Guest what? We’re all sales people! It’s true. Every time you have a prospective client on a discovery call, you’re making a sales pitch. Every time you send an email or write a blog post with an offer, you’re making a sales pitch. Every time you write an opt-in page, you’re making a sales pitch.
And you’re probably pretty good at it, too, or you wouldn’t be where you are today, would you?
So why do we continue to think we’re so bad at sales?
Sales Feels… “Icky”
You feel pushy or uncomfortable when talk turns to money. You don’t want to force anyone into a decision. You secretly think your rates are too high. You may even be worried about losing potential sales when quoting your rates.
This is one of those things that gets better only with practice. But the good news is, you don’t have to be on the phone with a prospective client to get that practice time in.
Instead, use the technique self-help “gurus” have been advocating for years: Look in the mirror and talk to yourself. Practice saying your rates out loud. Practice your segue from discovery to sales pitch. The more you do it, the more natural it will sound, and the less uncomfortable you will feel when on real calls.
Fix Your Mindset
What if you weren’t selling anything – but instead were simply chatting with a friend about the incredible new product that was going to change her life? You’re helping your friend to improve herself by sharing your experience with this new product.
That’s exactly how you should think about selling your coaching programs, products and services. You’re not trying to get your prospective client to spend money. Instead, you’re offering a solution to her problems. You’re genuinely helping her to overcome some obstacle in her life or business.
When you can turn your thinking around from “sales” to “helping” you’ll find it’s much easier to have the sales talk.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Follow Up
Most clients won’t say yes with the first call, and maybe not even with the second. But good coaches and entrepreneurs know that many sales can be closed if you simply take the time to follow up. Send a quick email and invite your prospect to:
- Schedule a follow-up call to answer her questions
- Read some of your testimonials
- Review your coaching program outline or sales page
- Or even join a different program of yours that might be a better fit
If done correctly and you’re genuine, you might be surprised how many of the follow-ups will close sales.
Losing Followers
What if someone leaves your tribe or unsubscribes after your sales pitches or follow-ups? These can be rough at first, but the best advice we can give you is to focus on the people who stick around and are interested in your messages, products, and services. Last November, we ran a pretty sweet Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale (if we do say so ourselves). We lost a few subscribers on our mailing list, but at the same time we made some nice sales and new contacts! So we weren’t too busted up about the unsubscribes.
So don’t let that old “I’m not good at sales” thinking get in the way of making a real difference in people’s lives, and in growing your business and your profits. Turn your sales blocks into a system for landing new clients, and sales for your product or services.
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