reach their goals because they stay focused on the benefits
of doing so. Sometimes, reminding yourself what you want, why you're
doing this can help you take the next action and the next.
9) Detach from how the outcome shows up. Very often,
we get
really attached to "making the sale" or having a situation
turn out a certain way. Instead, why not focus on efforts "I
will give a great, enthusiastic, and passionate presentation"
rather than outcome: "They will buy X number of this." Very
often, if you stay focused on the effort - doing a great job- the
outcome turns out better than you ever imagined.
10) Keep practicing. Like any other business skill,
"selling"
gets easier the more you do it. So get out there, start small, and
keep practicing.
© 2003. Dr. Rachna D. Jain. All Rights in All
Media Reserved
BIO : Dr. Rachna D. Jain is a sales and marketing coach
and Director of Operations for SalesCoachTraining.com. Sign up for
her free email newsletter, "Sales & Marketing Secrets"
<mailto:
sams- subscribe@salesandmarketingcoach.com> To learn more or
to contact Dr. Jain directly, please visit http://www.
SalesandMarketingCoach.com
