Afraid to sell? 3 things you need to shift your mindset around to convert with ease
If there’s one thing that’s been coming up again and again on my free Sincere Sales coaching calls, it’s that you’re afraid to come across as “too salesy” in your online biz. (So much so that I think the term “salesy” is about to earn it’s spot in the dictionary. 😉)
And I get it.
I struggled with sales FOR REAL.
I just did not know how to sell in a way that felt good to me and to be honest, the IDEA of selling felt more awkward than the freshman year spring fling photos I found when I was cleaning out my closet the other day. Oh, the joys of those awkward teen years.
And don’t even start the, “I just don’t want them to feel obligated” or the “I’m posting to social media—I just don’t get why it’s not working” dance with me because those are the exact thoughts that are standing in your way from actually SELLING and getting PAID (and the same ones I had when I was stuck too).
Pinky promise.
What I’ve since realized is that it really had nothing to do with selling and EVERYTHING to do with my thoughts around selling.
I mean, don’t get me wrong—there’s a lot to unpack there (that’s coach speak for “look at all the ways I was standing in my own way”).
I didn’t even understand the concept of a sales call, let alone how to land them, make a pitch on them, and where to take it from there so I could get paid (BTW if that’s you right now, grab that free call I offer because it will change literally everything about the way you run your biz!).
But more than that, I was so afraid of what people would think of me if DID make a pitch.
I was afraid I would be shunned from the online word. Exiled to the land of people no one likes. Should there be such a not-so-magical fairyland, I’m almost certain I would have been on it.
Somewhere along the way, I had picked up the story that talking about my business, let alone trying to make sales in my business was actually a thing people hated me for.
Think back to your corporate days—kinda like the person who brought leftover fish in for lunch and heated it up in the office microwave. Even if no one said anything, you knew they were all thinking it.
And even if that’s not what was ACTUALLY going on, those were the thoughts that made it SO much harder to actually show up, nurture my audience, and let them know why I was the exact perfect person to help them.
It held me back from having both the income and impact I desired in a big way. Consequently, the same is true for my clients and that’s exactly WHY they hire me—because I’ve been in their shoes and I know exactly how to shift it for more results.
Because getting the right support and shifting those thoughts around sales so I could actually land clients again and again changed EVERYTHING for me, and it will for you too.
So below, I’m sharing the three things you NEED to shift your mindset around to start making more sales with more ease than ever before.
Because trust me, you’d rather read this article so you can shift this in days rather than spend years on that same hamster wheel.
“People don’t like to be sold to”
Anyone who tells me people don’t like to be sold to has clearly never accompanied me to Lululemon on the hunt for a new pair of leggings.
And seeing as that’s most (all?) of you, I thought we’d clear up this little misconception ASAP.
You see, I know if I am walking into that store, I am most certainly walking out with something.
I know the products, I like the products, I like how I FEEL in the products (and that part is real important because remember, people buy based on emotion) and I know that there is very little chance that I won’t find something that I absolutely have to have.
BUT I still love (and I do mean LOVE) to be sold to while I’m there.
I mean really think about it—if I’m spending a Benjamin on a pair of leggings, I damn well want the experience that comes with it.
I DELIGHT in having my name written on the door so we’re on a first-name basis.
I WANT to hear about the fabrics and what makes them different. (Please DO tell me why this one doesn’t attract nearly as much pet hair because that is very clearly a problem I have as evidenced by the white fur all over my jacket right now.)
I LOVE that they’ll bring me more sizes and colors to make my shopping experience even easier. (Have you ever had to get dressed to go back out get a size and go back into the dressing room!? It. is. the. worst.)
And I walk out of there feeling even more amazing than when I did walking in.
So while I don’t believe that people don’t like to be sold to, I DO believe that people don’t like to feel like their money matters more than they do.
I think most of us have had an experience at some point where we didn’t feel like the person selling was ACTUALLY taking the time to understand our problems and offer a solution.
A time when we felt like a number rather than an actual human being.
And I think that’s where sales get such a bad rap… Because somewhere along the lines we forgot that the foundations of sales is relationships and the foundation of relationships is trust.
Not to mention, that trust is built on caring about the actual human that is opening their wallet for the thing that you’re offering.
Want to close more sales?
Embrace the magical superpower that is yours—the fact that you care 10x more than most people out there selling and that is where you SHINE! In fact, when you lean into that (rather than shying away from it!) you’ll watch it covert about 10x better, too.
“Let me know if you want this thing”
Let’s have a chat about the difference clarity, confidence, and the right mindset can have in closing more sales.
Here’s what I see happening…
When you’re unclear on what you’re actually selling and why someone would actually want to buy it from you, it shows up in every single aspect of your biz, but ESPECIALLY your ability to sell.
I see so many online business owners get tripped up on the pitch.
Visualize with me for a second here.
You just had an amazing call with a potential client, you totally vibed, you’d be the perfect person to help her, BUT…
Because you’ve convinced yourself that your program isn’t as good as Susan’s, she probably doesn’t want what you’re selling, and you feel awkward asking for money in exchange for your services, you end the call with “let me know if you want this program.”
THAT’S IT.
I’m just going to throw it out there that the chances that she purchases based on those eight words alone are pretty slim.
Now, imagine the same call where your mindset was in a great place and you actually felt clear and confident in what you were selling…
You let this potential client know exactly what you love about her business, why you think you’d be the perfect person to help her, the cost associated, and asked her if she thought your program would help her reach her goals.
TOTALLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. And one that is likely to convert way higher.
It’s the difference between pulling chocolate chip cookies out of the oven and going, “Let me know if you want one” VS. “I just made a batch of delicious chocolate chip cookies. It’s my grandmother’s recipe—they’re gooey, delicious, and quite possibly the best chocolate chip cookie you’ll ever eat. They’re hot out of the oven. Would you like one?”
Well HELL YES I want a chocolate chip cookie!!
That’s how enticing we want your offer to be to your potential clients but the key is to get your mindset on board first and then well, sell them on why they want it!
“I don’t want to make it sound better than it is”
I KNOW that there is so much power in what you’re selling if you look for it.
I also know that your sales will convert WAY higher if you lean into why your offer is incredibly powerful rather than running away from it.
But so many of us get caught up in not wanting to “make it sound better than it is” and that right there → is a mindset challenge.
Because if you don’t believe your offer is freaking incredible, then it’s going to be THAT much harder to actually sell it to someone else.
And believe me, I get it and I’ve been there. It’s only natural that you’d want to deliver on client expectations.
I absolutely want what’s best for my clients and I promise to show up 100% for them because that is the part that I can really own.
But I’d be willing to bet that, like me, you really, truly care about your clients and the results they get. In fact, you’re probably more likely to OVERdeliver on your offer than underdeliver.
And here’s the thing → You aren’t overstating or overselling on the front end when you’re overdelivering on the back end.
Those two literally can’t live together.
So when it comes to marketing and selling, I really encourage you to lean into the power of your offer to radically transform lives and businesses rather than stopping just shy of the results that are possible.
THERE'S GREAT POWER IN POSSIBILITY.
And quite truly, that is how marketing and sales work.
I mean, that’s why McDonalds has perfectly styled burgers on their billboards without a huge disclaimer that says, “Your burger MAY NOT look this good in real life.”
It’s why the campaign is called ‘Share a Coke’ and promotes cracking one open with a friend on the beach rather than saying, “You’ll probably drink this alone and feel exactly the same.”
It’s why every weight loss program ever features their success stories rather than those that fell off the wagon and never completed the program.
It’s why every car commercial features their car on gorgeous windy roads and rugged terrain rather than in the rush hour commute you’ll probably be sitting in.
So if you’re the only one out there going, “I can design your website but what happens after that is really up to you,” in a way, you’re selling yourself short of everyone else who is willing to market to the true power it has to grow your business in a big way.
It’s time to embrace the power of what you’re selling so your people can understand what it can do for them and why they would want to hire you (and let me remind you, that all starts with having the right mindset!).
I invite you to ask yourself (and heck, even journal on this!): What is the power of your offer? How has this shown up in the results your past clients have gotten? What do you know your program can help people do?
The bottom line:
I know what it’s like to be afraid to sell, but this is one of THE most essential skills to have as an online business owner.
The sooner you master your mindset around sales the easier it will be for them to start rolling in.
If you’re currently struggling with closing more sales and landing more clients, then I would absolutely love for you to join me on my free Sincere Sales coaching call.
During this free 30-minute call, you and I will uncover your biggest mindset challenge when it comes to selling so you can shift it FAST.
Even if you realize it's one of the challenges I mentioned above, that’s great news because that means we’re one step closer to changing that! I've got you—we'll process it together and you'll feel clearer and more empowered to close your next sale!
You’ll walk away with one, simple actionable step you can take today to start closing more sales with more ease.
Tell me in the comments below:
Which of the mindset shifts that I listed above did you find most helpful?
Photography by Jennifer Morgan Photography
