Let me guess, when it comes to your small business, you hate selling.
Just the idea of it makes your stomach turn a bit. It seems dishonest and dirty. And you’ve convinced yourself that it’s pretty much unnecessary to sell. Somehow you can get more clients and customers without having to deal with all that selling stuff.
But how? How do you encourage more clients and customers to buy your products and services without selling to them? How can you grow your practice, increase your revenue and grow your small business and be apprehensive to selling what you produce and offer in your small business?
Perhaps you don’t have to be apprehensive to selling. After all, you’re selling all the time.
That’s right. You’re selling all the time. As a matter of fact selling is second nature to you. How do I know this? Because you’re a person. You’re a person with ideas, thoughts and opinions. And this is what you sell all the time without even realizing it.
Think about it. Why do you share your knowledge? Why do you offer your opinions? Isn’t it because you have something to share or add to a situation or conversation? And when you do so you’re selling. You’re selling your ideas, your opinions, your perspectives. And you’re doing it all the time. I’m doing it right now.
So if that’s the case, why do you think it’s so easy to sell your ideas in a conversation while it’s difficult to sell your offerings to your prospects?
I think it has to do with money. Often, when you’re engaged in a conversation and you’re sharing your perspective on a topic there’s no money involved. Now there may be other currencies such as what people think of you, but something changes when money is involved. Why do you think that is?
So do you think selling would be easier if money wasn’t a part of it?
If so, I say, then, don’t make it a part of how you engage with your prospects. Make the conversations about them - their problems and how you can help them solve them. Make money the just part of the agreement if they’re a good fit for you.
In other words, take the pressure off to feel as though you need to justify what you charge for your offer. The price only really matters if you’ve illustrated to them that your products and services can help them. Otherwise, price is moot.
Don’t you think?
How do you feel about selling in your business? What have you done to overcome it?
And what else do you think stops the natural flow of selling other than money?
I’d love to hear about it.
(note: image from Lorna87 on Flickr, 
some rights reserved)
My name is Dawud Miracle and I'm a
95 responses so far ↓
great points. i personally have issue with money, so you’re right, that’s what makes “sell” a dirty word for me.
how do you get around that?
also, a clash of ideas gets in the way. i’m all about social media and Marketing 2.0, but some people i meet are afraid of change. their loss.
HI
I can only agree that selling can be a pain. One thing that i did was to have guys that know the business very well look over the prices and tell me what they think. Once i was a bit more reassured in my prices it seems easier to sell.
Especially when i just try to have a conversation and help people out.
I find myself always selling as well. In line at a fast-food restaurant yesterday I was wearing my company shirt and someone asked me about my company. It didn’t turn into a sales pitch but I found myself educating someone about my services simply from my shirt.
Good points to be sure. When growing up my parents always hated salesmen, as the perception of sales people at the time were greedy fellows trying to rip them off. I think in the modern context if we have a product or service that truly fits the customer, we must use improved techniques to close a deal, and make the customer feel good throughout the process.
HI Dawud,
Although I’m no an expert in the selling and bargain matter, but I realized one thing that Selling is an interesting lesson, where we all should learn if you want to involve yourself in the business arena…!
do you ever travel on indian railways , you may find some very interesting or excellent marketing people( better to say) how they sell their products
I don’t like selling but i recognise it’s a must to be able to sell practically every aspect you can think of to get a lead on the market you are interested in.
I found that by being sublime I can get a nice share of the sale done.
As long as people don’t take that step into actual telemarketing, I’m fine with it. Once people start calling me randomly for products I don’t want, I get angry.
Excellent points. When money is not involved, I think of what I do as helping others and I think that I have something valuable to offer.
Add the cash in, though, and I begin to doubt my worth.
I’m not into selling and that’s one thing I really don’t want to do. Great points, thanks for porting this article.
Hi,
The article is good and also interesting. Although I’m no an expert in the selling and bargain matter, but I realized one thing that Selling is an interesting lesson, where we all should learn if you want to involve yourself in the business
Thanks for bringing this up. So often in today’s business climate the person looking to make a living through selling is stigmatized and vilified. Its hard to overcome that image portrayed in the media and out of the mouths of politicians as well).
All kinds of selling are noble as long as its honest. Its something to be proud of. i spent many years in all types of sales and can say that getting over this self-doubt is the most important person a salesperson or merchant can do.
-kara
http://www.meditations.etsy.com
Excellent article Dawud. Thanks for sharing.
It is very true in my case that “money” is the factory that makes it uncomfortable to sell.
If I was not in business, I would have absolutely no problem taking about products and their history. But since the money is involved, I feel like I am being dishonest and trying to rip-off someone. It could partly be due to the idea I have about a “salesperson”. I feel someone’s trying to cheat me and rip me off when he/she tries to sell something, and that is exactly what I feel about myself when I am trying to do the same.
On top of that, being self concious does not help.
Pradnie
http://www.savdana.com/
http://www.pradnie.com/
I do not agree that anyone can learn an art of selling. It depends upon personality. If someone is not used to being criticised or of difference in opinion even during normal conversation (which is what Dawud calls selling all the time), he/she is not ready to sell or for that matter to be a good seller.
Selling when your solution is in demand is easy.
Selling when you need to find leads is hard.
Try to sell to those companies that have visited your company as they are already interested in your solution.
When you post on your blog, you are selling your opinions, ideas, thoughts. When you persuade someone to think along the same lines as you, you are selling. Selling is so innate in humans, it’s only the definition that confuses some. A political campaign is nothing more than the selling of a perspective of a person. Now, lets say I’ve won you over to my way of thinking, and you are so thankful that you buy me a drink. My ’selling you’ has been profitable for me. Whether the money is a direct or indirect result, it always exists when one helps (sells) another.
Those are some great points you pointed out in the article. I guess it happens all the time. Thanks for posting by the way!
Everyone sells one thing or another, whether its an item or service you are still selling
Even though i dont have any great idea about business but i know that its a difficult task to maintain business keep going well.i feel the way u discribed the article is very unique and presentive.thank u very much keep going
I give away lots of free information through my blog, online products and my initial consulting.
For example, I give away trial access to my customized target market program, linked to here.
Still, I have to force myself to sell.
I recently did a 40 minute free consultation in which I gave the business owner loads of free advice that would cost him a loads from a marketing agency.
I ended by telling him that my products and services range from free to $1,000s depending on his needs.
I think that’s a soft sell, but I haven’t heard back from him yet.
One problem with selling is the feeling that I’m imposing on somebody. Also, a decision, yes or no, must be made.
If the buyer is already interested, selling becomes much easier.
Selling is how we get things done, to be sure. Anytime we bring up an “idea,” we’re selling. It could be where to take the next vacation, what restaurant to try tonight, or what product our next customer could purchase.
The easiest way I have found to sell so far is to serve. Serve the client for life, give them information, products and experiences that make a real difference in their lives, and it won’t be like you’re selling anything…you’re serving.
Recently, I have discovered the power of the referral-based sale. Each client we work with gets a handwritten card thanking them for the opportunity to work together. In addition, we ask for just three referrals…who do THEY know who could use our products and coaching services.
We’ve been busy since 2007 (since we co-founded the company!) doing this…
http://www.jasonwomack.com
i love and have selling
Dawud, great post. Selling doesn’t always have to have money involved. Take Obama and McCain, they are selling themselves. Look at the people on a baseball team. They are selling their ability trying to show the manager they are better then their backup and so forth. Look at selling in a different perspective, and it will come intuitively.
i agree with john…so one of the main focus if you want to sell something would be to sell stuff people wanna buy or you are just adding one more step in the selling cycle, convincing!
which is not easy.
“So do you think selling would be easier if money wasn’t a part of it?” when money is on your mind you can tend to lie, but when its not you a selling from your heart and giving an honest convo with the other person.
I realised i love to sell now when i run my own business and i love what i do =) Always thought i´d be a really crappy salesman.. but i´m not - and i´m still med
I absolutely agree with you Dawud!I am working as a VA but I still have to sell myself over the net.Thanks for the info!
Selling can indeed be difficult, even for the best of them… It brings up the possibility of rejection which has a long standing anxiety pattern going right back to our socialization as early man. This is deep rooted and difficult to overcome. Having open and honest communication can help greatly with alleviating this. I like your cognitive approach Dawud.
David J. Parnell
Communication Expert
Wonderful article and I totally agree with you. Way before social marketing became the latest way to Do business, I was selling MYSELF to my subscribers and customers, their appreciation of what I brought TO them was my sales force and I did no real selling or sales pitches.
Jan
I follow you on twitter as jantallent
I hate selling. You are right however, I can defend my position when called upon and that is selling. I don’t know how I am in business 16 years later except that I’ve had good references, work real hard and don’t give up.
Great post, for that matter, great blog…looks like another one I have to subscribe to.
I think you hit the nail on the head. If more people looked at it from the consultant role rather than the salesman role, their sales calls would be a lot easier and more enjoyable.
Great points. I personally have issue with money, so you’re right, that’s what makes “sell” a dirty word for me. I hate selling. Selling is how we get things done, to be sure. But one think i keep in mind that If the buyer is already interested, selling becomes much easier.
I agree that we sell all the time. It’s nature, it’s life. I also agree that money is one kicker, but not the kicker. The root of it is in emotion.
In my mind the actual culprit is the fact that us humans are so good at recognizing that we are being sold that we have a powerful knee jerk reaction that refuses to let ourselves ‘be sold.’ When selling, we subconsciously don’t want to pass on that same feeling to others because we hate it when it happens to us.
So the job of the salesperson is to sell without it feeling like you’re selling. Being your true self has a lot to do with that. Giving away free stuff is huge too.
That’s my three cents.
I love it, but I don’t have skill to selling anything
Somehow you can get more clients and customers without having to deal with all that selling stuff.
I think the term “selling” just becomes synonymous to so many people with retail, and that’s going to bring about nothign but a sour taste in the mouth. But a good blog posted here and I agree with your thoughts.
Selling can be tough sometimes, but at the end of the day, if you can’t sell, then maybe another line of work is for you. To stay in business, you have to move product or cervices. People need or want both. You just have to make it a bit “easier” for them sometimes!
Selling is something you love or hate. For those who is passionate on selling… or for those who are passionate on anything they do, they’re bound to be very successful and happy.
Yes I think you have to have the eye of the tiger to sell.
Not everyone can pull it off
Good information. Selling is where the money is made, if one does not sell he will not eat.
Great post some inspiration that selling is natural however I believe that acting as a consultant and building a relationship with the customer is important before trying to sell them on a product them may not need.
I think that things become much easier when you get yourself out of the selling mindset and more into the ‘getting to know your customer’ frame of mind. If you’re genuine and want to help people meet a need, they’re going to be more interested in your service/product than if you’re always pushing yourself on others.
Selling is essential in any business.
Sometimes people think that they are pitching their ideas to robots. The people judging you are humans, and are influenced by the same psychological factors as you.
Therefore, you are 100% correct on this issue.
Selling should not be hard once you start thinking that you’re not robbing money from people. You receive money in exchange to what you have on offer: services or products. You’ll be more effective when you do your selling techniques naturally. Never put any pressure; otherwise, your prospect might feel harassed. This blog is perfect. Thank you for sharing
I agree with you that we are basically a salesperson. Yet, we are usually consider selling as a serious activity, it’s something that we do by planning and special kind of skillsets. Therefore, even in daily life many still experience difficulties because they are not taking their everyday selling activity seriously (i.e. by practicing and keep improving with new skills)
People hate to be sold to but they love to buy…
The secret then is to help them to buy what they want and not to sell them it
Hi! Very useful info! Stumbled it too
I am absolutely rubbish at selling I read a great book by an Author called, Reggie Cuthbut called “You must Sell!”. It taught me everything I need to know!
I don’t understand why would selling be hard anyway? Everyone does it in some form or another
Excellent post. . Effective sales person enables a product to grab consumer attention and to position itself in the market. Effective marketing tips will generate sales quickly.
Great post Dawad, I’m a business coach and find that selling is such a loaded activity for many business owners and professionals that I’ve coined a phrase for it - “Sales Phobia”. There are many ways to overcome it, from understanding your market positioning, to looking at what you’re really afraid of, to using thing that you hate about selling (or salespeople) to help you develop a better approach. Read my article on Overcoming Sales Phobia at http://www.business-sanity.com.....hings.html to learn more.
You should already have a product that is able to sell itself
It is true that we are selling all the time. The difference is found in your methods. Are you excited about sharing your business and products without feeling that your customers will get short changed for purchasing it. If you are going to put your heart and soul and good intentions into your business, you have every right to be excited to sell it.
They do not sell for fun or anything. They make their living out of it.
You are right when you say we are always selling. In fact i do not know many professions that do not require some selling. Our real estate company in Jackson Hole has a policy about trying not to “push” anything on anybody. We try to let our clients make up their own minds. But, we give them all of the information to aid in that decision. That said, we still have to sell ourselves and that is done by truly showing you have a high level of knowledge and integrity.
Thanks for your blog.
Cheers,
http://www.realestatejackson.com
wow , look at all those comments , it’s a truck load !
I’m so envious. Not even my article that got the front page of Digg got THIS many comments lol !
Good post btw !
I have been in sales for over 16 yrs - everyone should expose themselves to sales at a young age - yes you are always selling - convinving someone to see things in your perspective - nice article
Selling always seems easier when it’s a product you really believe in. If you don’t really believe in your product, might be time to look into something else, or learn to see yourself as simply a representative so negative responses are directed at who/what you represent instead of taking them personally. It also does help to think of how we are constantly selling something, whether we realize it or not, so we all just need to tap into our own natural selling abilities. That’s probably why it’s hard to sell what we don’t believe in, because we wouldn’t naturally “sell” anything we aren’t invested in personally.
I really liked your post.
It reminded me on time when I started my own bussiness and I really had hard time of selling my products to the people.
Even to those who were very interasted and came to me asking about workshops and books.
Later on I realised from a freind of mine who gave me few life lessions that In order to be successfull I have to accept challenges and set a goal to sell more of what I was selling whothut shame and backholding realisations.
I guess you’re right when you say you’ re selling all the time. When we talk to other people, we always want them to get interested in what we are saying. Also with selling, you want your customer to buy what you offer.
The most effective thing you can do for selling is to be confident I find. This normally gets me the sale where I work at 123glaze. I have to sell double glazed windows all day!
I love selling and I love being sold to. Being in sales, I tend to look and observe others when they sell to a prospect. I guess it’s all about how you want to proceed with selling. Everyone is different. Some people will do what ever it takes to sell and some, like myself, will be genuine and be myself. I worked for a place where they acted like the movie “Boiler Room”. I hated it and left.
You make a good point. We sell everyday either directly or indirectly. We are always pitching. Money doesn’t have to be an issue.
Sales has always been a dirty word to me. I opt out of going to trade shows or prospecting new dealers because I don’t feel comfortable pitching a product.
Its not because I don’t know the product and its virtues.. I can write about it on our blog all day. It’s not because I don’t believe in our product, I do… and its not because I can’t be persuasive.. I can talk ANWR or conservation pretty convincingly.
BUT there is something about trying to SELL someone someTHING… it makes me feel REALLY uncomfortable. I’m still hoping I’ll get over it some day, because those Vegas tradeshows I’ve heard are pretty fun! Open to thoughts and suggestions on overcoming this ’seller’s block’ from which i suffer.
@Susan - thanks for the link, I’ll check out your article!
Great post. Having worked in sales for the past 10 years I have found the only way for ME to overcome the mental block is to quite simply be honest. Not usually synonimous with the work SALES. Listen to the prospects requirements, if you do not do/provide what they are looking for - be honest - they are not a viable prospect, if you charge more for that product or service than they can afford - be honest - they are not a prospect. It’s about defining and refining your target market - that way you’ll only ever be speaking to people/companies that not only have a need for your offering but also (and more importantly) the budget to purchase.
Some good comments you have here! I’ll check out some of the links in the comments.
But why has it been a dirt word? Its happening in the world around you 24/7. all because people hide the fact they are selling there is no argument that they are in fact selling!
I find your blog really intresting. You have done a commendable job, I feel like coming again and again to your blog. What plugins you use in your blog?
sales?! since i do not have enough experience about this, i can’t say more to this.. maybe in the future, i will use this article as one of my basis for being an effective “netrepreneur”
A good way to make people comfortable with something that is foreign to them is to convince them that it’s not.
You did a great job.
How do you think, do online and offline sales have any essential differences?
Good points! Recommending sounds much better than selling.No one likes to be sold anything.
Online sales are more effecitve, your products or services can find more customers.
Sometimes there are those people that enjoy selling, it usually depends on your tricks to end the sale. I used to work in a sales field before and sometimes its quite fun to do.
It’s true we all sell. I teach selling and when some one tells me. I can’t sell or I hate selling I say CONGRATULATIONS, you just did the best sales job in the world. You sold yourself on why you can’t or why you hate selling. A better way to look at it is INFLUENCE. You influence your will to lean a certain way and then make the decision to agree. That is sales in it’s raw form. Women have even better sales tools like perfume and sexy clothes. So we all influence all day long. We influence our kids to stay away from drugs or let the drug lords sell them on a lifestyle of drugs or the media sell them on a life of debauchery. So sell, sell, sell. Sell values, sell life, sell wealth, sell your ideas or some one will sell you theirs. Questions is where are their ideas taking you? If they are taking you to a place better than yours then buy buy buy.
I am selling all the time. Even when I am commenting on someone’s blog post, I am making sure my site address is attached. But its about money in a lot of times, it is not at all times. Neither do i like to stay dishonest. I only love selling when the client is getting something worthy. In these cases, I deem myself as worthy.
Selling is good thing but almost people are going in Shopping mall and arcades… so this technique is old
Selling is not easy and when you are doing it online, it becomes more difficult and complex. It seems to me, the online selling is all about killer web design, good content and right marketing approach .. isn’t it?
they say a genius is someone who can see the obvious. And i guess what you’ve pointed out is pretty… obvious.
this one post may also help you guys out there: http://cleverhound.com/5-basic.....elling.htm
I have only just gotten started selling on websites recently. I had been doing well with content for the most part, but I decided there would be more money in providing goods and services as well.
That’s really good advice that I will be trying to follow.
I have been running my own software development business for two years now. Before I started the business I held senior development positions in several other small companies and had absolute distain for the owners because they seemed to have no purpose and just made my job harder whilst i did all the work making them rich.
Since I have set up on my own I have realised they really did have a purpose. Each one of them was a fantastic salesman.
I am like a fish out of water when it comes to selling. I am really confident about my skills as a developer and what I have to offer prospective companies who wish to partner with us so after reading this that’s exactly what I will try to focus on and make a point of never discussing money as part of an initial meeting.
Sales - a case very difficult and require very good knowledge and great practice. To successfully sell need a lot to learn.
Great tips. I’ve always hated selling, going back to the days of selling candy to fund my 8th grade trip to Washington D.C.
The concept of connecting with others, talking about their problems, and helping them find a solution, whether or not that solution comes from me, is much more appealing.
Hey, great article.
My take on it is that I absolutely LOVE selling because to me, selling is not about (ewww…” selling ” … it’s about sharing my heart or telling someone about something I really get into and I feel would benefit them as well. It’s about enhancing other people’s lives. When you look at it that way it’s really fun and inspiring to be selling your products to people.
I think it’s getting easier to deal with selling as i become more comfortable with having conversations with people and not focusing on the sell so much as making a connection.
Sell and Ads Like Two Side Coin of Money…and i’d love to sell, it’s buzz marketing on internet
aside from being in a correct frame of mind, i just would like to add that if a person is a bit apprehensive of ’selling’; if he/she does it frequently enough, he/she’ll eventually get used to it and feelings of apprehension toward selling may start to change…
So for a website selling a service, do you think it’s best not mentioning the price on the website? Do you think mentioning the price could turn potential customers off?
Wow… this is a fabulous post!
I’m going to need a day or two to ponder everything in this… the quote you use is powerful! It is unsettling and yet I sense it is true.
I’m one of those who really, REALLY does not like “selling” but as you point out, life is about selling.
Thank you for this most excellent article!
Warmest wishes,
Hi,
The article is good and also interesting. Thanks for sharing. It is very true in my case that “money” is the factory that makes it uncomfortable to sell. I hate selling. Selling is how we get things done, to be sure. But one think i keep in mind that If the buyer is already interested, selling becomes much easier.
Excellent article Dawud. Thanks for sharing.
It is very true in my case that “money” is the factory that makes it uncomfortable to sell.
If I was not in business, I would have absolutely no problem taking about products and their history. But since the money is involved, I feel like I am being dishonest and trying to rip-off someone. It could partly be due to the idea I have about a “salesperson”. I feel someone’s trying to cheat me and rip me off when he/she tries to sell something, and that is exactly what I feel about myself when I am trying to do the same.
On top of that, being self concious does not help.
This is a very good post. What i feel about what I am selling is there may be a lot of competition around. I overcome this feeling by striving harder to sell my products. There would always be competition in everyhting, especially to selling, and this is one thing I have to face. Another thing that concerns me regarding selling is whether the people will be satisfied with my products.
I think one thing that would stop the flow of selling would be the need of a person for a particular product. Because of our economic situation these days, people tend to buy only the things that they really need.
True enough. Our daily action tends to be dealing with selling. How? by mere asking from our parents, we tend to sell ourselves in order to get what we want. Right?