Why sales sucks...
...and how it doesn't need to.
Let’s be honest:
Sales sucks!
There you go. Glad I said it.
Considering to step into the spotlight and draw attention to our work: some of us would rather crawl under our blanket. Or go to the dentist.
I feel you. I’ve been there. Winnings customers - especially if you are not a natural, outgoing salesperson - can be like taking cold showers. And even then there is no guarantee of success. You can’t force a deal. It’s scary.
Pretending the opposite doesn’t make it better. But once we’ve said it, things only get easier. Because taking the two main fears head-on shows how to do avoid them.
Why sales sucks: 1
When we get an unexpected call from a salesperson or a LinkedIin message with an unsolicited pitch, our mood darkens. Why is that?
It's because we have experienced too many times that what happens next, will not be about us and our needs, but about someone else wanting something from us.
In many areas of our lives, the whole idea of sales has been corrupted. We got it backwards. Too many of those who contact us to sell are disconnected from the effect of their product on the customer. They sell for a paycheck. And not in order to make customers happy and unlock the work they actually want to do. They are often not even the ones who deliver.
Nothing wrong with professional sales per se, but in its modern form, it tends to incentivizes methods that we all dread (and somtimes even penalize too much empathy).
Like the number game: if a call center agent contacts many many many people, a few will sign up for the book club or upgrade their cable contract. Get objections out of the way. More calls tomorrow! More bonuses next week!!
This way you lose regard for the individual customer – and yourself.
Professional salespersons use scripts, counter argument sheets, psychological training and the like. And they follow extrinsic rewards such as competitions, goals, and bonuses.
Sales has a bad reputation because it is often done without heart and soul, or done in a way to maximize revenue as a main purpose.This may work for sales professionals, but it's not what gets freelancers or solopreneurs out of bed in the morning - let alone product experts who fall a bit on the shy side.
We feel bad when we take the role of the salesperson ourselves. We anticipate rejection and emotional distress.
Ironically it’s us who is ashamed of selling when it really is the others who should be.
On the other hand: this makes it so easy for us to stand out!
If you even just start having a slightly different behavior than 99 out of 100 salespersons out there, it will be so refreshing to the world, I assure you.
Why sales sucks: 2
The other reason why sales sucks is because it requires us to enter people’s protected sphere: we need to step on a toe, win someone’s attention, get past some resistance, deal with their signals of avoidance and attempts to escape the situation, and invade a bit of their peace of mind.
And we have always been taught not to!
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True, but it’s a similar situation when you flirt, date, and get married, and you wouldn’t say that those are bad things. It’s just an uncomfortable process without which however we all would not exist. It all depends on your intentions and how you do it.
You can date with respect. You can sell with respect.
Sales is not a bad thing
So it’s natural that sales sucks, but that itself doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It depends on how you do it.
Your advantage - if you don't do it full-time, but to find customers for your actual business - is that you don't need as many customers as possible, but the right ones.
Sales challenges us to leave our comfort zone, but there is a type of sales that’s actually honest, wholesome and fulfilling and that can take us to places we would never see otherwise. Great places –?I’m talking
●??????fun projects
●??????happy customers
●??????confidence boost
●??????new friends
●??????and last but not least money that we need to continue our business
●??????and build a more independent life.
Let’s keep that in mind. Don’t let anyone tell you that sales is bad for you if you haven’t even tried it properly. Or to leave it up to “the professionals”. (No! The opposite. Let’s not leave sales entirely up to those who make a living of it but make it easy for everyone again.)
The world needs more makers and doers who brag about their work! If you have good ideas and something valuable to offer, you deserve to be heard.
(So - do share publicly and generously what you are offering!)
No matter if you are confident and outgoing or not, you are a social being, and you will benefit from making great connections. If your business fails, it shouldn’t be because you were too shy to sell.
So sell your product because if you don’t do it, someone else will.
A bit of daily encouragement
Over 24 days, I'm sharing 24 tips that helped me on my sales journey:
They are taken from my book?Sales Without Shame.
Follow me on LinkedIn or Twitter for more, and?sign up to my newsletter?to get all 24 tips in a single email when they are out.
And by the way, I'd love to hear from you! Tell me about your sales journey. No strings attached. My next personal challenge is: meeting more people, breaking the ice, exchanging our stories. So get in touch via PM any time.