If the thought of selling gives you night terrors, you’ll want to read this post. I help you overcome sales fears by reframing the conversation for you.
Many hate the notion of selling – the fears of being judged, the fears of failure, the consequences of failure, and the threat to one’s identity and ability to survive.
Many would secretly wish to learn how to sell and make money whilst satisfying customers at the same time.
And then there are those darned fears that get in the way.
What to do?
Here are my thoughts and three simple steps to help you overcome sales fears so you can find more joy and prosperity.
Overcome Sales Fears: Change the word ‘close’ to ‘open’
Why did we ever start using the word ‘close’ followed by the word ‘sales’? It connotes one human-animal trapping the other human-animal – to enclose them. It connotes closing off the other human-animal, shaking hands with them with a fake smile, and then wiping your hands clean as you walk away from him. Why not use the term ‘open sales’? e.g. “I opened my 10th sale this month” – doesn’t that sound better?
How we create context determines the world we live in. For example, the United States was built on the premise of ‘the pursuit of happiness’. This gets reflected in our constitution, our culture, and our general approach to encouraging democracy around the world. The context creates everything.
Why not shift our context of sales from ‘closing sales’ to ‘opening sales’?
The payoffs and benefits of doing so:
1. Overcome sales fears with engaging conversations
Opening sales gets us to think of how we can open up someone – to share or speak to what they need (right through the point that they pay you) – to open up about the opportunities and challenges they seek to resolve for themselves. This context engages the customer rather than treats them as a piece of meat.
2. Overcome sales fears by opening opportunities
Opening sales gets us to think about opening up opportunities rather than constricting them. Maybe more people will start admiring the ‘Master Sales Opener’?
3. Overcome sales fears: opening sales means less pressure on the salesperson
Opening sales take the pressure off the salesperson to focus on the exchange of cash and puts the customer instead in the active position. It is the customer who wants to (if he chooses to) open up about what he wants and to engage with someone who really wants him to clarify what he wants right up to the point of writing a check.
Think this is pie in the sky?
The proof is in the eating of the pudding – not in the opinion of the pudding. Is this worth trying? I believe so – as a business owner, salesperson, speaker, and trainer, I am tired of having to deal with the word ‘close’ and the world it creates when it is used with ‘sales’.
I am ready to try something different and new.
Are you open to trying something new too? If so, contact me or follow me on LinkedIn.
Since 1991, I’ve been reflecting on, designing, and implementing methodologies and systems for bringing a transcendent, creative and innovative approach to critical aspects of entrepreneurship.
