7 ways to build sales confidence
When I talk to other salespeople, a common complaint I hear is about how their confidence is low at the moment. When you’re winning, it feels like you’re walking on air. However, it’s hard to maintain your confidence when you’re being regularly knocked back.
Unfortunately, rejection is an inevitable part of working in sales. You’ll never be able to eliminate it. Plus, there’s a vicious circle here. You sell better when you project confidence. If you can’t sell with confidence, customers won’t have the confidence to buy from you.
You need to radiate confidence when you’re presenting and pitching. You need the confidence to hold your own when negotiating with a difficult prospect. You need confidence to think on your feet when handling objections. You need to inspire confidence in your buyer.
So, how do you build and maintain your sales confidence? Here are 7 great ideas you can use today.
1 - Practice makes perfect
If you’re struggling for confidence when presenting or pitching, the only remedy is to do more of it. Don’t hide away, get out there and get selling. Hone your presentation technique until you know exactly what works and what doesn’t. Practise your best lines until you know them like you know the words to your favourite song. You don’t need to be a script-reading robot, but if you know you won’t struggle to know what to say, you’ll be much more confident.
For more tips on confidence in presentations, here’s another article.
2 - Taste failure
As well as practising until you are successful, you need to experience failure. In sales, failure is never far away. You can’t expect to sell after every call you make. However, after you’ve failed to make a deal, what happens? No one dies. The sun rises the next day. You pick up the phone and make another call. You learn from all your experiences, good or bad.
Failure is part of the job, and you have the strength to overcome it. Don’t let it grind you down.
3 - Always be learning
One reason salespeople aren’t confident is because they don’t know enough. They don’t know their product, their market, or the right sales techniques to employ in any given situation. They’re expecting to be tripped up at any moment, and that’s why they are reticent.
Try to make yourself an expert in all aspects of your work. Know your product inside out. Keep your finger on the pulse of any developments in your industry. Study sales theory. There’s no such thing as too much learning.
4 - Get testimonials
When you’ve delighted a customer, ask them to give you a testimonial. There are lots of reasons you should do this. For example, they’re great evidence to present when you’re looking for a new job.
When you’re feeling low on confidence, have a look at your testimonials. Remind yourself of what you’re capable of. Go back and do great work again.
5 - Small wins
You know I recommend setting goals for everything you do. As much as I like big, audacious goals, I also like small, achievable, bite-size goals.
If you’re in a slump sales-wise, don’t look at your monthly target that seems like a thousand miles away. Break it down into smaller chunks. For example, aim to make 1 sale that morning. When you’ve done it, you’ll feel good. Then make 2 in the afternoon and build it up from there. You’ll start to feel like you’re ready to take on the big, audacious goal in no time at all.
6 - Avoid Negative Nigel and Debbie Downer
If you want to build your confidence, you need to avoid people who will drag you back down again. Surround yourself with other confident, positive people, who are interested in improving their situations rather than wallowing in their own misery.
Practise gratitude. Be thankful for what you have, and how lucky you are compared to others less fortunate. Tell yourself you’re a confident person, and you’ll become one.
7 - Craft your own success
Your success in sales depends on you, and only you. Make the decision to stop feeling like a victim. Finally, don’t be afraid to take risks, even if you’re not feeling at your most dynamic. You’ll be surprised at what you can do.
Over to you now. What other methods do you use to build or maintain your sales confidence? Leave us a comment to let us know.
Become a sales leader at www.salesconfidence.co/blog
About the Author
James Ski works for Linkedin and advises companies on recruitment, employer branding and how to achieve scalable, predictable sales growth.
If you would like to be first to read his published posts focused on sales confidence sign up to his blog here
You can also follow him on Linkedin or on Twitter @jamesas
Exit Planning & Growth Coach for Mid-Market CEOs | Helping Business Owners Maximise Value & Sell with Confidence
7 年A must share article. Thanks.
Certified EOS Implementer? | Facilitator and Coach Helping Tune Businesses and Teams ??
7 年The rollercoaster of ups and downs as a sales person is one of biggest challenges you face, it can eat you up or it can spur you on. I know which one worked for me.