It is no secret – fear is a part of nearly every sales professional’s career. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in sales for 30 minutes or 30 years, there exists an element of fear. The difference between top sales professionals and average ones is the top performers have developed ways to get beyond their fears. Notice the operative phrase is “get beyond” and not “overcome”. This is because the fears still exist but overcoming them is the key to their success.
As there is a range of experience in sales – from rookies to seasoned professionals – so there also is a range of fears about sales – from perceptions of sales or sales folks to the fear of rejection to the fear of not being able to deliver on the promise you make to a customer. The list is endless.
Fundamentally, there are only a few basic buckets of fears. Here are a few of these buckets and suggestions on how to overcome them:
Perception of what sales is and what successful sales professionals do: For a long time, sales and most sales professionals have not had a pristine reputation. Many people think to sell is to force people to buy things they don’t want, need or can afford. Unfortunately, today, many sales professionals operate with solipsism, thinking only about what’s in it for themselves, not the customer and therefore “push” their own agendas.
Selling is serving. Successful sales professionals know that they must serve a customer’s needs in order to make the sale and put money in the bank. With that mindset, they think from what is best for the customer and act accordingly.
Fear of rejection: This, unfortunately, is part of the profession. The good old saying: “Sales is a numbers game.” still holds true. Successful sales professionals understand that they are not going to be successful 100 percent of the time. Understand that there is competition and different products for a reason – not everyone likes the same thing. Not every product appeals to every person.
Successful sales professionals reduce their chances of rejection by focusing on the ideal prospects, doing their due diligence and preparing for each call, presentation and meeting. If you do these things, one more thing you should add is taking on a new mindset towards rejection. You can adopt the mindset that “Some will. Some won’t. So what? Next.”
Lack of confidence to deliver what you promise: This is one that only you, the sales professional, can address. If you don’t believe in your product/service or have any doubt that your product/service will deliver on what you promise your future client or existing customer, you need to either address it as an organization or find a different product/service you believe in.
Potential customers might be able to sense this in your language or demeanor, causing you to lose an opportunity. Even worse is when you fail to meet a customer’s expectations, as promised. This could not only cost you the account (and commissions), but also tarnish your company’s reputation and yours (and of course, future commissions).
There are other fears associated with sales and selling. Understanding these fears and developing solid strategies for each sales professional is key to dealing with the fears over the course of your sales career.
Self-doubt: This speaks for itself. If you doubt the sales profession is for you, don’t do it. If you believe the profession is for you and you are committed to being the best sales professional you can be, I suggest you work with an accountability partner or coach.
Working with an accountability partner or coach is a great pathway to deal with many fears. Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the game, you will find tremendous value working with a coach/accountability partner. For new professionals, one benefit includes shorter learning curves and increased ramp up time to getting results and better performance.
A coach or accountability partner is someone who guides you, listens to you, gives you fresh ideas and often, will give the kick in the behind you need to move forward.
Word of caution: Select your coach or accountability partner wisely! Be sure s/he is someone with experience coaching and selling. Also make sure that s/he will not fuel your fears or encourage a pity party. Find someone with a track record of success, listens to you and works with you as your unique self and not like one of their clients or an ATM.
Need help developing and implementing strategies to overcome your fears in sales? Let’s talk: info@thecommissioninternational.com.
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