Mastering the Art of Sales: Asking Confidently in the Digital Age
Identifying the Reluctance
One of the primary issues causing entrepreneurs to fall short in their sales endeavors is the inability to seamlessly transition into asking for the sale. Many professionals freeze up during the critical moment on a sales call, leading to awkward exchanges instead of confident presentations. This hesitation, as Amy points out, often stems from deep-seated fears of hearing "no," facing judgment, or encountering rejection.
Identifying these fears and understanding that they are not personal attacks but are related to the natural dynamics of sales is crucial. Recognizing these fears is the first step to conquering them. Entrepreneurs must remember that they provide valuable solutions to significant problems and that these solutions deserve to be offered confidently.
The Power of Confidence in Sales
Confidence is a game-changer in the world of sales. Amy underscores the fact that you must be your first sale. If you don’t believe in your product or service, convincing others to invest becomes an uphill battle. A confident approach involves making potential clients feel heard, validated, and understood. It's about articulating the problems they’re facing and presenting your offerings as the best-fit solutions, backed by experiences and success stories from previous clients.
A confident pitch should avoid sounding hesitant. Phrases like "maybe I can help you" need to be replaced with "Here's your problem, and I've successfully helped others in similar situations." Positioning yourself as an expert not only builds trust but also establishes your credibility.
Intentional Approaches During Sales Calls
Amy suggests a structured approach to sales calls. The primary goal isn’t to convince but to listen actively. Listening allows you to gauge whether you and your potential client are a good fit. This can be achieved by reflecting on the problems they express and then presenting your solution if it aligns well with their needs.
Pre-screening prospective clients before diving into sales calls can save time and increase efficiency. Having an intake form can help filter out those who align well with your services and ensure that you spend your time engaging with the right audience. Furthermore, being honest when you’re not the best fit and referring clients to someone more suited to their needs maintains your integrity and keeps you top of mind for future opportunities. This honesty boosts your credibility and can lead to future referrals and positive word-of-mouth.
Mastering the Follow-Up
Possibly the most overlooked aspect of the sales process is the follow-up. Amy points out that many entrepreneurs assume the worst if they don’t receive immediate feedback. However, following up demonstrates your commitment and interest in the client’s needs. A well-timed follow-up shows that you value their business and keeps the conversation going.
Instead of assuming disinterest, consider the many reasons why a potential client might not respond right away – busy schedules, other obligations, or simply needing more time to make a decision. Persistence, without being pushy, can set you apart from competitors who drop off after the first contact.
Embracing Rejection and Staying Connected
Amy emphasizes reframing the concept of rejection. A "no" shouldn’t be seen as a personal failure but rather as an opportunity to move towards the next opportunity. Staying connected with potential clients who initially decline your service keeps you in their sights should their circumstances or needs change. Continually engaging and nurturing these relationships by providing value helps ensure you remain their go-to when they’re ready to buy.
Conclusion
Achieving sales success as an online entrepreneur involves understanding and overcoming self-limiting beliefs, confidently asking for the sale, and following up with intentional and persistent efforts. By refining these strategies, as discussed by Amy in "The Motivated CEO Podcast," entrepreneurs can significantly increase their sales and create a more impactful business. So start asking, stop assuming, and watch your sales soar.
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Transcript for Episode 332. This is Killing Your Sales
Amy [00:00:07]:
There is a pattern that I've been seeing with entrepreneurs in the online space over and over, and this is absolutely killing your sales. But I have good news for you. It's a really easy and simple fixed, but the bad news is, is that this fix to this problem that you're having, it takes practice. So what is it? It's actually asking for the sale instead of assuming. Now, this is a twofold issue. This happens during the sales call. And if you're an online service provider leveraging sales calls or you're like, you know what? I don't like sales calls. I strongly encourage you to go back and listen to episode 322 about my experiment within my own business, where I stopped doing sales calls intentionally for a while, and I've since resumed them.
Amy [00:01:11]:
And this was very strategic. So go listen to that episode, to listen to why I did it and what the results were for. My bottom line. But this problem occurs two times for most business owners. It's during the sales call and then during the follow up. So let's back up and start with during the sales call. So the transition when you're on a sales call to the ask to where you're actually presenting, like, hey, do you want to buy my thing? That is where most coaches, consultants, creatives, that is where we tend to freeze up. That's where we just get all awkward and instead of actually presenting the invitation, we make it weird.
Amy [00:02:04]:
I'm sure you've been on those calls. I'm sure you've experienced that. We all have. And where does this come from? It comes from those deep rooted, deeply ingrained beliefs, that belief system that we all have that maybe we're afraid of hearing. No, we're afraid of judgment. We're afraid of rejection. There are so many of these subconscious beliefs that hold us back from even saying, hey, you have the problem, I have the solution. Obviously, you're interested in what I have to offer you.
Amy [00:02:44]:
You are interested in the solution to the problem. So why are we holding ourselves back? Why aren't we making that invitation? And it often comes down to those beliefs. So step one is that awareness, the awareness of, why aren't I presenting that invitation? Because once you come down and realize, okay, this is not about me as a person, this is nothing personal. This is truly about being the best fit for someone else and knowing that I have the solution to the problem that they have. So I really encourage you to reflect and see where you're holding yourself back. Are you actually presenting the invitation? Are you asking for the sale while you're on the call. Your job is not to convince. When you are on a discovery call, connection, call, whatever you want to type a call.
Amy [00:03:46]:
Your job is not to convince, it's to listen. To listen to reflect back to them the problems that they have and then present the invitation if they are an aligned fit for your services because you're not going to be able to help everyone. And this is why I think it's so critical that you're not getting on sales calls with everyone, that you're taking time to really be intentional, be intentional with your messaging, your marketing, where you're showing up, how you're showing up and pre screening every single person that comes into my world that is ready to invest in my signature three month coaching container. They fill out an intake form because I know my zone of genius is for a very certain person. And if I am not the right fit, if I am not confident in my ability to serve them, I want to be able to refer them to someone that can. Because that little extra step, making that warm introduction to someone else, what does that do? That keeps me top of mind. So even though I wasn't able to help them with their specific problem, now in their mind, I increased my credibility. How? Because I knew my zone of genius and I'm like, you know what, I am not going to just take your money.
Amy [00:05:20]:
Could I fart my way through it? Probably. But since I'm not the one that is is best equipped, I'm going to send you to someone that can. I love my referral partners. I would be lost without them because I am not an expert in everything. But as an online coach, as a service provider, what you do is provide them with the resources they need. So now you've elevated your credibility so that when they do hear of someone that is looking for what you have, that solution that you provide, guess what? You've stayed top of mind because you're honest, you're of integrity, you're authentic. It's so easy. Right? But we have to get past that self limiting belief, the fear of hearing no.
Amy [00:06:16]:
When we present that solution, you have the solution. Just someone's problem out there. You know, there's all this noise in the online space right now about pain point marketing. Pain point marketing is terrible. Well, we're not just exploiting people's pains. What we're doing is we're creating awareness. We're making them feel seen, heard and validated. That, yeah, you're going through something very real and there is a solution out there.
Amy [00:06:50]:
If you are ready to invest in it. But we've made the whole process feel so icky, so awkward. But at the end of the day, you're in control. You're in control of that call. And someone really is vetting you during that call. They're like, okay, I'm interested in this. They're there because they're interested already. So your job is to listen and affirm and gather information and see, are we the best fit for one another? And then here's the biggest part.
Amy [00:07:30]:
Asking confidently. Asking confidently. Because confidence sells. You have to be your first sale. You have to believe in you before anyone else will. There's such a difference in showing up and being like, oh, hey, buy my thing. I mean, maybe I can help you. Do you think you want to work together? No.
Amy [00:07:55]:
Like, hey, here's your problem. I've helped x, y, and Z with the same thing. Make them feel seen, make them feel validated, make them feel heard, like you understand what they're going through, because you do. And then present the invitation. And honestly, at the end of the day, I would rather get a no on a sales call than a maybe. Which brings us to our next point, that if you get those maybes, okay, it's not the end of the world. There's still that hope. But this is where entrepreneurs drop the ball.
Amy [00:08:33]:
We're not following up. We're making all of these assumptions. We're assuming, oh, my gosh. Well, they found someone else. Oh, they didn't like me. Those thought trains are running rampant through our heads. We're assuming. And because we're assuming, we're not making the follow up.
Amy [00:08:51]:
But following up actually shows that you care, that you took time out of your day to show them, hey, I'm here. I know that you're busy. What are your thoughts on moving forward? Stop discounting yourself. Because what is the worst thing that they can say? No. And that's okay. Because remember, we're not trying to convince. Our job is not to convince. It is just solely to present that invitation.
Amy [00:09:29]:
Stop fearing rejection. No is not a reflection of you. No is just a word for next opportunity. And if you get a no, that's okay. I want you, if this is an aligned client, to stay in their world, to continue to engage, to continue to nurture, because it may be a no for now, but by staying in their world, by staying connected, you stay top of mind. And this is critical. This is critical. You're not going in and cold pitching and dming them over and over and over with.
Amy [00:10:14]:
Buy my thing. Buy my thing. Buy my thing that comes across as desperate. But when they are ready to buy, you are the obvious solution. People are busy, it is a noisy, noisy world and they get sidetracked. So make sure you're taking the time to follow up. Once you get over the fear of hearing no, once you're actually asking for the sale, instead of assuming that they'll be like, okay, I'm just going to magically show up and pay you. My stripe account's going to be full of payment notifications.
Amy [00:10:59]:
No, you need to present that information. You need to present the invitation. Buying habits have changed. The landscape in the online space has evolved. The sales cycle is much longer than it once has been. But remember, at the end of the day, it comes back to the old adage. I mean, this is back to the 1920s in think and grow rich. It all comes back to people.
Amy [00:11:30]:
Buy from people that they know, like and trust. You have the solution to someone's problem, so start asking and stop assuming and you will see and increase on your sales. Until next time, my friend. Cheers to making the money you want so you can create the impact you desire. Where is stop recording.
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