How to cultivate the confidence you need to close more sales
“I’ve just always struggled to feel confident enough to grow my business,” I had a client tell me on our first call together.
She went on to explain how the inquiries were few and far between making it feel like she was constantly at the whim of everyone else.
She was terrified to get on a call with potential clients and when she did get on a call she was afraid to say the wrong thing.
She hated the feeling of being interviewed or and dreaded the reaction if she did actually tell people her rates.
Basically, there was no part of the sales process that she actually enjoyed.
And I probably don’t have to tell you that when you absolutely hate what you’re doing, it’s a lot harder to actually show up and DO IT.
I mean, the mound of unfolded laundry in my bedroom is pretty solid proof of how much we avoid things we hate doing—I know you get me.
The truth is, if you absolutely HATE selling, it’s going to be so much more difficult to show up and actually sell (aka you’ll avoid doing it). That means it’s going to be a hell of a lot harder to make more money in your business. Andddd season 3 spoiler alert: if it’s hard to make money, it’s hard to stay in business.
That’s why it’s absolutely essential that you shift your mindset around sales NOW so you can close more of them. The life of your business depends on it. (I’m being dramatic because it’s true. Feel free to insert your best, “I’ll never let go, Jack,” here.)
Fast forward to today and that client more than doubled her rates, launched two new offerings, is closing sales with ease, and having her absolute highest income months EVER.
So what gives?
What allowed her to step into the most badass, lead generating, sales slaying, money making, version of herself?
Her mindset shifted and her confidence shifted right along with it.
Truly, mindset and sales go hand in hand—because confidence in your business stems from confidence in yourself.
So when she became more confident, she consequently saw more results too.
That’s why today, I’m doing a deep dive on how to cultivate the confidence you need to close more sales and it probably isn’t nearly as difficult or complicated as you may be thinking.
Embrace the thing that’s “too much”
I’ve had clients tell me that they “care too much.”
Another tell me that they’re “too thorough.”
And one more tell me that they’re “too hands-on.”
Don’t get me wrong, I totally get it. I used to think that I was too forward, too direct, too transparent (whatever you want to call it—you get the idea) in my coaching.
But the real kicker is, that’s exactly WHY my clients hire me to help them.
Because they can trust me to be honest about where I see them standing in their own way and how to shift their mindset so they can take more of the right actions in their business—the actions that will help them gain visibility, close sales, and thrive in both life and business.
And I’ll be real honest, those are not always the most fun conversations to have. Actually, they tend to be super uncomfortable.
BUT it is where amazing transformation happens and amazing results follow (and I am totally here for that!).
The bottom line is that I started embracing the thing that I actually feared the most for being “too much” and it made it a whole hell of a lot easier to start showing up as myself rather than whoever else I thought I needed to be in order to be successful.
As cheesy as it sounds, showing up as yourself is ALWAYS going to result in more sales because that is the kind of confidence and energy that actually converts far higher than trying to be someone you're not.
So, I say embrace it. Make it work for you. Last time I checked, “caring too much” wasn’t actually a bad thing.
Because the people who are going to hire you are going to absolutely LOVE that about you. And the ones who don’t will find the door.
Not to mention, it’s far easier than having to show up on every client call from now until forever as the person you “THINK” you should be instead of the person you actually are.
So the next time you feel a little “too much” in any one thing—ask yourself if that might actually be your secret sauce—the thing that helps you land more clients, not less.
Reframe those deeply held beliefs
I say it ALL the time, but it’s worth repeating → Confidence in your business stems from confidence in yourself.
That means in order to make more money in your business, you need first need to feel that you ARE, in fact, worthy of that money.
Which to take it one step further, means reprogramming all of those deeply held beliefs that you aren’t good enough or worthy of the success you desire.
I’ll be honest, so many of these beliefs are formed in childhood so this is the time to really look at what those are and be open to the idea that they may actually be holding you back.
So grab your journal and write this at the top of the page:
→ What beliefs do I have that are holding me back from taking action in my business?
→ Then take it one step further: when did I form this belief?
→ And finally, what do I want to believe instead?
I love examples, so here’s how this could play out:
→ I believe that my aesthetic isn’t as good as Sally’s, another photographer that I admire.
→ I formed this belief when Susan won the spelling bee instead of me and I felt like I would never be good enough.
→ I want to believe that while my photography may be different than Sally’s, I am equally deserving of success. It’s actually that difference that is going to set me apart and help me be more successful because of it.
Yep, we got deep real quick. Now I’m not saying that this is necessarily easy work to do, but it is SIMPLE.
And the thing is, when you’re able to address the underlying thoughts that are holding you back it’s so much easier to anchor into a new, more empowering one.
And those new, more empowering beliefs create a whole new level of confidence in yourself and your business.
And that confidence will consequently make it easier for you to take more of the right actions and see more results in your business, as well.
Repetition is your friend
Our brains believe the thing we tell it most often, NOT the thing that’s necessarily true.
And this is so, SO important when it comes to seeing more of the results you actually want in your business.
So if every time you go to write marketing content, you think, “no one wants what I’m selling.” → You’re going to start believing that.
If every time you go to hop on a sales call, you think, “No one wants to talk to me.” → You’re going to start believing it.
If every time you go to send a contract and invoice, you think, “They’re going to back out.” → You’re going to start believing it.
Catch my drift!?
And the really incredible part is that not only will you start believing that, but you’ll consciously or subconsciously take actions (and shift your energy) in such a way that your circumstances actually start to line up with that belief too.
I mean, you only need one “no show” for a sales call that you were dreading to illustrate just how powerful this belief and energy stuff really is.
So what do you do?
Well, you use that very same repetition that you used to program that old belief to your advantage. You choose a new belief that actually serves you and then you repeat the hell out of that.
When I started doing mindset work, I would write out those new beliefs daily. YES, DAILY. And over time, I found myself defaulting to a new story because I had just written it so. many. times.
Lately, I’ve been loving the ThinkUp app because it fits seamlessly into my daily routine. I can listen to those new beliefs in my own voice and to music whenever and wherever.
So I’ll listen while I do my hair and makeup, while I take the dog for a walk, while I’m driving in the car. But the point is that I make it a point to actually DO IT.
Our brains almost don’t want it to be that easy. I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve had that have told me that it feels like they’re just putting off the more practical work when they do mindset work.
BUT the mindset work IS what makes the practical work more effective. It’s what trains your brain to think in a whole new way and consequently see new results too.
So if you’re doubting just how effective repetition can be in your mindset work, I challenge you to try it for at least 30 days and start seeing more results, not less.
Over time this repetition creates more confidence—not only in the specific beliefs you’re reprogramming—but also in your ability to show up consistently and take action toward what you want.
And spoiler alert: taking action toward what you want, always yields more of it than sitting on your hands waiting for it to show up and wondering why it’s not here yet. 😉
The bottom line:
Cultivating the confidence you need to close more sales starts with mindset work. Because here’s the thing: you get to choose thoughts that serve you—rather than ones that hold you back.
Choosing new, more empowering beliefs starts with identifying those stories or excuses (even if they seem really real at that time) and DECIDING to shift to a new thought that is actually in support of the results you want.
Now, that doesn’t mean that’s necessarily easy work, but the good news is that it is pretty simple.
“But HOW do I even identify what those thoughts are that are holding me back??” I can practically hear you thinking.
I’m so glad you asked! If you’re looking to get to the root of your number one mindset challenge when it comes to selling and shift it so you can convert with more ease and make more money in your business, then I would love to help.
Join me for my free 30-minute, Sincere Sales call where I’ll coach you through how to sell in a way that actually feels good and has you seeing more results. You’ll walk away with one simple, actionable step you can take to close more sales STAT.
This call will be a game changer for you so if you’re feeling like you’re constantly at the whim of referrals, unsure of what to actually do or say to close sales and land clients, or feeling like you’re doing all the things but “nothing is working,” it’s time to book.
I only do 3 of these each week so be sure to grab yours before it’s gone!
Tell me in the comments below:
What’s one action you’re going to take after reading this to feel more confident and close more sales?
Photography by Jennifer Morgan Photography
